Feudalism is characterized by the granting of fiefs, chiefly in the form of land and labor, in return for political and military services a contract sealed by oaths of fealty (Fidelity.) It can be described as a trade where one surrenders their land for promise of protection. Divided into sections by a hierarchy, the king is at the top and following was the bishop, barons, the lord, and at the bottom was the peasants/serfs. The kings believed they were given divine right, the right to rule by God, and would share this power with the barons who overused their power. The church also had great influence in shaping feudalism; although the organization of the church was not feudal in character, its hierarchy somewhat paralleled the feudal hierarchy. The church owned much land, held by monasteries, by church dignitaries, and by the churches themselves. (Feudalism, 2016) At the bottom of the hierarchy, the peasants were forced to live a hard life working most of the time and struggling to survive. Over 90 percent of the people who worked on the lands were peasants and were treated like slaves. Eventually, the concentration of power became a great disruptive force in the feudal system. The rise of powerful monarchs in France, Spain, and England broke down the local organization. (Feudalism 2016) The feudal system lead to no economic growth, no trade,and a disrupted government that was not
Feudalism is characterized by the granting of fiefs, chiefly in the form of land and labor, in return for political and military services a contract sealed by oaths of fealty (Fidelity.) It can be described as a trade where one surrenders their land for promise of protection. Divided into sections by a hierarchy, the king is at the top and following was the bishop, barons, the lord, and at the bottom was the peasants/serfs. The kings believed they were given divine right, the right to rule by God, and would share this power with the barons who overused their power. The church also had great influence in shaping feudalism; although the organization of the church was not feudal in character, its hierarchy somewhat paralleled the feudal hierarchy. The church owned much land, held by monasteries, by church dignitaries, and by the churches themselves. (Feudalism, 2016) At the bottom of the hierarchy, the peasants were forced to live a hard life working most of the time and struggling to survive. Over 90 percent of the people who worked on the lands were peasants and were treated like slaves. Eventually, the concentration of power became a great disruptive force in the feudal system. The rise of powerful monarchs in France, Spain, and England broke down the local organization. (Feudalism 2016) The feudal system lead to no economic growth, no trade,and a disrupted government that was not