What was the difference between a knight and a vassal?
A knight was a member of the aristocratic elite who were trained from a young age to be expert fighters and swordsmen, while vassals were generally lords of noble houses who offered fealty and support to the reigning king.
Who is a serf a vassal to?
Introduction: Context and Definition of a Serf A serf is a worker bound to a certain piece of land (called a fief) who is loyal to a vassal (lord or noble) above him, usually called a lord. Serfs are tied to the land they work, perform the same menial tasks each day, and receive little or no benefit for their labors.
What did a vassal owe his Lord?
Under the feudal contract, the lord had the duty to provide the fief for his vassal, to protect him, and to do him justice in his court. The vassal owed fealty to his lord.
Who has all the power in the feudal system?
Feudalism in 12th-century England was among the better structured and established systems in Europe at the time. The king was the absolute “owner” of land in the feudal system, and all nobles, knights, and other tenants, termed vassals, merely “held” land from the king, who was thus at the top of the feudal pyramid.
What did the nobles need to keep the power?
The noble that owned the land had the power to make laws and the people obeyed them. Peasants had no say in government. Peasants had fewer rights than clergy and nobles. People believed it was God’s will.
Was the Black Death during feudalism?
many villages and hamlets were deserted…and never inhabited again. It has been argued that the Black Death brought about the end of feudalism. This was the system of service in return for a grant of land, burdening the peasant with many obligations to his lord.
Did the Black Death end serfdom?
The Plague brought an eventual end of Serfdom in Western Europe. The manorial system was already in trouble, but the Black Death assured its demise throughout much of western and central Europe by 1500. Serfdom did not end everywhere.