Feudality, also known as feudalism or feudal system, was a political, economic and social system that flourished in medieval Europe in the Middle Ages between the 9th and 15th centuries. Feudalism was born from the decentralization of empires, notably the Carolingian Empire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essay Feudalism was characterized by the absence of public authority and the exercise of judicial and administrative functions by lords. The main characteristic of the feudal system was its pyramidal or hierarchical structure, with the king at the highest level of the hierarchy. Below him were the nobles, also called lords, followed by the knights. Knights were the backbone of medieval European armies. They represented an elite caste of warriors who fought on behalf of their feudal lords. Symbols and ceremonies such as the distinction confirmed their status as knights. The distinction involved the king or lord touching his vassal on the shoulders with a sword to confer upon him the title of knight. At the lowest levels of the feudal system were the peasants and farmers, also called serfs. About ninety percent of the population were serfs. The condition of serfs was a little better than that of slaves. Another essential feature of feudalism was vassalism, in which one person (the vassal) had a mutual obligation to an immediate superior such as a lord or king. Bonds often included military service. The king allocated plots of land (called fiefs) to his nobles. In exchange for land, nobles swore loyalty to the king and promised to perform various tasks such as financial support, advice, and military services. So, if the kingdom was threatened or if new territories needed to be conquered, the nobles were obliged to provide troops and fight alongside their king. These nobles then distributed part of their fiefs among more minor knights or nobles, who in turn performed military functions and pledged allegiance to the lords. Vassals received land and protection (sometimes in the form of legal support) from their superior, if necessary. Fiefs were the central element of feudalism. These were hereditary goods or rights granted by a feudal lord or king to his vassal, who held them as royalty in exchange for a form of allegiance and service. These royalties were often revenue-producing lands or other valuable objects, such as tax farms, offices, or commercial rights. However, the granting of land to a vassal did not waive the lord's rights to his property. The lords retained ultimate ownership of the fiefs and could recover it in the event of disloyalty or the death of the vassal. Fiefs became hereditary in the mid-10th century, meaning that the deceased vassal's eldest son could inherit the fief after paying tribute, pledging allegiance to the noble, and paying a stipend for the land. The relief served as monetary recognition of the lord's continuing rights to the property. A fief virtually constituted an independent kingdom within a kingdom. Feudalism encouraged the decentralization of power. The king was obliged to share power with his nobles. The nobles, in turn, shared power with nobles lower in the hierarchy. Feudalism has always been an arrangement between individuals, not between nation-states and citizens. However, this led to a mess..