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Feudalism
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Feudalism [W]as the medieval model of government predating the birth of the modern nation-state. Feudal society is a military hierarchy in which a ruler or lord offers mounted fighters a fief (medieval beneficium), a unit of land to control in exchange for a military service. The individual who accepted this land became a vassal, and the man who granted the land become known as his liege or his lord. The deal was often sealed by swearing oaths on the Bible or on the relics of saints. Often this military service amounted to forty days' service each year in times of peace or indefinite service in times of war, but the actual terms of service and duties varied considerably on a case-by-case basis. Factors such as the quality of land, the skill of the fighter, local custom, and the financial status of the liege lord always played a part.
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Feudalism is a part RPG and part combat game from the creator of Endless War 3. Your hero begins as the ruling force of a small town and must conquer the entire known world one village or city at a time. There are dozens of weapons and skills, as well as a huge variety of units to recruit or battle against. Be sure to look out for magical weapons and equipment which drop from vanquished enemies - if you're lucky!
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Feudalism had a dramatic effect on England and Europe during the Middle Ages. The pyramid of power which was the Feudal system ran to a strict 'pecking' order - during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages everyone knew their place. The emergence of the Medieval Feudal System of the Middle Ages affected all spheres of Medieval society: a land-based economy, the judicial system and the rights of the feudal lords under the feudal system and the lack of rights for the serfs and peasants. The events which led to the decline of the feudal system. The most important and interesting aspects and facts about feudalism have been comprehensively detailed in the pages which can be accessed from this section.
Feudalism had begun as a contract, the exchange of land tenure for military service. Over time, as lords could no longer provide new lands to their vassals, nor enforce their right to reassign lands which had become de facto hereditary property, feudalism became less tenable as a working relationship. By the thirteenth century, Europe's economy was involved in a transformation from a mostly agrarian system to one that was increasingly money-based and mixed. Land ownership was still an important source of income, and still defined social status, but even wealthy nobles wanted more liquid assets, whether for luxury goods or to provide for wars. This corruption of the form is often referred to as "bastard feudalism". A noble vassal was expected to deal with most local issues and could not always expect help from a distant king. The nobles were independent and often unwilling to cooperate for a greater cause (military service).
Feudalism grew up in an age of disorder, when the central government was helpless to protect the people. Its beginnings can be traced to the breakup of the ancient Roman Empire. There was great confusion during the barbarian invasions, which began at the end of the 4th century. In 410 Rome fell to Alaric, a Visigoth chieftain. In 476 the Western Roman Empire came to an end. This date…
Feudalism in Germany was different from that of France and England. The old Germanic tribes which plagued the Roman emperors, emerged again after Charlemagne's successors lost power. Four stem duchies eventually emerged as the most powerful in Germany: Saxony , Franconia, Swabia, and Bavaria. One strong duke, Otto of Saxony (936-973) tried to establish lordship over the other dukes. He invaded Italy, starting a long tradition of German interference in that peninsula, and made himself King of Italy. He was then crowned emperor by the pope himself (962).
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