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Feudalism

Definition

Feudalism was a social and economic system in medieval Europe where land ownership and political power were based on a hierarchical relationship between lords and vassals. It involved the exchange of land for military service and loyalty.

Analogy

Imagine feudalism as a game of Monopoly, where each player owns properties (land) and collects rent from other players. The more properties you own, the more power you have in the game. However, to maintain control over your properties, you must also provide protection to other players who are willing to be your loyal followers.

Related terms

Manorial System: A key component of feudalism, the manorial system was an economic arrangement where peasants worked on large agricultural estates owned by lords in exchange for protection.

Lord: In feudalism, a lord was a noble who owned land (manor) and granted it to vassals in exchange for services such as military support or labor.

Vassal: A vassal was someone who received land (fief) from a lord in return for their loyalty, military service, or other obligations.