Bob Massengill, age 14, of Laconia, N.H., for his question:
JUST WHAT WAS FEUDALISM?
Feudalism was the political and military system of Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In a period when there was little security, feudalism fulfilled the basic need for government, justice and protection against attack.
Feudalism was an arrangement between feudal aristocrats and their vassals. Vassals were people granted the use of the aristocrats' land in return for homage. The lord and the vassals were honor bound to be faithful and to fulfill their obligations to each other. Sometimes the vassal was called into military service. The peasants had no part in such arrangement.
Feudalism was a useful system for its time. It helped to create order out of the disorder that existed in Europe in the early Middle Ages.
Under feudalism, a capable ruler could bring efficient government and peace to his people.
Feudalism began to appear in the A.D. 700s. During the 1000s and 1100s, it spread from northern Europe into England and southern Europe. The crusaders also introduced feudalism into Syria.
Feudalism developed most fully in England and in the region between the Pyrenees and the Rhine River. It reached its height in the period from the 800s to the 1200s. During the 1400s, it rapidly disappeared from Europe.
The word "feudal" came from "feodum," the Latin term for "fief." In the Middle Ages, a fief was an estate granted by a lord in return for military or political service.
Two things happened in the 1200s that led to the decline of fuedalism. The economic revival of Europe put money back into use and new methods of warfare were developed.
Since the services of soldiers could now be paid for with money, fiefs became unnecessary. Feudal relationships among nobles weakened. The coming of gunpowder, of new weapons and of effective infantry ended the usefulness of the old system.
Only noblemen or aristocratic warriors could take part in feudal practices. Those practices centered on the fief. No man could receive a fief until he became a vassal of the lord. The ceremony by which he became a vassal was called homage. The future vassal promised to fight for the lord and become his man. The lord promised to treat the vassal with honor.
If either the vassal or the lord broke his promise, he was considered guilty of feudal perfidy, a serious crime.
The vassal received only possession of a fief, not ownership of it. He could keep possession as long as he fulfilled his feudal duties.
The vassal had many powers over his fief. He received what the land produced, collected taxes, held court, executed sentences and obtained labor as needed on the castle and roads of the fief.
When the vassal died, his son could take over the fief. But the son had to be able to provide the military and other services required by the lord. The eldest surviving son was granted the fief. This custom was called primogeniture.