I grew up in a feudal society. The king supplied land to all inhabitants of the feudal society. As a result of this socio-economic land tenure system in the Middle Ages, where lords and farmers shared the land, the term Manorialism was coined. A manor was the name given to the large plot of land on which a medieval society’s members lived together. It was common for each mansion to cultivate or produce much of its food, clothes, and shelter. It had facilities for specific uses such as mills for milling grain, a baking house for baking bread, a blacksmith workshop to make metal items, and a cathedral for religious and devotional counselling to satisfy these requirements. Soil nutrients can be replenished by leaving a portion of land barren or unharvested.
I used to live in a medieval castle, and life might have been orderly and regulated, with a lot of grandeur and ceremonial, but also quite chilly and stinky! For the most part, medieval civilization was centred around castles. Throughout England & Wales, fortifications were erected after 1066. They established a new form of feudalism in society. Towers were created to extend from the walls, initially in squares, but subsequently in round ones, such as Framlingham Palace. These let the troops mow down from the watchtower at intruders on the facade, increasing their range of fire. Cleaning a castle was a significant undertaking. Even the most basic cleaning duties required many bucketloads of water to be carried from a well or river because there was no flowing water. People in the neighborhood were more accepting of the odors and grime that permeated the air.
I served as a knight; To keep their armor and weapons in top shape, the vassals were responsible for instructing the knights in all aspects of riding and combat techniques. The vassals received protection from the knights and amusement in competitions, celebrations, and rites, as a trade for their protection.
Although the knights’ lives were more superficial than those of the peasants, they were far from lavish. Education debuted at seven and lasted until around 21 for Knights of the Round Table. They established standards of ethics known as Chivalry, which governed how knights interacted with one another. They were expected to be courageous, faithful, and genuine to their word, battle honourably, and treat captive knights honourably as well. Not only did Chivalry apply to the aristocracy, but it also contributed to elevating the prestige of women since it compelled knights to defend and adore them.
The land was given to a man by his master as homage. While kneeling, the vassal held his hands together in prayer before the sitting monarch, and the king wrapped his arms over them. This land belonged to the monarch and was given to the vassal. It wasn’t his. He was technically only entitled to it for as long as he fulfilled the promises he made to the king in his tribute. The vassal was becoming a lord. Typically, he pledged military assistance to the king in exchange for his services. The church required prayers and alms whenever land was entrusted to a bishop or abbot. The monarch might theoretically reclaim the land and transfer it to somebody else if such duties were not done. When it came to rewarding a medieval knight, the land was the most typical form of compensation. In doing so, he increased his social standing and climbed the ranks of the social ladder, becoming a noble. Because of this, feudalism and medieval knights were inseparable, and a medieval knight may even become a feudal lord himself. As their territory and troops expanded, the best knights could maintain a steady supply of troops. My relationship with my lords is perfect.
Serfs and peasants worked together to cultivate the land and produce food and other goods for their masters. In the vassal’s desire to maintain the peasants safe from outsiders because they were linked to the land. As the eldest child of the governing knight, he was passed on his responsibilities to the monarch and the fiefs.
References:
History 111 Spring 2022 Feudalism and European Revival with Narration. (2022, February 18). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgdLZ8ESKqo
History 111 Spring 2022 Sixth Module Guilds and Trade with Narration. (2022, February 18). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_4dK6iun7s
What Life Was Like In A 13th Century Castle | Secrets Of The Castle | Real Royalty. (2021, April 20). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMspm83hiWY
Medieval ploughing with Oxen, Green Valley. (2015, February 5). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH7KBZ5jkHg
Exploring Medieval Birmingham 1300. (2012, October 23). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZq9cBzrIVI
