Feudality is a term that refers to the social system that dominated Europe during the Middle Ages. The word has seven letters, with three syllables: feu-da-li-ty. It is pronounced as /fjuːˈdælɪti/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The spelling of Feudality comes from the Old French word "feodal" meaning "of a fief". This social structure classifies people based on their relationship with land ownership, with lords holding power over vassals who worked the land. This hierarchical system paved the way for today's modern society.
Feudality is a socio-economic system characterized by a hierarchical structure of power and land distribution that was prevalent in medieval Europe. It is defined by the exchange of land for service and loyalty, predominantly between the lords and vassals.
In feudalism, the king or monarch granted large tracts of land, known as fiefs or manors, to the nobles or lords in exchange for their military support and other services. The lords, in turn, divided their land among vassals, who pledged their allegiance and loyalty to the lords. Vassals were obligated to provide military service, counsel, and other services to their lords. This system was based on mutual obligations and responsibilities that maintained a strict hierarchical order.
Feudality was marked by a pyramid-like structure, with the king at the top, followed by the nobles or lords, and then the vassals, who were often knights or lesser nobility. The peasants or serfs formed the bottom of the social hierarchy, working the land and providing labor services to their lords in exchange for protection and shelter.
This system of land tenure and the exchange of services persisted for centuries, shaping the political, economic, and social landscape of medieval Europe. However, as societies began to transition towards more centralized systems of governance, feudalism gradually declined and was replaced by other socioeconomic structures.
State of being feudal; feudal form or constitution.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "feudality" is formed by adding the suffix "-ity" to the word "feudal". The term "feudal" derives from the Latin word "feodum" or "feudum", which referred to land or property granted by a lord to a vassal. In feudal societies, vassals pledged loyalty and service to their lord in exchange for land and protection. The English word "feudal" emerged in the 17th century and was used to describe the social system that characterized medieval Europe. The suffix "-ity" is commonly added to nouns to form abstract nouns indicating a quality, condition, or state, hence the creation of "feudality" as an abstract noun related to feudalism or the feudal system.