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This depiction of medieval Western Europe (c. 10th–13th century) illustrates the feudal hierarchy of king, nobles, lords, and peasants, and emphasizes the parallel power and influence of the Church. Land was divided into units known as “fiefs,” granted by the Crown or high-ranking lords, alongside Church holdings, in exchange for loyalty, military service, or rent. Bishops and abbots appear alongside secular rulers as a central, independent pillar of authority, reflecting the Church’s vast landholdings, its command of loyalty, and its influence over law and governance. The structure also distinguishes between freemen, independent peasants, and serfs, who were bound to the land, underscoring the varied conditions within the peasant class.
A further nuance is the recognition of townspeople, merchants and craftsmen, as a distinct and rising social group, signaling the early growth of urban economic life within a society still dominated by agrarian obligations. Together, these elements illustrate an interdependent yet unequal social order in which every tier relied on the labor and resources of those below, defining the political, economic, and cultural framework of the Middle Ages.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2022, March 16). The Feudal Society in Medieval Europe. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15424/the-feudal-society-in-medieval-europe/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Feudal Society in Medieval Europe." World History Encyclopedia, March 16, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15424/the-feudal-society-in-medieval-europe/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Feudal Society in Medieval Europe." World History Encyclopedia, 16 Mar 2022, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15424/the-feudal-society-in-medieval-europe/.
