Feudalism - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Feudalism was a social, political, and economic system that prevailed in Medieval Europe from around the 9th to 15th century. It was characterized by a hierarchy of lords and vassals who held land and provided protection and military service to each other. The system was based on the idea of mutual obligations and loyalty, with the king at the top of the pyramid and peasants at the bottom. It was marked by a lack of social mobility, where one’s position was determined by birth and nobles held all the power. The decline of feudalism began with the growth of commerce and the rise of nation-states in the 16th century.