Changes

==Criticism==

==Criticism==

In recent years, some historians have criticized the use of the term ''feudalism'', and the way it is used to describe medieval society. They cite three arguments to support this criticism. Firstly, that the term was not used by medieval society,<ref>But closely related terms were used, such as feodum and fief.</ref> but was invented by later lawyers in an attempt to interpret the legal system of the middle ages; secondly, that it reflects a simplified and often incorrect view of medieval law and politics; and thirdly, that modern historians use the term in too many different and often incompatible ways. The debate over this issue continues.  Recently historians have distinguished "féodalité", or feudalism in the narrower, feudo-vassalic sense of relations between lords and vassals within the noble class, from "seigneurie" or manorialism, that is, relations between lords and peasants.  

In recent years, some historians have criticized the use of the term ''feudalism'', and the way it is used to describe medieval society. They cite three arguments to support this criticism. Firstly, that the term was not used by medieval society,<ref>But closely related terms were used, such as feodum and fief.</ref> but was invented by later lawyers in an attempt to interpret the legal system of the Middle Ages; secondly, that it reflects a simplified and often incorrect view of medieval law and politics; and thirdly, that modern historians use the term in too many different and often incompatible ways. The debate over this issue continues.  Recently historians have distinguished "féodalité", or feudalism in the narrower, feudo-vassalic sense of relations between lords and vassals within the noble class, from "seigneurie" or manorialism, that is, relations between lords and peasants.