feudalism

Word count: 1,537

FEUDALISM

At the fall of the Roman Empire people were desperate for security. People turned to each other and began to live in small communities. To provide order a hierarchy was formed. At the top of the hierarchy was the King. The king gave out his land to lords who maintained it for him. In exchange for this land they were expected to fight for the King and protect him in times of war. Below the lords was a knightly class of warriors. There sole purpose of knights was to seek out battles and quests. At the bottom of this hierarchy were peasants. The purpose of peasants was to provide food to sustain the manor. The manor was the center of feudal life. The lord and his family and servants typically lived in a small castle or fortress surrounded by the homes of the peasants. During this period of time towns became obsolete. Manors were isolated from each other and had to sustain themselves without outside assistance.
Kings claimed to be vassals of ...