Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Sociological Perspective
The social impact of feudalism
Sociological Perspective
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Sociological Perspective
There have been several key time periods that have changed the face of society such as; the hunter gatherer nomadic lifestyle to agriculture, classical antiquities, the Middle Ages renaissance, reformation to modern times. In a lecture for History and Social Change at the University of Abertay Dundee, W Mcneish describes history as being a “contested terrain with the views of the historian giving their perception of events”. This essay will discuss the key features of the feudal period and the key processes leading to the transition of this society from a sociological perspective covering; the rise of feudalism, the hierarchical structure of feudal Europe, the feudal mode of production, urban life, the role of religion and finally, the decline of the feudal period.
Harman (2008) explains how Rome ruled its Empire in the West and East for 600 and 1600 years respectively. The Western Empires slave based economy collapsed in 410 AD effectuating the end of Roman governance. Germanic invaders settled in the land and the dark ages ensued. Rome’s legacy was the Roman Catholic Church with its power and influence becoming part of the feudal ruling class.
Anderson (1978) intimates feudalism emerging in the 10th century with France preceding. Feudal Europe was structured as follows: - The King at the top of society was feudal Lord, the divine monarch ordained by God giving the law. The Barons swore deference to the King providing him with Knights for battle and in return the King gave them land. The Church also perceived the King as feudal lord providing him with Knights. At the bottom of society were the Villeins (Serfs) legally known as freemen but tied to the lord, paying him feudal dues (surplus) in return for the piece of land ...
... middle of paper ...
...oadcast) BBC4. April 24. 2100 hrs
Bartlett, A., 2008. ‘Belief’ Inside the Medieval mind, (television broadcast) BBC4. May 1. 2100hrs
Bartlett, A., 2008. ‘Power’ Inside the Medieval mind, (television broadcast BBC4. May 8. 2100hrs
Black, J (eds). 2000. Encyclopaedia of world history. United Kingdom: Parragon.
Harmon, C. 2008. A people’s history of the world. London: Verso
Hughes, B., 2010. The seven ages of Britain, (television broadcast). Channel 4. March 26. 2000hrs.
Langley, A. 2002. Medieval life. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Marsh, I. Keating, M. Punch, S. Harden, J (eds) 2009. Sociology, making sense of society. 4th ed. London: Pearson education ltd.
Osborne, R. 2007. Civilisation a new history of the Western world. London: Vintage.
Schama, S. 2008 ‘King death’. A history of Britain. (television broadcast). BBC4. April 30. 2100hrs
The rise of feudalism in Europe has also been debated about by historians. A feudal society may have formed in the later Merovingian dynasty where a variety of capitularies slowly made the peasant more reliant, and subservient to his lord. Tho...
Gull, John. The Oxford Illustrated History of Brittan. Great Brittan: Butler & Tanner Ltd, Frome, Somerset., 1984. Print.
Feudalism is a system of land ownership and duties that were used in the Middle Ages. Under feudalism, all the land in a kingdom was the king's. However, the king would give some of his land to the lords or nobles who fought for him. Rulers in all society wanted to create law and order and ensure that people make good use of the society’s resources. That is why feudalism was created. Monarchs had to accept limits on their own personal power. They also needed to respond to expectations that other groups in society have a say in decision-making. People began to use medieval courts for problems that had previously been solved by trial by combat.
Feudalism came to as a government containing kings, vassals, knights, lords, lesser lords, and peasants. Feudalism is a loosely organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divided their lands among lesser lords in exchange for military services and pledged loyalty. It came to as a need for control over peasants and protection from the Muslims and the Magyars.
Early Feudalism started after the fall of the Roman Empire, which led to no law being in place protecting the poor people who then turned to the lord of the manor for protection which saw the beginning of Feudalism.
Feudalism is a system depending on loyalty and obligations of all the levels, meeting the needs of its people because everyone would benefit in some way. The Hundred Years war was the start of the decline of feudalism through its military by changing what the Lord’s needed the military to have and as a result, making the lower class wealthier and more powerful. Every class had an important role that needed to be filled for feudalism to meet all of the people’s needs. King Edward the third died without a direct heir, leaving the lands of France unclaimed. The King of England tried to claim the land and as a result, started a 116 year long war that went on for many lifetimes. Proving your worth will get you to be well known, for instance, Edward the black prince said "My father is right. I need no aid. My men will hold their post as long as they have strength to stand." And then he rode where the battle was still furiously raging, and encouraged his men. The king of France led his force a number of times against the prince's line, but could not break it and was at last compelled to retire (Richardson)
The economy mostly seen in the early middle ages was feudalism, Europe’s form of government
Jupp, Kenneth. “European Feudalism from its Emergence through its Decline.” American Journal of Economics and Sociology 59, no. 5 (2000): 27-46. doi: 10.1111/1536-7150.00084.
Vickers, K. H. A History of England: (Volume III) England in the Later Middle Ages (London, 1937).
Volatility in the West during the ninth and tenth centuries drove Europeans to strive for a more stable way of life. The institution of feudalism and St. Benedict’s monastic Rule arose in response to this problem and provided what the scattered kingdoms of the old Roman Empire were struggling to achieve.
Hollister, C. Warren. The Making of England. 7th ed. A History of England. Ed. Lacey Baldwin Smith. Vol. 1. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1996.
During the Middle Ages, feudalism served as the “governing political, social, and economic system of late medieval Europe.” Feudalism consisted of feudal liege lords giving land and protection to vassals, common men, in exchange for their allegiance and military service. Although this principle may at first sound like a fair trade, it in actuality restricted the entire society and took away every bit of their independence. In essence, this system could even be compared to a “mini-dictatorship” because the common people relied on ...
Macionis. J, J. Plummer, K. (2005). Sociology. A global Introduction. Pearson Education Limited. Essex. (UK) Third Edition.
Murray, Jane Lothian, Linden, Rick and Kendall, Diane. (2011). SOCIOLOGY IN OUR TIMES, Fifth Canadian Edition by Nelson Education Limited, Published by Thomson Wadsworth, USA.
Steele, P., & MacDonald, F. (2007). The Miles Kelly book of British history. Essex, Great Britian: Miles Kelly.