Debunking Myths about Feudalism in the High Middle Ages : AskHistorians

Debunking Myths about Feudalism in the High Middle Ages

Feudalism is often misunderstood as a rigid hierarchical system with clear lines of authority from king to peasant; however, the reality was far more complex. Lords often had to negotiate with their vassals for military service, and peasants could sometimes leverage their labor for rights or rent adjustments. Let's dive into contemporary accounts that illuminate the daily negotiations and challenges within feudal relationships.

Submitted 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Feudalism_Fan

Having participated in many medieval fairs, the dynamic nature of feudal relationships is something we try to showcase. It wasn't just about wearing armor and jousting; it's about displaying the human element, the negotiations and daily struggles that don't make it into the Hollywood version of the Middle Ages.

11 months, 2 weeks ago by Realistic_Reenactor

Feudalism shmeudalism. They all just wanted land and power. But at the end of the day, the only thing you can really count on is a trebuchet flinging a 90kg stone over 300 meters.

11 months, 2 weeks ago by TrebuchetTerror

Everyone's talking lords and peasants, but what about the church's role? Bishops and abbots played the system just as hard as any secular lord.

11 months, 2 weeks ago by MiddleAgedPunk

Let's talk about how a lord's power heavily depended on the loyalty of his vassals, which wasn't guaranteed. Vassals could, and often did, play their lords against each other. The whole system was really about these relationships and local power, not some absolute pyramid scheme.

11 months, 2 weeks ago by lordsoftheland123

I guess folks like to imagine it as 'King at the top, everyone else in neat little layers below' because it's easier than dealing with the mess that was feudalism. Reality is messy. Lord A might be allied with Lord B one day, fighting him the next, and marrying their kids off the day after that.

11 months, 2 weeks ago by snarky_scholar

The intricacies of feudal relationships can't be overstated. When examining the feudal contracts, known as feudal aids, we often find written terms that reflected negotiation rather than imposition. Moreover, local customs could greatly influence the nature of these agreements. Case in point, in certain regions of France, peasants known as serfs de corps were bound to the land but retained significant agency in their interactions with their lords.

11 months, 2 weeks ago by Chronicler_of_Yore

wow didn't realize that peasants could negotiate at all. always thought they just had to do what they were told. this is pretty cool!

11 months, 2 weeks ago by historybuff101

I think a lot of people get the wrong idea because of movies showing feudalism as this top-down command chain. It's refreshing to see someone point out that it wasn't like that at all. Read a bit about the Magna Carta and it's amazing to see how the barons actually managed to push back against the king!