Q: Analyses the factors responsible for the decline of feudalism.
Or
Define the Feudalism and write the causes of the decline of Feudalism.
Answer: Meaning of the Term: Feudalism was a political and social system. It was based on a contractual arrangement of political and military relationships existing among members of the nobility in Western Europe during the medieval period. The core of the contract was the land relations between the feudal lords and their vassals. The salient feature of the land contracts was the granting of fiefs, chiefly in the form of land and labour, in return for political and military services— a deal sealed by oaths of homage and fidelity.
Origin and Duration: The period of the dominance of feudalism spanned from 900 to 1500. Though its source is found in post 450 AD period, it mainly started after the period of Charlemagne. After him, the kings found it difficult to administer vast areas of land. As a result, they parcelled out their land among their vassals who assured the military assistance during the hour of need in return of the land ownership and enjoyment of rights which were transferred to them along with the land ownership. It served its purpose for all those centuries quite well as the feudal lords became the guarantee of security of life and property of the people who inhabited their fiefdom. However, with the passage of time, it outlived its utility when new changed took place in the political, social and economic field. It also developed some vices which became the cause of its decline.
Causes of the Decline of Feudalism :
The Feudalism declined due to the multiplicity of causes. Since feudalism was based on the idea of land tenure paid for by governmental work, every process that tended to alter this adjustment also tended to displace feudalism. Secondly, feudalism had overreached its utility and outlived its necessity. Hence, the decline followed when new changes took place.
Rise of Standing Armies: There rose a new system of raising troops for war. It increased the importance of money over land. This was not good for the survival of Feudalism.
Fall in the importance of Knights: The Knights were the soldiers of Feudal lords who usually remained free. The Feudal lords did not want to retain them due to changes in economic conditions. The Knights also preferred to pay their service in the form of cash. Later they started paying it to the kings. It reduced the importance of the Feudal Lords. The knights shifted to business fields.
Money became the Power: The land was the symbol of power in the Feudal system. But Money became the symbol of power. The king could pay wages to the soldiers and become powerful than the feudal lords. The old conception of the feudal force had completely disappeared.
Change in methods of fighting Battles: The change in the practices of fighting battles caused the decline of Feudalism. Using artillery, the attacking force completely dominated the defensive mode of Knights. Fortified castles declined in value. Archers and foot soldiers increased in importance. Heavily armoured knights were becoming useless in battle. Especially on the Continent, the supremacy of foot soldiers, horse riders and arrow shooters were assured.
Use of New Weapons and Gun-Powder: The King used guns and gunpowder in destroying the forts of the feudal lords which they could not afford to do earlier. The new weapons, the latest techniques of warfare and extensive use of gunpowder helped the Kings to subjugate the feudal lords which ended the Feudalism.
New Political Institutions: The rise to power of popular assemblies, like States-General, Cortes, Diets, or Parliaments, established the growing importance of the middle class. They became the primary cause of the destroying feudalism.
Resurgence of the Judicial and Financial Authority of the Kings: All over Europe, legal kings, like Edward I of England, were rearranging the constitutions of their countries. The king's officers, with their knowledge of civil and canon law, able to spell out the old customs and traditions. Appeals were encouraged. Civil, as well as criminal litigations, came into the royal courts. Finance, the royal auditing of the accounts of sheriffs, bailiffs, etc. increased the royal hold on the country, broke down the power of the landed classes, and drew the king and peoples into an alliance against the great nobles.
In-build mechanism of the decline of Feudalism: The decline of Feudalism began in the 13th century. It was bound to decline because of its internal mechanism, and with it, a particular form of administration, its economic and social setup came to end which had survived for quite a long time after having fulfilled its utility. However, as a social system, it continued for some more time. It did not end at the same time and entirely in all the countries.
Growth in the Agriculture Yield: The improvement in agricultural techniques increased production. Europe adopted a three-belt system to get two harvests in one year. The population of Europe doubled between 1000 and 1300. The increased production helped in the increase of population and urbanization. It reduced the dependence of the farmers on the feudal lords.
Crusades: The crusades took place in 1095 and 1291. The feudal lords either sold their land or mortgaged it to face the hardship of the crusades. Many feudal lords were also killed in the crusades. It gave an opportunity for the kings to take over their land. Such factors played a decisive role in reducing the influence of the feudal lords and ultimately caused the decline of Feudalism.
Emergence of Commercial class: Commerce and trade grew fast as a result of crusades. The demand for luxurious items increased due to the contact with new countries owing to crusades. It became the cause of the rise of the commercial class. The business class had members who were richer than the feudal lords. However, they did not relish the lack of social respect for them and the absence of their own interference in the administration. They gained the influence by extending the monetary help to the kings for the suppression of the feudal lords.
Importance of Commercial Cities: In Europe, trade fairs were held regularly between 1200 to 1400. They were usually an affair for three to four weeks. However, when the commercial cities emerged, the trade continued for the whole of the year. They prepared the grounds for the commercialization which was a cause of the decline of feudalism.
Labourers were needed in Cities: With the rise of commercial activities and the trade cities, the businessmen required a large number of labourers. They started enticing the farmworkers of the feudal lords. It brought them in conflict with the feudal lords. Therefore, the business class needed protection against the feudal lords. That help was readily available from kings who also wanted to end the feudal lords. The commercial class and kings joined together against the feudal lords, and the finished the feudal system.
Support and acceptance to the institution of Kingship: The king raised the permanent army with the monetary help of the middle class which became the source of strength of the kings. They also received the support of the other section of the society against the feudal lords. The kings imposed direct taxes and raised his own bureaucracy. Gradually it increased the sense of nationalism. However, before that, it ended the importance of feudal features, and feudal lords were subdued.
Revolt of the farmers: The farmers rebelled against the feudal atrocities when they increased the restrictions on them to move to cities. The farmers wanted fixed wages. They received the support of the other working section of society. Their revolts were suppressed ruthlessly. It forced them to escape them to city-states where the businessmen were ready to pay them in cash for their wages.
Black death: The Black death which took place caused the large-scale deaths of many farmers. It was caused due to the ecological changes. Such changes took place in the 14th century. It led to extensive rain in 1315 and 1316. It was followed by epidemics. The most terrible one was the Black deaths due to cholera which took place between 1348 to 1351. The farmers escaped to the cities where they could escape from the epidemics and shortage of foods. They got work on wages. It weakened the strength of the feudal lords.
Mutual Discord among Feudal Lords: The feudal lords had mutual discord among themselves. They had the army which they used against each other. It weakened them. They fought for the more land because they did not have a fear of the king. They had the support of the local Church leaders. They also fought to establish their seniority over others. They fought because they found that the other feudal lord was vulnerable and they could snatch his right and fief. However, all the discords weakened them when they fought with each other.
Influence of changing economy on feudal lords: Feudal Lords learned the benefit of receiving rent in the form of cash in place of service. It helped them to recruit more workers and get better agriculture production. They also developed the liking for the city life and desired to serve the kings in cities than to spend their lives in villages. It was as if the feudal lords themselves tried to end the feudal setup. Some feudal lords married into the commercial class. They learned about better means of earnings form the experience of the mercantile class. It became the cause of the decline of the feudal system.
New Economic Changes: The changes in agriculture brought the following changes in Europe during the 11th and 12th century.
a). Because of the technological advancement, the demand for labour slumped whereas the population and land under cultivation increased.
b). The regeneration of trade in Europe increased the supply of money in Europe.
c). The increase of the money transaction loosened the grip of the feudal setup.
d). The internal structure of the manor changed due to the rise in the money-based transactions. The feudal lords preferred to receive the tax in the form of cash in place of service. They also preferred to employ labourers on wages to work in their fields. The serfs also preferred to pay tax in the form of money in place of service.
e). The increase of production and rise in business activities encouraged urbanization and business.
New Economic changes in Agriculture: Agriculture became a venture of money investment. As a result, the small farmers were forced to sell their lands when their crops failed and joined the labour market. The big landlords were there to employ them on wages. Hence, the capitalist farmers and the landless farm workers were the new features of the new emerging economy. In such an economic setup, the feudal lords also directed their money towards investments in the business.
The Feudalism declined due to the multiplicity of causes. However, it did not end at the same time in the whole of Europe. It lingered on in countries like Russia till the end of the 19th century where the Russian Czar, Alexander II, ended it by his royal order in 1868.
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Or
Define the Feudalism and write the causes of the decline of Feudalism.
Answer: Meaning of the Term: Feudalism was a political and social system. It was based on a contractual arrangement of political and military relationships existing among members of the nobility in Western Europe during the medieval period. The core of the contract was the land relations between the feudal lords and their vassals. The salient feature of the land contracts was the granting of fiefs, chiefly in the form of land and labour, in return for political and military services— a deal sealed by oaths of homage and fidelity.
Origin and Duration: The period of the dominance of feudalism spanned from 900 to 1500. Though its source is found in post 450 AD period, it mainly started after the period of Charlemagne. After him, the kings found it difficult to administer vast areas of land. As a result, they parcelled out their land among their vassals who assured the military assistance during the hour of need in return of the land ownership and enjoyment of rights which were transferred to them along with the land ownership. It served its purpose for all those centuries quite well as the feudal lords became the guarantee of security of life and property of the people who inhabited their fiefdom. However, with the passage of time, it outlived its utility when new changed took place in the political, social and economic field. It also developed some vices which became the cause of its decline.
Causes of the Decline of Feudalism :
The Feudalism declined due to the multiplicity of causes. Since feudalism was based on the idea of land tenure paid for by governmental work, every process that tended to alter this adjustment also tended to displace feudalism. Secondly, feudalism had overreached its utility and outlived its necessity. Hence, the decline followed when new changes took place.
Rise of Standing Armies: There rose a new system of raising troops for war. It increased the importance of money over land. This was not good for the survival of Feudalism.
Fall in the importance of Knights: The Knights were the soldiers of Feudal lords who usually remained free. The Feudal lords did not want to retain them due to changes in economic conditions. The Knights also preferred to pay their service in the form of cash. Later they started paying it to the kings. It reduced the importance of the Feudal Lords. The knights shifted to business fields.
Money became the Power: The land was the symbol of power in the Feudal system. But Money became the symbol of power. The king could pay wages to the soldiers and become powerful than the feudal lords. The old conception of the feudal force had completely disappeared.
Change in methods of fighting Battles: The change in the practices of fighting battles caused the decline of Feudalism. Using artillery, the attacking force completely dominated the defensive mode of Knights. Fortified castles declined in value. Archers and foot soldiers increased in importance. Heavily armoured knights were becoming useless in battle. Especially on the Continent, the supremacy of foot soldiers, horse riders and arrow shooters were assured.
Use of New Weapons and Gun-Powder: The King used guns and gunpowder in destroying the forts of the feudal lords which they could not afford to do earlier. The new weapons, the latest techniques of warfare and extensive use of gunpowder helped the Kings to subjugate the feudal lords which ended the Feudalism.
New Political Institutions: The rise to power of popular assemblies, like States-General, Cortes, Diets, or Parliaments, established the growing importance of the middle class. They became the primary cause of the destroying feudalism.
Resurgence of the Judicial and Financial Authority of the Kings: All over Europe, legal kings, like Edward I of England, were rearranging the constitutions of their countries. The king's officers, with their knowledge of civil and canon law, able to spell out the old customs and traditions. Appeals were encouraged. Civil, as well as criminal litigations, came into the royal courts. Finance, the royal auditing of the accounts of sheriffs, bailiffs, etc. increased the royal hold on the country, broke down the power of the landed classes, and drew the king and peoples into an alliance against the great nobles.
In-build mechanism of the decline of Feudalism: The decline of Feudalism began in the 13th century. It was bound to decline because of its internal mechanism, and with it, a particular form of administration, its economic and social setup came to end which had survived for quite a long time after having fulfilled its utility. However, as a social system, it continued for some more time. It did not end at the same time and entirely in all the countries.
Growth in the Agriculture Yield: The improvement in agricultural techniques increased production. Europe adopted a three-belt system to get two harvests in one year. The population of Europe doubled between 1000 and 1300. The increased production helped in the increase of population and urbanization. It reduced the dependence of the farmers on the feudal lords.
Crusades: The crusades took place in 1095 and 1291. The feudal lords either sold their land or mortgaged it to face the hardship of the crusades. Many feudal lords were also killed in the crusades. It gave an opportunity for the kings to take over their land. Such factors played a decisive role in reducing the influence of the feudal lords and ultimately caused the decline of Feudalism.
Emergence of Commercial class: Commerce and trade grew fast as a result of crusades. The demand for luxurious items increased due to the contact with new countries owing to crusades. It became the cause of the rise of the commercial class. The business class had members who were richer than the feudal lords. However, they did not relish the lack of social respect for them and the absence of their own interference in the administration. They gained the influence by extending the monetary help to the kings for the suppression of the feudal lords.
Importance of Commercial Cities: In Europe, trade fairs were held regularly between 1200 to 1400. They were usually an affair for three to four weeks. However, when the commercial cities emerged, the trade continued for the whole of the year. They prepared the grounds for the commercialization which was a cause of the decline of feudalism.
Labourers were needed in Cities: With the rise of commercial activities and the trade cities, the businessmen required a large number of labourers. They started enticing the farmworkers of the feudal lords. It brought them in conflict with the feudal lords. Therefore, the business class needed protection against the feudal lords. That help was readily available from kings who also wanted to end the feudal lords. The commercial class and kings joined together against the feudal lords, and the finished the feudal system.
Support and acceptance to the institution of Kingship: The king raised the permanent army with the monetary help of the middle class which became the source of strength of the kings. They also received the support of the other section of the society against the feudal lords. The kings imposed direct taxes and raised his own bureaucracy. Gradually it increased the sense of nationalism. However, before that, it ended the importance of feudal features, and feudal lords were subdued.
Revolt of the farmers: The farmers rebelled against the feudal atrocities when they increased the restrictions on them to move to cities. The farmers wanted fixed wages. They received the support of the other working section of society. Their revolts were suppressed ruthlessly. It forced them to escape them to city-states where the businessmen were ready to pay them in cash for their wages.
Black death: The Black death which took place caused the large-scale deaths of many farmers. It was caused due to the ecological changes. Such changes took place in the 14th century. It led to extensive rain in 1315 and 1316. It was followed by epidemics. The most terrible one was the Black deaths due to cholera which took place between 1348 to 1351. The farmers escaped to the cities where they could escape from the epidemics and shortage of foods. They got work on wages. It weakened the strength of the feudal lords.
Mutual Discord among Feudal Lords: The feudal lords had mutual discord among themselves. They had the army which they used against each other. It weakened them. They fought for the more land because they did not have a fear of the king. They had the support of the local Church leaders. They also fought to establish their seniority over others. They fought because they found that the other feudal lord was vulnerable and they could snatch his right and fief. However, all the discords weakened them when they fought with each other.
Influence of changing economy on feudal lords: Feudal Lords learned the benefit of receiving rent in the form of cash in place of service. It helped them to recruit more workers and get better agriculture production. They also developed the liking for the city life and desired to serve the kings in cities than to spend their lives in villages. It was as if the feudal lords themselves tried to end the feudal setup. Some feudal lords married into the commercial class. They learned about better means of earnings form the experience of the mercantile class. It became the cause of the decline of the feudal system.
New Economic Changes: The changes in agriculture brought the following changes in Europe during the 11th and 12th century.
a). Because of the technological advancement, the demand for labour slumped whereas the population and land under cultivation increased.
b). The regeneration of trade in Europe increased the supply of money in Europe.
c). The increase of the money transaction loosened the grip of the feudal setup.
d). The internal structure of the manor changed due to the rise in the money-based transactions. The feudal lords preferred to receive the tax in the form of cash in place of service. They also preferred to employ labourers on wages to work in their fields. The serfs also preferred to pay tax in the form of money in place of service.
e). The increase of production and rise in business activities encouraged urbanization and business.
New Economic changes in Agriculture: Agriculture became a venture of money investment. As a result, the small farmers were forced to sell their lands when their crops failed and joined the labour market. The big landlords were there to employ them on wages. Hence, the capitalist farmers and the landless farm workers were the new features of the new emerging economy. In such an economic setup, the feudal lords also directed their money towards investments in the business.
The Feudalism declined due to the multiplicity of causes. However, it did not end at the same time in the whole of Europe. It lingered on in countries like Russia till the end of the 19th century where the Russian Czar, Alexander II, ended it by his royal order in 1868.
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