You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
The feudal system was the foundation of Norman government and society. It was a hierarchical system based on the exchange of land for loyalty and military service. Understanding the feudal system is essential for explaining how William controlled England after the Conquest.
The feudal system was based on a simple principle: the king owned all the land. He granted land to his most loyal followers in exchange for military service and loyalty. Those followers, in turn, granted portions of their land to lesser lords, who in turn granted land to peasants who worked it.
This created a pyramid of loyalty where everyone owed obligations to the person above them, and ultimately to the king.
| Level | Title | Role and Obligations |
|---|---|---|
| Top | The King | Owned all land in England. Granted land to tenants-in-chief in exchange for loyalty and military service. |
| Second | Tenants-in-Chief (Barons and Bishops) | Held land directly from the king. Owed the king a set number of knights for military service (knight service). Attended the king's court. Paid feudal dues. |
| Third | Under-tenants (Knights) | Held land from the tenants-in-chief. Owed military service (typically 40 days per year). Managed local estates. |
| Bottom | Peasants (Villeins and Serfs) | Worked the land. Owed labour service to their lord (typically 2–3 days per week). Paid rent in produce or money. Could not leave the manor without permission. |
flowchart TD
K["The King<br/>owns all land<br/>~17% royal demesne"] -->|grants fiefs<br/>for knight service| T["Tenants-in-Chief<br/>~200 barons and bishops<br/>e.g. Odo of Bayeux"]
T -->|subinfeudation<br/>40 days knight service| U["Under-tenants / Knights<br/>hold manors<br/>provide mounted soldiers"]
U -->|land + protection| P["Peasants<br/>villeins, bordars, cottars<br/>2-3 days labour per week"]
P -->|labour, rent, produce| U
U -->|knights, fealty| T
T -->|homage, taxes, knights| K
Exam Tip: When describing the feudal system, always emphasise the two-way nature of the relationship. The lord granted land and protection; in return, the tenant owed loyalty and service. This reciprocal obligation is key to understanding how the system worked.
The land granted by the king was called a fief (or fee). The holder of a fief was a vassal of the person who granted it.
The most important obligation was knight service. Each tenant-in-chief was required to provide the king with a fixed number of knights (mounted warriors) for a set period (usually 40 days per year). This meant the king could raise a large army without having to pay for a permanent military force.
| Tenant-in-Chief | Approximate Knights Owed |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Lincoln | 60 knights |
| Archbishop of Canterbury | 60 knights |
| Earl of Hereford | 40 knights |
| Abbot of Glastonbury | 40 knights |
Key Term: Subinfeudation was the process by which tenants-in-chief divided their land among their own followers (under-tenants) in exchange for knight service. This created multiple layers of landholding and obligation.
Beyond military service, vassals owed their lord a range of obligations:
| Obligation | Description |
|---|---|
| Relief | A payment made by an heir to inherit a fief from a deceased relative |
| Wardship | If a vassal died leaving a minor heir, the lord controlled the fief and its income until the heir came of age |
| Marriage | The lord had the right to approve (or arrange) the marriage of a vassal's heir or widow |
| Aid | Vassals paid special taxes on three occasions: ransoming the lord from captivity, knighting the lord's eldest son, and the marriage of the lord's eldest daughter |
| Forfeiture | If a vassal broke his oath of loyalty, the lord could seize his lands |
At the base of the feudal system was the manor — the basic unit of rural life. Each manor was controlled by a lord (often a knight) and worked by peasants.
| Type | Status | Obligations |
|---|---|---|
| Villeins | Unfree peasants tied to the manor | Worked the lord's land 2–3 days per week; paid rent in produce; could not leave without permission |
| Bordars/Cottars | Smallholders with very little land | Owed labour service; often worked as labourers on the lord's demesne |
| Freemen | Free peasants who could own land and move freely | Paid rent but owed fewer labour services; could attend courts and trade |
| Slaves | Had no rights and were owned by the lord | Declined significantly after the Conquest; William gradually abolished slavery |
Exam Tip: AQA often asks about continuity and change in English society after 1066. The feudal system was a significant change because it replaced the Anglo-Saxon relationship between lord and thegn with a much more rigid and formalised system of obligations. However, many aspects of everyday peasant life remained similar.
The feudal system was a powerful tool of control:
At each level of the system, the vassal performed homage to his lord. He knelt, placed his hands between the lord's hands, and swore an oath of loyalty. This was a solemn public ceremony that created a binding personal bond.
In 1086, William summoned all major landholders to Salisbury and required them to swear an oath of loyalty directly to him, regardless of who their immediate lord was. This Oath of Salisbury (1086) ensured that loyalty to the king overrode all other feudal obligations.
Question: "The feudal system was the most important factor in William's control of England." How far do you agree? [16 marks + 4 SPaG]
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.