ODWS logoThe Open Door Web Site

Feudalism and Medieval Knights

What did the vassal have to do in order to receive a fief? He had to serve the greater lord in battle, appearing in armour on a horse as a knight. This medieval system of holding land in exchange for military service is called feudalism. The ceremony in which a fief was handed over in return for fighting was called an investiture and it involved swearing fealty and doing homage. The future vassal placed his hands between his lord's hands, promised to be loyal, fight for the him and be his man (homo in Latin, so we get homage). At the ceremony, the lord often gave his vassal a lump of dirt, or a stick as a symbol of the fief he was handing over. After about 1100 the custom was for fiefs to be handed down from father to eldest son as an inheritance.

Cluny Museum, Paris (photo by John Hembury) Cluny Museum, Paris (photo by John Hembury)

But where did the greater lord get his land from? He had received it in turn from an even greater lord and so on until a really mighty lord, or baron, was the vassal of the king sitting at the top of the feudal pyramid. Sometimes even kings were vassals of other kings. For example King Edward III of England was the vassal King Philip VI of France for the fiefs he held in France and it was when he refused to pay homage to the French king that the Hundred Years War began in 1337.

  

Privacy Policy

Copyright Information

Sponsored Links

Sponsored Pages

Donating to the ODWS

Advertising on the ODWS

Homepage

History Homepage

Topic Chapters Index

Living History Project Homepage

> Living History Project

Biographies

Events Index

Tips on Studying History

Glossary of Terms

Listings, Recognitions and Awards

EABJM Public Web Site

© The Open Door Team
Any questions or problems regarding this site should be addressed to the webmaster

© Shirley Burchill, Chris Green, Mathew Hill, Nigel Hughes and Antony McDermott 2012