Feudalism
An important feature of the
Middle ages was feudalism. The word “Feudalism” is derived from the Latin word
“feud” or “fief which means a land held on condition of service. Feudalism was
essentially an agrarian system. The peasants or the farmers were obliged to
give a portion of the produce from the land to the lords as rent or taxes or
they had to work on their Features of Feudalism
Feudalism was an organization of society and its
government based on land ownership. According to the system all lands belonged
to the king who divided the kingdom into several fiefs and gave each fief to a
baron or tenant-in-chief on condition of military and administrative services
and other aids to the lord. As the fiefs were granted to bishops and other
church dignitaries, they also came under the category of tenants-in-chief. The
king in his turn granted protection to them in times of danger. Thus feudalism
was a political arrangement in its origin. The baron in his turn subdivided the
land into several manors and gave each manor to a sub tenant on similar
conditions. Thus the three important features of feudalism were feudal tenure,
vassalage and immunity.
Merits of Feudalism
Feudalism proved to be a useful institution to protect
the people from chaos and anarchy. It brought safety security and orderliness
to the medieval society. The decentralization of political authority and
distribution of power made the way to a new political development namely
“parliamentary democracy” in the later centuries. The lining of military and
agricultural services with a well-graded social hierarchy fixed specific rights
and duties upon the rulers and the ruled. The manorial system, an integral
economic part of the feudal system saved Europe from utter confusion in the
farm front. The exhibition of skill and valour by the knight errant's
encouraged a sprit of sacrifice and devotion to general cause among all people.
Demerits of feudalism
Feudalism was not an unmixed blessing. It brought the
growth of baronial power. Jealousies among the barons and suspicion between the
king and the lords encouraged local feuds. The king had to rely upon the
military services provided by his vassals. The extensive holdings of the church
gradually created the conflict between the Popes and the kings.
The feudal system was opposed to the emergence of a
strong national government. The feudal lords ruled over their people in a
tyrannical manner. They were either at war with the king or with the fellow
lords. The army was not given uniform training in the kingdom. Different system
of justice were practiced from fief to fief. The society was divided between
the rich and the poor. As a result, peasants suffered many hardships. The
church also became a very big feudal organization. Thus the feudal system
became largely responsible for the conflicts between the kings and the church.
Feudalism degenerated into the sharp division of
society of the haves and the have-nots. Growth of learning and education did
not materialize in full bloom under feudalism. Justice became a mockery under
the feudal system.
Decline of Feudalism
Feudalism as a social force began to decline even from
the 12th Century onwards, and as a political force from the 13th
century. The rise of strong monarchies along with the rise of the bourgeoisie
or middle class as a major class, completely changed the political values. The
growth of representative institutions In different parts of Europe undermined
the feudal setup. The crusades and the invention of gun powder sounded the
deathknell of feudalism.
During the Age of Faith, the conflict between
spiritual authority and temporal power resulted in victory to the former. The
Age of Faith gradually gave place to the Age of Reason. The renewed study of
Roman law made it to understand the superiority of such a law as against the
clumsy feudal laws.
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