The fuedal system Flashcards
king
extremely powerful
owned most of the land england
duty to protect people and enforce laws
tenants in chief
most were nobles and important clergy
paid homage and provided knight service to the king
most powerful were called barons
advised king and helped govern england
granted some land to under tenants
under tenants
most were knights and lesser clergy
paid homage to their lord and provided knight service
granted some land to peasants
most knights were lords of a manor
free men
travel and work wherever they wanted
included merchants craftsmen and farmers
had to obey and pay rent to their lord in a village
sometimes worked on lord’s land but were paid
peasants
unfree peasants provided labour service to lord
- in return for protection, shelter and small area of land to provide food for familiies
-lords could buy and sell them, couldn’t leave without permission
landholding
king kept about 20% of land for himself for hunting, farming and renting out
king’s land known as demesne
other land run by barons/ nobles/ knights (55%)
remaining land was controlled by church, made them very wealthy
paying homage
had to pay homage by swearing oath of loyalty
sworn in public ceremony
once it had been sworn, landholder became vassal of his lord and had to provide service
if they broke oath, would be punished by forfeiture or even death
forfeiture
land was forfeit if vassal broke oath
could be then granted someone else
helped maintain feudal hierarchy and the king’s power
knight service
ensured king had an army to protect his kingdom
some barons could pay king scutage instead of knight service
labour service
work that unfree peasants were expected to do on their lord’s land
helped ensure there was enough food / essentials produced to provide for everyone in the country
duties of knight service
serving in king’s army for 2 months/ year
guarding castles of their lord or the king for up to 40 days per year
raising money to pay the ransom of their lord if he was captured during battle
duties of labour service
‘boon-work’ - working on lord’s land and gathering harvest
‘week-work’- working on lord’s land on certain days every week
doing jobs such as sowing crops, looking after animals, ploughing land
importance of religion
people believed god controlled everything and would decide whether they went to heaven or hell
pleasing god was vital
pope was representative of god on earth, had authority over kings
clergy more likely to be loyal to pope than king
spiritual influence of church
clergy dedicated lives to god
guided people how to live according to church teachings
performed daily services, baptisms, marriages and funerals
economic influence of church
very wealthy, earned money through land
had many vassals and employees
paid taxes on land to king- he relied on this income
