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Feudal Economics
This article is by B.K. Bass, and is presented by Worldbuilding Magazine.
Often when we think of medieval history and medieval fantasy, the noble knight in shining armor is one of the central concepts that come to mind. Along with this imagery comes castles, people saying “m’lord,” and those same knights kneeling at the feet of their sovereign. To me, one of the most memorable aspects of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is when a greater lord “calls the banners” or “summons their bannermen” to battle.
But, why do their bannermen come? Why are these knights and lords so beholden to their lords and sovereigns, and why do common men set aside the plow and take up the spear when called to do so?
All of this, and more, is part of a grander socioeconomic system that dominated western Europe during the Middle Ages: feudalism.
What is Feudalism?
Feudalism was a system by which a sovereign divided portions of his land among his vassals in exchange for certain services, quite often those of military value. These lords might then further divide the land among lesser lords under similar agreements, who may again divide the land. This created a hierarchy among European nobility and a system of titles representing one’s position...
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
Feudal Economics
This article is by B.K. Bass, and is presented by Worldbuilding Magazine.
Often when we think of medieval history and medieval fantasy, the noble knight in shining armor is one of the central concepts that come to mind. Along with this imagery comes castles, people saying “m’lord,” and those same knights kneeling at the feet of their sovereign. To me, one of the most memorable aspects of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is when a greater lord “calls the banners” or “summons their bannermen” to battle.
But, why do their bannermen come? Why are these knights and lords so beholden to their lords and sovereigns, and why do common men set aside the plow and take up the spear when called to do so?
All of this, and more, is part of a grander socioeconomic system that dominated western Europe during the Middle Ages: feudalism.
What is Feudalism?
Feudalism was a system by which a sovereign divided portions of his land among his vassals in exchange for certain services, quite often those of military value. These lords might then further divide the land among lesser lords under similar agreements, who may again divide the land. This created a hierarchy among European nobility and a system of titles representing one’s position...
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
