FEUDALISM

By: Amanda Kasbohm and Isabel Goodwin

 Was Feudalism Helpful or
Hurtful?
 Feudal life was fairly brutal. Rival lords battled
constantly for power (land), making warfare a way of
life. Additionally, serfs had little to no rights. Even
though they were not owned by the lords, they had to
obey every order given, even if it was unjust.
 On the other hand, feudalism had it’s benefits. The
arrangement of land in exchange for loyalty provided
safety and defense for all in these violent times. It
also allowed noblewomen to have a more active role
in society. For example, when a husband was off
fighting, the noblewomen took over his duties. This
gave them more respect in their community.
 The Role of the Pope in the Feudal
System
 The idea of feudalism came
from the belief that the land
belonged to God, but that
Kings, who rule by Divine
Right*, looked after the land
and used it as they wished.
Nevertheless, the King had
to answer to the Pope, who
had the right to interfere
when a King was being
unfair.
 Under the feudalism pyramid
the Pope had the authority
to take away a King’s
Kingdom, excommunicate a
King,Right
*Divine or-Theput another
belief that the KingKing
’s in
right to rule came from God himself.
his place.

 The Role of the King in the Feudal
System
 During feudal
times the King
owned all land and
allowed trusted
nobles to govern
parts of the land in
return for protection
ad loyalty.



Hierarchy of the Feudal System
During the Middle Ages
society was divided up
into a pyramid based
on the level of
authority a person
had.
At the top of the
pyramid was the king,
next came the nobles
or barons, then the
vassals and knights,
and finally at the
bottom of the pyramid
 How It Worked…
 The King had ownership of all land.
 He granted then granted some of his land to
important nobles, also known as barons.
 In return for the land, the nobles pledged their
loyalty by vowing to serve and protect the king.
 The King then granted more of his land to military
men called knights, and vassals.
 Like the barons , the knights and vassals agreed to
fight for the king.
 All of the king's land was farmed and worked by the
serfs. The serfs made up the bottom of the
pyramid. They were bound to the land and could
not leave without permission.