Feudalism is called the social system that existed in Europe in the V - XVII centuries. In each country, it had its own characteristic features, but usually this phenomenon is considered on the example of France and Germany. The period of feudalism in Russia has a time frame that is different from the European one. For many years, domestic historians denied its existence, but were wrong. In reality, feudal institutions did not develop except in Byzantium.
A bit about the term
The concept of "feudalism" was introduced into everyday life by European scholars on the eve of the French Revolution. Thus, the term appeared just when Western European feudalism, in fact, is over. The word is formed from the late Latin "feodum" ("feud"). This concept appears in official documents of the Middle Ages and denotes conditional inherited land ownership, which the vassal receives from the master in the event that he fulfills any obligations towards him (the latter most often meant military service).
Historians did not immediately manage to identify the common features of this social system. Many important nuances were not taken into account. However, by the 21st century, thanks to system analysis, scientists have finally been able to give an exhaustive definition of this complex phenomenon.
Characteristic Feudalism
The main value of the pre-industrial world is land. But the owner of land (feudal lord) was not engaged in agriculture. He had another duty - service (or prayer). The farmer worked the land. Although he had his own house, livestock and tools, the land did not belong to him. He was economically dependent on his master, which means that he carried certain duties in his favor. But still the peasant was not a slave. He possessed relative freedom, and to control it, the feudal lord employed non-economic mechanisms of coercion.
In the Middle Ages the estates were not equal. The landowner in the era of feudalism had much more rights than the holder of the land, i.e., the peasant. The feudal lord was an absolute sovereign in his possessions. He could execute and have mercy. Thus, land ownership during this period was closely related to political capabilities (power).
Of course, economic dependence was mutual: in fact, the peasant fed the feudal lord, who himself did not work.
Feudal Stairs
The structure of the ruling class in the era of feudalism can be defined as hierarchical. The feudal lords were not equal, but they all exploited the peasants. Relations between land owners were built on interdependence. At the top step of the feudal ladder was a king who granted land to the dukes and counts, and in return demanded fidelity from them. The dukes and counts, in turn, endowed the land of the barons (Lords, sirs, seniors), in relation to whom they were gentlemen. The barons had power over the knights, knights over the squires. Thus, the feudal lords standing on the lower steps of the ladder served the feudal lords standing a step higher.
There was a saying: "The vassal of my vassal is not my vassal." This meant that a knight serving any baron was not required to obey the king. Thus, the power of the king in times of fragmentation was relative. The landowner in the era of feudalism is his own master. His political capabilities were determined by the size of the allotment.
The genesis of feudal relations (V - IX centuries)
The development of feudalism was made possible thanks to the decline of Rome and the conquest of the Western Roman Empire by Germanic tribes (barbarians). A new social system arose on the basis of Roman traditions (centralized state, slavery, colonies, a universal system of laws) and the characteristic features of Germanic tribes (the presence of ambitious leaders, militancy, inability to manage vast countries).
At that time, the conquerors had a primitive communal system: all the lands of the tribe were under the jurisdiction of the community and were distributed among its members. Capturing new lands, the military leaders sought to possess them individually and, moreover, to transfer them by inheritance. In addition, many peasants went bankrupt, villages were raided. Therefore, they were forced to look for a master, because the landowner in the era of feudalism not only gave them the opportunity to work (including for themselves), but also protected them from enemies. So there was a monopolization of the land by the upper classes. Peasants became addicted.
The heyday of feudalism (X - XV centuries)
Back in the 9th century, the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne took place . Each county, signoria, estate has turned into a kind of state. This phenomenon is called "feudal fragmentation."
During this period, Europeans begin to actively explore new lands. Commodity-money relations are developing, artisans stand out from the peasantry. Thanks to artisans and merchants, cities emerge and grow. In many countries (for example, in Italy and Germany), peasants, previously completely dependent on overlords, receive freedom - relative or complete. Many knights, going on crusades, let their peasants free.
At this time, the church became the pillar of secular power, and the Christian religion became the ideology of the Middle Ages. So the landowner in the era of feudalism is not only a knight (baron, duke, lord), but also a representative of the clergy (abbot, bishop).
The crisis of feudal relations (XV - XVII centuries)
The end of the preceding period was marked by peasant uprisings. They were the result of social tension. In addition, the development of trade and the outflow of population from villages to cities led to the fact that the position of landowners began to weaken.
In other words, the natural-economic foundations of the rise of the aristocracy were undermined. The contradictions between secular feudal lords and the clergy escalated. With the development of science and culture, the power of the church over the minds of people ceased to be absolute. In the XVI-XVII centuries, the Reformation took place in Europe. New religious movements appeared that stimulated the development of entrepreneurship and did not condemn private property.
Europe in the era of late feudalism is a battlefield between kings who are not satisfied with the symbolism of their power, the clergy, aristocracy and the townspeople. Social contradictions led to the revolutions of the XVII-XVIII centuries.
Russian feudalism
In the time of Kievan Rus (from the VIII to XIII centuries) feudalism really did not exist. Princely ownership of the land was carried out on a priority basis. When one of the members of the princely family was dying, his land was occupied by a younger relative. A squad followed him. The warriors received a salary, but the territories were not assigned to them and, of course, were not inherited: there was a lot of land, and it had no special price.
In the XIII century, the era of specific princely Russia began. It is characterized by fragmentation. The possessions of the princes (destinies) began to be inherited. Princes gained personal power and the right to personal (rather than clan) property. The estate of large landowners, the boyars, took shape, and vassal relations arose . But the peasants were still free. However, in the XVI century they were attached to the ground. The era of feudalism in Russia ended at the same time, as fragmentation was overcome. But such a relic of her, as serfdom, persisted until 1861.
Nuances
In both Europe and Russia, the period of feudalism ended around the 16th century. But some elements of this system, for example, fragmentation in Italy or serfdom in the Russian Empire, existed until the middle of the 19th century. One of the main differences between European and Russian feudalism is that the enslavement of the peasantry in Russia occurred only when the Villans in the West had already received relative freedom.