The medieval evidence reinterpreted by susan reynolds fiefs and vassals is a book that will change our view of the medieval world. In feudalism, a fiefdom also called a fief, feud, feoff, or fee was a property or right that an overlord gave a vassal in exchange for military service. Encoding has been done through automated and manual processes using the recommendations for. I couldnt find anything on the mount and blade wikia to explain what a reasonable distribution strategy might be. These land were called fiefs and they usually also pay allegiance to their king. My kingdom is only 3 cities so far but my lords already have 120 ish sized parties, so i am thinking of sticking with this method. With feudalism, all the land in a kingdom was the kings. The fiefs were broken up through subinfeudation and, as commoditymoney relations became prevalent, so did the use of money fiefs, the right to some type of revenue, granted to a vassal instead of land with serfs.
Feudalism simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by postmedieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha they provide a bad guide to the realities of. Vassal, in feudal society, one invested with a fief in return for services to an overlord. Fiefs and vassals susan reynolds oxford university press. It offers a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism.
Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. The history of the idea of lehnswesen german historical institute. This property, of whatever size, could be inherited by the mans heirs. A lord was in broad terms a noble who held land, a vassal was a person who was granted possession of the land by the lord, and the land was known as a fief. A lord also enjoyed incidental benefits and rights in connection with a fief. However, the king would give some of the land to the lords or nobles who fought for him, called vassals. In germany the system is variously referred to lehnswesen, feudalwesen or benefizialwesen. They were derived from the latin words feudum fief and feodalitas. The fees were often lands or revenueproducing real property held in feudal land tenure. Fiefs were typically territorial units granted to vassals by contracts signed by. A landowner lord gave a fief, along with a promise of military and legal.
Fiefs and vassals has the dubious distinction of being both an important read and a tedious one. Nobles and free men did not generally owe military service before the twelfth century because of the grant of anything like fiefs. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs and. The fiefs were occupied by the vassals and became known as manors. It consisted of heritable property or rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty or in fee in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the personal ceremonies of homage and fealty. Frankish kings, starting with charlemagnes grandfather, charles martel, had always rewarded military service with land.
Each revived their own manor to live in on their fief as well. The nature of that institution varied from place to place, and in some regions it did not exist at all. All peasants, whether free or serf, owed the lord certain duties. Fiefdom simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Vassals were expected to pay for the land by providing the services to their immediate lord. Other vassals were given scutage, in which the vassal agreed to pay money in lieu of military service. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by postmedieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha they provide a bad guide to the. Vassalsknights rights and responsibilities in medieval. Relationships between the levels establishing order. How do you prefer to distribute fiefs to your vassals. Susan reynolds is the author of fiefs and vassals 3. Serfs were people who worked the land to produce crops. Multiple vassalage, in the liber feudorum maior 101. The sections of land given to the loyal norman vassals was called a fief.
Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. In this miniguide, we take a look at the different actions and decisions. From this period, however, the system based on the fief began to decline. The zeitschrift fur rechtsgeschichte zrg, also known as the savigny journal represents an integral part of european legal history research, having made a. Fiefs and vassals susan reynolds oxford university press we use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. I own a lot of territory and have quite a few lords declared for me, but i find myself a little paralyzed on how to best distribute fiefs to my vassals. On the other hand giving it to different vassals makes more fiefs for more vassals. Do you grant castle and village to one person or do you give it to same vassal. Feudalism is a system of land ownership and duties. Fiefs and vassals is a book that will change our view of the medieval world.
This can happen at random for the most part, but it is also heavily influenced by their personality, their experience with their last kingdom, your renown, and how many unassigned fiefs you have. Feudalism in the holy roman empire was a politicoeconomic system of relationships between liege lords and enfeoffed vassals or feudatories that formed the basis of the social structure within the holy roman empire during the high middle ages. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by postmedieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha. However, not only land but anything of value could be held in fee, including a political office, hunting or fishing rights or monopolies in trade. The development of the social and political structures out of which emerged the modern european state was a long protracted process, the early stages of which are sparsely documented to say the least. They owed whatever service they owed, not because they were vassals of a lord, but because they were subjects of a ruler. These included at least a few days of labor each week and a certain portion of their grain. Browns the tyranny of a construct 1974 an susan reynoldss fiefs and vassals 1994, thare has been ongaein inconclusive discussion amang medieval historians as tae whither feudalism is a uisefu construct for unnerstaundin medieval society. Until now i have given 2 fiefs per lord ones that neighbour eachother, or one castle and its respective fief per lord. Likewise, the fief is traditionally taken to be a grant of land from a lord to a free follower, with tenure of. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs and vassalage that have been central to the understanding of medieval society for hundreds of years are in fact based on a misunderstanding of the. Fiefs and vassals has changed our view of the medieval world.
Vassals were responsible for the land appointed to them by the king. These fiefs were like promises between vassal and lord which linked them together if a vassal did not keep to his promises then the vassal s land was taken away. Next came the most powerful vassals wealthy landowners such as nobles and bishops. Granting it to one vassal makes him defend village better from looting as he is near by when in his castle. Some vassals did not have fiefs and lived at their lords court as his household knights. Relationships between levels western europe feudalism. Both lord and vassal were freemen and the term feudalism is not.
As a ruler you will often find landless lords from other kingdoms in your court, hoping to become your vassal. Certain vassals who held their fiefs directly from the crown were tenants in chief and formed the most important feudal group, the barons. They owed whatever service they owed, not because they were vassals of a lord, but because they were subjects of a. Priests received still other forms of tenure in exchange for their religious services. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs and vassalage that have been central to the understanding of medieval society for hundreds of years are in fact based on a misunderstanding of the primary sources. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Steam community guide which lord to recruit to your. In a book that has already stirred up much discussion and is bound to stimulate more. Fiefs and vassals by susan reynolds overdrive rakuten. Susan reynolds study is a systematic reassessment of the concept of feudalism in france, england, italy and germany, which argues that the entire concept of feudal landholding and relationships are based on assumptions which dont hold up to serious examination.
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