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Feudalism of medieval europe
The negative impact of Feudalism in the Middle Ages
Impact of feudalism in the middle ages
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The Middle Ages helped to define Western Europe. The Middle Ages showed a large influence on politics, religion, and intellectual trends that helped to define the post-classical world. The most import of all Middle Age political contributions was feudalism. This form of government linked the landlords who were able to fight due to resources they possessed such as iron. They were aided by the help of vassals. These vassals were often paid by inheriting land when the government could not afford to pay each person individually. The feudal system was also used by leaders to gain power. For example, French leaders normally had a background as a landlord. Through marriage, they would gain more. Eventually, once they came into power, a leader would be able to specialize minutely in a trade learned from his officials. In other kingdoms such as England, the feudal government was introduced more forcefully. Under William the Conqueror, the landlords were bound in loyalty to him. He used sheriffs to enforce his rule throughout the empire. William unitized a combined feudal and central govern...
The feudal system was one that arose in England after the invasion and conquest of William I. It has been said that this was the perfect political system for this time period. Life was really hard back in the Middle Ages and safety and defense were really hard to come by after the empire fell. There were no laws to protect the poor, so they turned to their lords to keep them safe. The king was in complete control of the system and he owned all the land. One quarter was kept as private property and the rest was given to the church or leased
Politically, in the 1400's parts of Europe had a feudalistic government and some, feudal monarchies but overtime Europe adapted to absolute monarchies, parliamentary monarchies, and nation-states. The dominant social system in Medieval Europe was feudalism, in which the nobility held land in exchange for military service, and vassals were tenants of the nobles, while the peasants were to live on their lord's land and give him labor, and a share of the produce, in exchange for military protection. However, the age of Enlightenment and the French Revolution affected Europe and brought new political changes. Before the Enlightenment, there were feudal systems, and most people lived in small villages and were ruled by feudal lords. Eventually there were new thinkers like John Locke and Isaac Newton. These individuals were about reason, logic, and the scientific method. John Locke, as one example, is an enlightenment age thinker and his ideas influenced the Founding Fathers, the ideas of democracy, liberty and free will. The French Revolution is also important, a period of political upheaval that affected France in which s...
Western Europe was more concerned with their Maker and the redemption of their souls than with their individual lives on earth. This meant that the development of their own philosophies and schools of thought would occur later than many other postclassical civilizations. However, the time period was not without achievement. It laid the ground for discoveries of tremendous importance that would change the known world forever.
Like the Pre-Columbian Civilizations, the Middle Age kingdoms of Europe had similar qualities such as the governmental structures. Spain, Portugal, England, and the rest of Europe used the Feudal System to sort out the social differences. The King and Queen were the head of state, followed by princesses, princes, bishops, and other church officials. Then came the merchants and artisans trailed by the lowly serfs and peasants who work the land for the system.
With the decline of the Western Roman empire Western Europe was a disjointed land that had no true unifying structure till the rise of Christianity. In Roman antiquity people used the State or empire of Rome to define themselves and give them a sense of unity despite having a diverse group of people within the empire. When Western Rome fell this belief based on a Roman cultural identity disappeared and no longer were people able to identify themselves with any particular group as they once have. The Christian religion was able to fill this vacuum by having the people associate themselves to a religion instead of a given state or cultural group. During Medieval Europe Christianity became the unifying force that would define what it meant to be European. Christianity gave political leaders legitimacy by showing that they have been favored by the gods. The clergyman that recorded the histories surrounding the kings of the Medieval Europe also provided a link to the Roman Empire to give the Kings a link to Roman empire of antiquity. Christianity became the center of the cultural life in western Europe and created a new social elite in Europe which would dominate literacy and knowledge within Europe for centuries. Christianity provided Europe with an escape from the disorder of the Medieval ages and give them a spiritual outlet for their fears and desires for a better life, whether in the physical life or in the spiritual world after death.
In summary, Europe developed and changed throughout the Middle ages. It advanced in the categories of social, economic, and political status. Socially, feudalism organized the society with ranks of social class from serfs to the kings. Economically, money and trade provided money. The Church, feudal society, and manners were a major part of the Middle
WAS THE TIME PERIOD BETWEEN 400 AD AND 1400 AD A “DARK AGE” FOR EUROPE?
Essentially, Powell’s Prelude to the Modern World was correct. The Medieval Ages greatly influenced modern day. He wrote, “In many respects, the modern age fulfilled the work of the Middle Ages” (Powell 6). The creation of nation states, the growth of cities, increased emphasis on education and the creation of universities, the Romance languages, thriving arts, the widening scope of literary topics, and the separation of Church and State are the result of the seeds that were planted in the Medieval Ages.
The feudal system was a political, military, and economic system based on the holding of land. The system was developed since the whole entire basis of rule from all the civilizations before the Middle Ages was lost. Early Europe was in desperate need of such a system since they were constantly being raided by the Vikings and other outsiders.
Imagine having to bury your own children. How awful would that be? The Middle Ages were a brutal time that included the bubonic plague, many wars and other horrible things. This period is considered to be one of religion and the Catholic Church, but this was overshadowed by chaos and confusion. Although the Middle Ages is often known as the age of faith, a more appropriate title for the time period would be The Dark Ages because of the black death, wars and the collapse of government.
The social structure of the Middle Ages was based on the practice of feudalism. Feudalism meant that the country was not governed directly by the king, but by individual lords that paid homage to him. These lords: administered their own estates, dispensed their own justice, minted their own currency, levied taxes and tolls, and demanded military service from their vassals. Technically the king was the chief feudal lord, however the individual lords reigned supreme in their territory, doing little more than paying the king’s taxes. The idea of feudalism was built upon a mutual service between vassals and lords. As a vassal one was required to attend at the lord’s court, help administer justice, contribute money, and answer a summons to battle, as well as house and feed the lord when he traveled across his land. The lord was obliged to, protect the vassal, give military aid, and guard his children; this meant that if a daughter were to inherit the fief, the lord would arrange her marriage.
Throughout time, history has taken some strange turns. A single ruler establishing some new form of government can transform entire civilizations, or a single event can lead to the creation of a great new people. Whatever the case, history can repeat itself in time. One possible exemption of this could be Britain’s time period of the Middle Ages. Bearing a distinct and unique culture relative to the time period, some of the values and the customs held during this time have yet to be repeated in history. It is perhaps the most unique period of all time for the British Isles.
European history, the middle ages, or medieval period, lasted from the 5th to the 15th century (Middle Ages). During that period of time, the Catholic Church was the largest, and most important part of people’s lives. It influenced all parts of European society, from the poorest, to most powerful including the King. This influence was cause by the people turning to their priests for religious guidance, giving them agency over nearly every facet of their lives.
The Anglo Saxon period is the oldest known period of time that had a complex culture with stable government, art, and a fairly large amount of literature. Many people believe that the culture then was extremely unsophisticated, but it was actually extremely advanced for the time. Despite the many advancements, the period was almost always in a state of war. Despite this fact, the Anglo-Saxon period is a time filled with great advancements and discoveries in culture, society, government, religion, literature, and art.
A government was required to lead the people and aid in organizing a city. City governments were far more powerful than the council of elders and local chiefs of farming villages. At first, Priest probably had the greatest. In time, warrior kings came to power as chief political leaders. They soon set themselves up as the chief hereditary ruler and passed their power from father to son. Governments soon became more complex as rulers issued laws, collected taxes, and organizes systems of defense. To enforce order, rulers relied on royal officials. Over time, government bureaucracies evolved. Almost always rulers claimed their power came from god or divine right. These rulers then gained religious power as well.