Feudal Europe: Difference between revisions
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[[Category:feudalism]] | [[Category:feudalism]] | ||
'''Feudal Europe, European feudalism or "feudalism"''' | '''"Feudal Europe", "European feudalism" or "feudalism"''' | ||
== | == European feudalism overview == | ||
* largely from the 9th to 15th centuries | * largely from the 9th to 15th centuries | ||
** not a uniform system across place and time | ** not a uniform system across place and time | ||
** for example, feudalism arose in England after the Norman invasion of 1066, but it existed in France since the AD 800s | ** for example, feudalism arose in England after the Norman invasion of 1066, but it existed in France since the AD 800s | ||
* generally a system of shared power between and among a hierarchy of authorities | * generally, a system of shared power between and among a hierarchy of authorities | ||
** as in, knights, lords, vassals | ** as in, knights, lords, vassals | ||
** can be thought of as "chains" of allegiances and duties and obligations | ** can be thought of as "chains" of allegiances and duties and obligations | ||
* feudal systems are an important contributing origin to today's parliamentary governments in Europe | |||
== Etymology & vocabulary of feudalism == | == Etymology & vocabulary of feudalism == | ||
Line 49: | Line 50: | ||
*** the Romans adopted the word from Celtic and called it ''vassal'', which became ''valet'' in French | *** the Romans adopted the word from Celtic and called it ''vassal'', which became ''valet'' in French | ||
* related terms | * related terms | ||
** '''chivalry''' | **'''chivalry''' | ||
*** from cheval | *** from cheval | ||
** '''knight''' | ** '''fealty''' | ||
*** for "in fee" which means what is due to the lord in exchange for a grant (usually of land but also of offices, trade rights, etc.) to a vassal | |||
**'''knight''' | |||
== Origins == | == Origins == | ||
=== Ancient Roman "beneficium" === | |||
* in exchange for some service, the Romans would grant a '''''beneficium''''', which was a property, title or privilege | |||
** the words "benefit" and "beneficial" a derived from ''beneficium'' | |||
* a '''''precaria''''' was a temporary land grant that had few obligations | |||
** for example, to give someone land that needed to be cleared for farming | |||
** ownership of the ''precaria'' would revert to the landlord upon death of the tenant | |||
** since the obligations were loose, the ''precaria'' was not a secure grant, thus the word "precarious", which means "uncertain" or "dangerous" | |||
**'''''tenant''''' = someone who lives on land owned by someone else | |||
* Frankish kingdoms of France | |||
=== Frankish kingdoms of France, 481-843 AD === | |||
* also known as "Francia," "Kingdom of the Franks", or "Frankish Empire" | |||
** Frankish kingdoms were the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties | |||
*** Franks were Germanic tribes which ruled much of Europe, centered around modern France, following the collapse of the Roman Empire | |||
* under Charles Martel ("Charles the Hammer") land grants became a dominant form of alliance building | |||
* the practice developed into feudalism under the subsequent Frankish kingdoms starting in the AD 800s | |||
** as result of extensive conquests that required hierarchical control | |||
* however, with the collapse of the Frankish Empire in 843,following Charlemagne's death | |||
** the empire was divided into three main kingdoms | |||
** the Capetian Dynasty arose in 987 (by Hugh Capet) | |||
** maintained control over France by sharing power with local lords | |||
=== From stirrups to knights === | |||
* around the 700s, the Franks adopted the stirrup, which enabled small calvaries that could easily defeat infantry | |||
* the stirrup enabled the rider to wield swords and other weapons (lances were enabled by advances in saddles but their development followed skills and tactics developed using stirrups) | |||
* horses and riders began to add armor for protection and additional power | |||
* thus creating the prototypical horse-mounted, armored knight, which was the equivalent of a modern tank | |||
=== From knights to feudalism === | |||
* equipment and horses of the knights were very expensive and required extensive training | |||
* knights began to take on not just military but social, economic and political power | |||
* local lords began the practice of granting land to knights in exchange for military service and allegiance | |||
* as knights gained power, wealth, and property, they employed peasants to manage their lands and farms | |||
** these properties were known as "'''fiefs'''" | |||
* | * | ||
=== Agricultural Revolution === | |||
>> to do | |||
==Summary Questions== | ==Summary Questions== |
Revision as of 18:10, 12 November 2021
"Feudal Europe", "European feudalism" or "feudalism"
European feudalism overview[edit | edit source]
- largely from the 9th to 15th centuries
- not a uniform system across place and time
- for example, feudalism arose in England after the Norman invasion of 1066, but it existed in France since the AD 800s
- generally, a system of shared power between and among a hierarchy of authorities
- as in, knights, lords, vassals
- can be thought of as "chains" of allegiances and duties and obligations
- feudal systems are an important contributing origin to today's parliamentary governments in Europe
Etymology & vocabulary of feudalism[edit | edit source]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
- the noun "feudalism" is a modern invention (18th century)
- Adam Smith discusses the "feudal system" in his "Wealth of Nations"
- during the "feudal" period, people did not refer to themselves as living under feudalism
- the word "feudal" may have been used, but as an adjective not a noun
- "feudalism" is unrelated to the word, "feud"
- "feud" is from Old English, "gefea" or "gefa" which means "enemy" or "foe"
- however, "feud" is easy for students to remember "feudalism" in terms of a system of allies and enemies
- most directly derived from the Latin feodum for "fief"
- Proto-Indo-European word origin = "peku" for cattle
- Latin "pecus",
- Old German, "fehu", Old English "feoh"
- these languages shifted "P" to "F", as in the Latin "pater" > to English "father"
- see Indo-European word origins
- the Roman term "beneficium" (for a grant of land or rights; see "Origins" section below)
- starting in AD 984, Medieval writers began to use Latin "feudum" instead of "beneficium" in reference to grants
- in the Medieval system, property could be used as a form of exchange instead of money or gold
- thus the ancient word for cattle, "pecu", which became in Frankish, "fehu", was used with "od" which meant "goods"
- fehu-od" = an exchange or payment with property instead of money
- cattle, horses, clothing, arms, etc.
- which became "feos"
- so "feudalism" is derived from the exchange of goods and services
Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
- the primary words of feudalism are "fief," "lord" and "vassal"
- fief = land or rights granted to a "vassal" by an overlord (higher rank), generally heritable (passed on by hereditary birth)
- lord = a person holding authority over certain people and places
- in England, the word "lord" became the title "Lord" (as in the House of Lords in Parliament)
- vassal = a person who owes allegiance, duty, taxes, and homage (an oath of submission and/or a public respect) to another person of higher rank
- vassals were generally knights, who acquired their own fiefs with peasants to work the land for them
- "vassal" comes from Celtic for "young boy" or "servant"
- the Romans adopted the word from Celtic and called it vassal, which became valet in French
- related terms
- chivalry
- from cheval
- fealty
- for "in fee" which means what is due to the lord in exchange for a grant (usually of land but also of offices, trade rights, etc.) to a vassal
- knight
- chivalry
Origins[edit | edit source]
Ancient Roman "beneficium"[edit | edit source]
- in exchange for some service, the Romans would grant a beneficium, which was a property, title or privilege
- the words "benefit" and "beneficial" a derived from beneficium
- a precaria was a temporary land grant that had few obligations
- for example, to give someone land that needed to be cleared for farming
- ownership of the precaria would revert to the landlord upon death of the tenant
- since the obligations were loose, the precaria was not a secure grant, thus the word "precarious", which means "uncertain" or "dangerous"
- tenant = someone who lives on land owned by someone else
Frankish kingdoms of France, 481-843 AD[edit | edit source]
- also known as "Francia," "Kingdom of the Franks", or "Frankish Empire"
- Frankish kingdoms were the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties
- Franks were Germanic tribes which ruled much of Europe, centered around modern France, following the collapse of the Roman Empire
- Frankish kingdoms were the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties
- under Charles Martel ("Charles the Hammer") land grants became a dominant form of alliance building
- the practice developed into feudalism under the subsequent Frankish kingdoms starting in the AD 800s
- as result of extensive conquests that required hierarchical control
- however, with the collapse of the Frankish Empire in 843,following Charlemagne's death
- the empire was divided into three main kingdoms
- the Capetian Dynasty arose in 987 (by Hugh Capet)
- maintained control over France by sharing power with local lords
From stirrups to knights[edit | edit source]
- around the 700s, the Franks adopted the stirrup, which enabled small calvaries that could easily defeat infantry
- the stirrup enabled the rider to wield swords and other weapons (lances were enabled by advances in saddles but their development followed skills and tactics developed using stirrups)
- horses and riders began to add armor for protection and additional power
- thus creating the prototypical horse-mounted, armored knight, which was the equivalent of a modern tank
From knights to feudalism[edit | edit source]
- equipment and horses of the knights were very expensive and required extensive training
- knights began to take on not just military but social, economic and political power
- local lords began the practice of granting land to knights in exchange for military service and allegiance
- as knights gained power, wealth, and property, they employed peasants to manage their lands and farms
- these properties were known as "fiefs"
Agricultural Revolution[edit | edit source]
>> to do
Summary Questions[edit | edit source]
- How was feudalism a response to social, economic, and political collapse?
- How does the "manor system" relate to feudalism?
- Why was there no major plague under feudalism?
- How is it that feudalism is orderly but does not bring unity?
- How did the feudal system bring order to medieval Europe?
- How did Europe come out of feudalism and develop trade?
- What is the lasting impact of feudalism on modern Europe?