HIS109Y1 Lecture : [1] Feudalism, Manorialism & Economic Change.doc
Document Summary
Necessary to ensure authority/gov"t after breakdown of roman empire. Landowners provide materials to ppl who live on the land. Prestige + power: monopolized by small group who were able to rule. Power = not power, rather control of land. Whoever owned land = they judged people who lived on that land, had right to seize control land, right to claim military assistance (they could send serfs out to fight in war) Emperor in rome may have in theory exercised some control over tracts of land. Important: where you lived, who ruled the land you lived in. Power becomes personal possession, rather than abstract responsibility. Public power in private hands = essence of feudal society. Someone had to protect/govern the people with the collapse of roman empire so bar- barians wouldn"t pillage. 8th century: invention of stirrups: maintain balance and protection on horse (enables fighting on horseback) = military advantage. --> had wealth (owned land), provided protection and gov"t.
