Feudal System

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

that constitutional system which was introduced into Europe by the N. nations after the fall Vol. IV-Cyc-І of the Roman power, and which has left important traces of its existence in most European countries. The constitution of feuds had its origin in the military policy of the Goths, Huns, Vandals, and other N. nations, who overran Europe at the declension of the Roman empire. The term feud is of very doubtful derivation, but most probably it is formed from the Teutonic fee or feh, wages or pay for service, and odh, or od, property or possession; a feud, then, being the property or possession given as wages for service. In order to secure their newly acquired possessions, and at the same time to reward their deserving followers, the conquering generals were wont to allot large districts, or parcels of land, to the superior officers of the army, and these were by them again dealt out in smaller allotments or parcels, to the inferior officers and soldiers. According to this system, every reof land, or feudatory, was bound, ceiver of when called on, to serve his immediate lord or superior, and to do all in his power to defend him. Such lord or superior was likewise subordinate to, and under the command of, a higher superior or lord; and so on upward to the prince or general general himself. The several lords were also reciprocally bound in their respective gradations to protect the possessions they had given. Thus the the connection between lord and vassal was made to wear all the appearance of a mutual interchange of benefits-of bounty and protection on the one hand, and of gratitude and service on the and other. In this way the feudal connection was established, and an army was always at command, ready to fight in defense of the whole or of any part of the newly-acquired territory. Thus the feudal constitution, or doctrine of tenure, extended itself over all the W. world; and the feudal laws drove out the Roman, which had hitherto universally prevailed. This system was adopted in most countries of Europe from the 9th to the end of the 13th century; but it differed in various particulars in the different countries. Though there can be no doubt that feudal principles prevailed to a considerable extent in the polity of the Saxons in England, yet it was only when that country was conquered by the Normans that it was regularly established. A country, under the feudal law, was divided into knights' fees, the tenant of each of which appears to have been obliged to keep the field at his own expense for 40 days, whenever his lord chose to call on him. For smaller portions of land, smaller periods of service were due. Every great, tenant exercised a jurisdiction, civil and criminal, over his immediate tenants, and held courts, and administered the laws within his lordship, like a sovereign prince. The existence of manor-courts and other small jurisdictions within the kingdom is one of the features of the feudal system. to the lord when the The land escheated tenant left no heir, and it was forfeited to him when he was found guilty either of a breach of his oath of fealty or of felony. There were also fines payable to occasions, as well as the lord on certain aids, reliefs, etc. The vassal had also to courts, sometimes to attend the lord's witness, and sometimes to take part in, the administration of justice; in battle, to lend his horse to his he was bound lord if dismounted, to keep to his side while fighting, and go into captivity as a hostage for him when taken. It was a breach of faith to divulge his (t (the lord's) counsel, to conceal from him the his machinations of others, to injure person or fortune, or to violate the sanctity of his roof.