The Feudal System in Medieval Europe
Storyboard Text
- He distributed large portions among the great lords (tenants-in-chief) in exchange for his military and political support. Under the feudal system, all land in a kingdom belonged to the king.
- The lowest operational unit in this system was the manor, controlled by a lord typically holding the rank of a knight. He lived in a manor house and controlled a large area of land along with its workers
- The manor land tenure system was conceived in Western Europe, initially in France, but exported to areas affected by Norman expansion during the Middle Ages, for example the Kingdoms of Sicily, Scotland, Jerusalem, and England.
- The medieval feudal system ensured that everyone owed allegiance to the king and his immediate superior. Everyone was expected to pay for the land by providing certain services in the form of man-days of work.
- Not all mansions were necessarily in the hands of lay lords who were rendering military service (or cash) to their superior. A substantial number of mansions (estimated to be worth 17% in England in 1086) belonged directly to the king.
- The manor house was a residential property and differed from castles in that it was not built for the purpose of attacking or defending. The manor house varied in size, according to the wealth of the lord, but generally consisted of a great hall, solar, kitchen, warehouses and utility rooms.
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