7. How Significant was Retaining to Political Stability?

Question 1

What was a Lord?

Answer 1

A noble/ leading member of the regular clergy who held a substantial amount of land.

Question 2

What was a Lord expected to do?

Answer 2

Provide for his vassals with use of the fief & protection from attack by interlopers & legal protection if in trouble with law. Matter of honour/ ‘good lordship’ to do this

Question 3

What was a Vassal?

Answer 3

Someone who was granted permission of part of a Lord’s land

Question 4

What was expected of a Vassal?

Answer 4

Military service, non-military service and an oath of fealty (loyalty)

Question 5

What did the oath of fealty mean?

Answer 5

Retainers could not take up arms against his lord & was required to come to his aid to fight if the Lord asked. May have had other roles like being an adviser

Question 6

Who would get the land if the retainer died?

Answer 6

His son- the traditional feudal relationship was hereditary

Question 7

What was a retainer?

Answer 7

A member of the gentry who was loyal to his lord over monarch and would wear his colours

Question 8

What was the feudal system?

Answer 8

A name given to the social relationships between individuals of unequal social rank involving granting of fief and oath of loyalty to lord

Question 9

Bastard Feudalism summary

Answer 9

System of vassalage
Cash payments in return for military/ non-military servuce
Retainers or retinue/affinity
Livery
Indenture

Question 10

What was the system of vassalage/ maintenance

Answer 10

The system of a lord developing retinues or affinities based upon his personal relationship with them. Based on cash payments rather than hereditary feudal tie.

Question 11

What was the livery and why was it worn?

Answer 11

Personal badge to advertise Lord’s power

Question 12

What was the indenture

Answer 12

Written contract that formalised the arrangement of the system of maintenance

Question 13

Why was the traditional feudal system problematic?

Answer 13

Lords did not always have enough property to provide numerous vessels with land & feudal holdings descended through vassals family line- lord had no control over type of vassal he had to serve him

Question 14

What was the oath of fealty replaced by in Bastard Feudalism

Answer 14

Indenture

Question 15

Advantages ti Lords if the new system of maintenance

Answer 15

Made it easier to confiscate, gave lord & retainer more control over who to bind themselves to

Question 16

Disadvantage of Bastard Feudalism

Answer 16

Cause of civil unrest and widespread destabilisation of society
Loyalty of large retinues made lords ‘over-mighty’ as could use as private armies.

Question 17

Why were retinues needed even if they did cause civil unrest?

Answer 17

For Lords to provide armed men for the King’s wars

Question 18

Liverymen

Answer 18

When Lords extended their retinues unduly with men they had little connection to. Could be used by noblemen to intimidate rivals/ the king & weren’t necessarily loyal in their service. Some took fees from more than one lord.