Feudalism was a mode of social organization.
Feudalism is called a mode of social organization that was in force in the Middle Ages. This system was structured based on fiefs : a contract through which a feudal lord or a monarch transferred usufruct income or land to another individual in exchange for various benefits (such as the obligation to provide military service and respect the vassalage relationship. ).
Feudalism, therefore, was based on the bond of fidelity and dependence that the vassal owed to his lord, and on the consideration given by the latter . Due to its characteristics, this regime implied a decentralization of power , since the nobles who controlled the castles and fortifications located in rural areas acted as the authorities closest to the people.
The bond between vassal and lord
The fiefdom can be understood as a socio-economic unit . The vassal was the one who worked the land : he could pay a fixed amount to the lord (in coins or in kind) or give him part of the harvest.
It is important to keep in mind that the vassal was not a slave , but a free man, beyond the obvious subordination to his lord. Therefore, for Marxism , feudalism was an intermediate condition between capitalism and slavery.
Beyond the economic aspect, feudalism also involved various rites and institutions . Through a ceremony known as homage , the vassal was placed on his knees and his hands were taken by the lord. Then, the latter invested the former, giving him the fief through some symbol.
In feudalism, vassals were free but dependent on the lords.
The end of feudalism
Various causes led to the end of feudalism. The depletion of the land used for cultivation, the appearance of epidemics and the growth of the bourgeoisie favored by trade are some of the factors that led to the fall of the feudal regime.
Precisely, the stage in which its decline took place is known as the crisis of feudalism , in which the events mentioned in the previous paragraph took place, in addition to the famine that occurred due to insufficient food, which led to a large number of deaths. High severity diseases, many of which became epidemics, also contributed to this period, and a well-known example was the Black Death , which greatly decreased the population of Europe.
From the 13th century onwards, advances in agricultural techniques and the inevitable growth of commerce led to pressure from the bourgeoisie to open the economy beyond the cities, guarantee safe trade and They would reconsider toll taxes, which were so abusive at that time. Rules became fairer and more equal, with harsher punishments for criminals and more opportunities for honest workers .
Other factors that led to its disappearance
As trade routes opened, the wealth of cities increased, and this increase in freedom contributed to the fading of feudalism, as all inhabitants could prosper on their own merits. The feudal lords began to have problems obtaining the benefits they were entitled to. While the vassals demanded cash payments for the military services they provided, little by little the lords began to use the money to hire professionally trained troops.
Another factor that favored the hiring of troops over the typical relations of feudalism was the appearance of weapons such as the pike and the bow, which decreased the effectiveness of cavalry in battles. During the 14th and 15th centuries, feudalism declined at a greater rate, initially going through some distortion until it was finally completely diluted.