2.3.3 Grade 9 - Feudal System

Question 1

How did William I use the feudal system to reduce the power of the Earls?

Answer 1

• William reduced the power of the Earls by giving fewer people the title of Earl and reducing the size of their land. They became less wealthy and powerful.
• The feudal system allowed William to do this because under this system Earls became tenants-in-chief. They were dependent on the king’s support for their survival and he could take away their land and give it to someone else if they displeased him.

Question 2

Why was the feudal system useful for William I? (2)

Answer 2

• The feudal system allowed the king to control everyone below him because he was at the top. He had the power to manipulate and punish people because he could take away their lands as he pleased.
• The nature of feudalism was that it created a relationship between different tiers of society. If everyone fulfilled their duties, they received rights in return. William could, therefore, legitimise his treatment of people below him.

Question 3

Under the feudal system, sons normally inherited their fathers’ land. What did William do to this to reinforce his power?

Answer 3

William I required a ceremony of homage to the king to be carried out before the transfer could be made. This was important as it reminded people that the king had ultimate control over the land.

Question 4

Did peasants have rights under the feudal system?

Answer 4

• Peasants gained protection from their lord in return for their work.
• This was a right, but it was not a natural or an inalienable right in the same way that human rights today are.
• These rights could quickly and easily be taken away from peasants if they did not fulfil their responsibilities.

Question 5

What was the benefit of government centralisation?

Answer 5

It made it easier for William to maintain control