How Did Feudalism Began In The Middle Ages

Feudalism arose in the Middle Ages because of the absence of a strong central government. In England, this was extremely true. Feudalism began during the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. England was the most prominent country known for feudalism, but it began in northern Europe and spread through the whole continent. There are many parts and roles that go along with the system of giving out land for protection known as feudalism.

Feudalism began in England when William (leading the Norman army) defeated the English army led by Herold in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. William was crowned King of England, and he was later known as William the Conqueror. William claimed all the land and split it between himself, the church, loyal

Some peasants were also surfs. A surf was someone who was bound to the land. Serfs could not leave the land without the lord’s permission. However, they were not slaves because they could not be sold away from the land. On the mannor, long hours of rigorous work in the fields made daily life hard for peasants and surfs. The diet of a surf consisted of coarse black bread, cheese, eggs, cabbage and a few other vegetables. Because animals were highly needed to help work in the fields, people in the middle age rarely ate meat. For regular people in the middle ages, the life expectancy was not very high because of starvation, diseases, and constant warfare. The average life expectancy was 30 years of age on average. Peasants had an even lower life expectancy because they were working long hours in the fields with meager meals.

Feudalism lasted for about 600 years in England. Some strong points in the system of feudalism were that a King could rule an entire land with the help of nobleman. He would not have to fear the invasion of barbaric groups. The Magna Carta was another positive outcome of feudalism. The Magna Carta was a law that was passed in 1215 that stated that the King was not above the law in. This law had a huge impact even today because it meant that the ruler of the country had to follow the same laws as the citizens