Feudalism :: Economy, History, Medieval Europe

Feudalism was created in the 9th century to eliminate social chaos and put social classes into order. Kings would also use it to expand their land. In return they would get protection, money, crops, and court duties. It also used in war times so that the Knights were obligated to fight. They centralized government to organize power and land. Feudalism was used to give out land by the king, organize social standing and in return get military services and protection. Feudalism was a set of political and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries (â€Å"Feudalism†). â€Å"The feudal system was not planned but, rather grew and developed in response to the social chaos that followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It provided order where there no longer was any, and it created new chains of command to replace those that were gone† ( James 58). Feudalism was introduced by King William I to England; this system organized power, land, and divided people into classes. The king, who owned all the land, gave some land to the church and to the barons in return for large blocks of land, the barons promised to fight for the king. Lent land to the knights and also common people (Susie 5). Feudalism test was also to defend against invaders (John 32). In the absence of centralized government authority, people look to personal relationships to bind society together. An individual with military pow er to offer gave his services to a feudal lord (Hay 170). Feudalism was created to put society, land, and power into order. In the economic system, landlords would force laborers to work on the lord’s manor to the lord’s profit (Medieval 65). Feudalism cultured many aspects of Europe that remained in place (Hay 39). â€Å"The feudal system was invented by 16th and 17th century lawyers and legal historians who were investigating the origins of the most common form of noble landholding in their own time (The Brown Reference Group 64). The feudal system was used in many aspects to making society and country simpler. Before the king would give out his land to the Barons, the barons would have to take an Oath of Fidelity. Nobel property was subdivided among a multitude of co sharers. The feudal system was founded upon a more and less complicated hierarchy of barons and vassals, united by ties of homage and fidelity by a sworn oath and by certain obligations which were defined in the contract.