western europe feudal kingdoms world map

The nominal king of a country had relatively limited power over the lords, who had their own descending chain of command in the form of lesser lords, or vassals. In medieval Europe the king had limited political sway over the lords and their lands, and if a serf had reason to complain he could go no farther than to petition his lord.

There has been much debate on the entire matter of what the feudal systems of Europe, East Africa and Asia have in common (see attached example below), but it seems that the most succinct is that European feudalism was based on a relationship between the land owner, who was also of a warrior class charged with protecting his realm and all who worked it, and the peasants or serfs who worked the land in exchange for that agricultural produce, paying either in the amount of days devoted to producing for the lord, how much of what they produced went to the lord, or (later) how money generated by the products they grew went to the lord. What are the differences and similarities between African feudalism and European feudalism? What are the Differences Between African Feudalism and European Feudalism? | HistoryNet Close

Western europe feudal kingdoms world map