feodalismi

Feudalismi, or feudalism, was a medieval political, social, and economic order that developed in much of Europe. Its core was a system of personal obligations tied to land tenure, organized through a hierarchy of lords and vassals. A lord granted a fief, or estate, to a vassal in exchange for military service, counsel, or other duties. The bond was formalized by homage and fealty, and the lord provided protection and the use of land, while the vassal owed loyalty, service, and various dues.

The economic aspect often centered on the manor, the local estate where peasants or serfs worked the land. Serfs owed labor or rents to the lord and, in return, received protection and a place to live. The social order extended across multiple levels, from kings and great lords to knights and lesser vassals, creating a broad network of obligations that linked military, political, and economic power.

Feudalism varied by region and era, and historians debate whether it represents a single, uniform regime or a set of related practices and legal arrangements. It contributed to political decentralization, with local lords holding substantial autonomous authority in a landscape with limited centralized sovereignty. The decline of feudalism occurred gradually from the 12th to the 15th centuries, influenced by factors such as the growth of towns, expansion of trade, legal centralization, and demographic changes.

Key concepts associated with feudalism include the feudal contract, investiture, oath of homage, liege loyalty, and the manorial system. While the term remains common in scholarship, some historians prefer more regionally specific analyses that emphasize local institutions and livelihoods rather than a universal feudal framework.