feodalitet

Feudalitet, or feudalism, is a historical system in which political authority and land were exchanged for service and allegiance. It emerged in parts of medieval Europe after the collapse of centralized authority and the need for local defense. The core unit was the fief, a grant of land that a lord gave to a vassal in return for military or other services. The relationship was formalized through homage and oath, creating a hierarchy from kings or great lords down to vassals and knights, with peasants or serfs bound to the land.

Economic life was organized around the manor, a self-sufficient estate where peasants worked land for the lord, paying rents and providing labor in return for protection and the right to work the soil. Land tenure was often hereditary, and access to land defined social status and political power. Subinfeudation—vassals granting portions of their land to their own vassals—produced a layered structure.

Feudal obligations varied by region but commonly included military service, counsel, and financial dues. The system coexisted with emerging centralized monarchies and urban economies and gradually declined from the 14th to the 15th centuries due to economic change, urbanization, warfare, and reforms that strengthened royal authority.

Scholars debate the extent and uniformity of feudalitet, noting regional differences. Some compare it with non-European systems, such as Japan’s daimyo-based structures, to highlight convergent features while acknowledging differences. The legacy of feudalitet includes lasting impacts on land tenure, legal concepts, and social hierarchy in parts of Europe and beyond.