Fudalism

• Feudalism
• Feudalism is a term used by historians to describe the governmental system and the relationships between landowners and warriors
• Warriors, known as knights, would pledge his allegiance to a lord, who would in turn give that knight land
• The lord would grant a fief(property) to the knight, who would ten become the lord's vassal(servant)- this was called the "feudal compact"
• The vassal must fight for the lord when he needs it and attend his court once a month
• A vassal was a professional relationship not like a servant where the servant cant look or talk to the lord
• Homage and Knighthood
• a vassal was required to pay homage to his lord, usually this meant kneeling down and taking the lord's hand in his while speaking an oath of loyalty
• Men were apprenticed to older knights before they could become a full knight themselves
• When a knight died, his fief would revert to his son, through his lord would be protector of that son if he was underage, or if it was a daughter. 
• The Feudalization of the Church
• Some clergy were known to fight as knights themselves