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===Feudalism in Western Europe===

===Feudalism in Western Europe===

The new system of government and economics for western Europe was feudalism, also known as manorialism.  The feudal system arose in the 8th century in the Frankish kingdom as a way to protect against foreign invasions, especially invasions by Vikings (“Danes”) from Scandinavia.  The Normans (descendants of Scandinavians and Franks from Normandy, France) brought feudalism to southern Italy and Sicily.  The Norman conquest of Britain in 1066 brought the feudal system to England, Scotland and Ireland.  Viking invasions lasted until the 10th century, by which time many Vikings had accepted Christianity and settled into civilizations of their own in northern Europe.  The end of the Viking raids enabled trade to increase in western Europe.

The new system of government and economics for western Europe was feudalism, also known as manorialism.  The feudal system arose in the 8th century in the Frankish kingdom as a way to protect against foreign invasions, especially invasions by Vikings ("Danes") from Scandinavia.  The Normans (descendants of Scandinavians and Franks from Normandy, France) brought feudalism to southern Italy and Sicily.  The Norman conquest of Britain in 1066 brought the feudal system to England, Scotland and Ireland.  Viking invasions lasted until the 10th century, by which time many Vikings had accepted Christianity and settled into civilizations of their own in northern Europe.  The end of the Viking raids enabled trade to increase in western Europe.

The basic feudal system consisted of a “noble” or “lord” who possessed land (called a “fief”) given by the king.  The lords lived in castles surrounded by moats, and rented their land out to “vassals.” Vassals were also considered nobles, but with less power.  They provided military service to the lords in exchange for protection and land, which they in turn rented out to the “peasants” or “serfs” to farm.  The system had some similarities to the plantation system used in the south in America before the Civil War, except the peasants and vassals were not bound to their lord in western Europe and thus were not slaves.  Instead, the peasants were bound to their land, and when one lord sold all the land to another lord, the peasants did not move.  Warfare amongst the various different estates was common under feudalism, due to the lack of any kind of centralized government, and peasants were required to fight for their lords against foreign invaders.  They were also required to provide their lord with a share of their crops while not fighting an invasion.   

The basic feudal system consisted of a "noble" or "lord" who possessed land (called a "fief") given by the king.  The lords lived in castles surrounded by moats, and rented their land out to "vassals." Vassals were also considered nobles, but with less power.  They provided military service to the lords in exchange for protection and land, which they in turn rented out to the "peasants" or "serfs" to farm.  The system had some similarities to the plantation system used in the south in America before the Civil War, except the peasants and vassals were not always bound to their lord in western Europe and thus were not slaves.  Instead, the peasants were sometimes bound to their land rather than to their "lord", and when one lord sold all the land to another lord, the peasants did not move.  Warfare amongst the various different estates was common under feudalism, due to the lack of any kind of centralized government, and peasants were required to fight for their lords against foreign invaders.  They were also required to provide their lord with a share of their crops while not fighting an invasion.   

Initially, most peasants were free men, but eventually became more and more dependent on the lords, especially as serfdom increased.  Serfs were bound to the land by custom and heredity and were not particularly free.  The peasants did not have the iron plow until about A.D. 1000, and it was hard work to till the soil with the primitive wooden plows.  After inventing the iron plow, food production soared.

Initially, most peasants were free men, but eventually became more and more dependent on the lords, especially as serfdom increased.  Serfs were bound to the land by custom and heredity and were not particularly free.  The peasants did not have the iron plow until about A.D. 1000, and it was hard work to till the soil with the primitive wooden plows.  After inventing the iron plow, food production soared.

The peasants worked on these estates or “manors” in order to obtain a “benefice” (privilege) to keep some of the food they grew for their own families, and also to benefit from the protection from foreign invasion.  So the deal was this:  the lord allowed the peasant to farm land on the lord’s estate (the “manor”) in exchange for the peasant giving the lord some of the food and fighting in wars as needed.  In the words of a popular business expression today, this was a “win-win” situation for both, though obviously the lord benefits more.  Critics say that women were discriminated against with respect to ownership of property, because they did not have the opportunity to serve in the army to acquire land and only sons, not daughters, inherited fiefs.

The peasants worked on these estates or "manors" in order to obtain a "benefice" (privilege) to keep some of the food they grew for their own families, and also to benefit from the protection from foreign invasion.  So the deal was this:  the lord allowed the peasant to farm land on the lord's estate (the "manor") in exchange for the peasant giving the lord some of the food and fighting in wars as needed.  In the words of a popular business expression today, this was a "win-win" situation for both, though obviously the lord benefits more.  Critics say that women were discriminated against with respect to ownership of property, because they did not have the opportunity to serve in the army to acquire land and only sons, not daughters, inherited fiefs.

The feudal system was quite flexible, and a successful way to run an economy.  Lords, vassals, and peasants often had contractual agreements with each other, which led to the development of charters stating lists of rights and privileges.  A lord could himself be a vassal to another lord, and thus multiple layers could develop.  In this respects the system was like a version of multilevel systems of marketing used today (like Amway):  everyone earns a share of workers he recruits to work for him, and those workers in turn have an incentive to recruit more workers.  Modern corporations likewise have multiple layers of employees and compensation systems, though not tied to land as on the feudal estates.

The feudal system was quite flexible, and a successful way to run an economy.  Lords, vassals, and peasants often had contractual agreements with each other, which led to the development of charters stating lists of rights and privileges.  A lord could himself be a vassal to another lord, and thus multiple layers could develop.  In this respects the system was like a version of multilevel systems of marketing used today (like Amway):  everyone earns a share of workers he recruits to work for him, and those workers in turn have an incentive to recruit more workers.  Modern corporations likewise have multiple layers of employees and compensation systems, though not tied to land as on the feudal estates.

The feudal system had elements of free enterprise that remain beneficial to us today.  Everyone in the feudal system had an incentive to work hard, and the ability to buy, sell and inherit property created substantial rewards.  There was no centralized government or national regulations, so each lord was free to become as strong and powerful as he could.  All sources of wealth at that time consisted of land (unlike today, where stocks, cash, offshore oil wells, copyrights, patents and other forms of property are a big part of the overall wealth, and unlike Jesus’ time, when much wealth consisted of ownership of sheep, cattle and other animals).  Feudalism converted much useless land and forests into productive farmland.

The feudal system had elements of free enterprise that remain beneficial to us today.  Everyone in the feudal system had an incentive to work hard, and the ability to buy, sell and inherit property created substantial rewards.  There was no centralized government or national regulations, so each lord was free to become as strong and powerful as he could.  All sources of wealth at that time consisted of land (unlike today, where stocks, cash, offshore oil wells, copyrights, patents and other forms of property are a big part of the overall wealth, and unlike Jesus's time, when much wealth consisted of ownership of sheep, cattle and other animals).  Feudalism converted much useless land and forests into productive farmland.

“Chivalry” developed as a code of behavior for everyone, and it required loyalty to one’s lord and to God.  Christianity was honored, as were women, who under the code of chivalry were to be considered the equivalent of the Virgin Mary.  When an enemy was conquered, they were to be treated fairly and with good sportsmanship.  Tournaments of jousting knights were held to entertain spectators and improve combat skills.  On the humorous side, it became popular to use battering rams and catapults in warfare.  This was a free enterprise approach to the military, whereby each lord developed his own army.  The system developed very good soldiers, and they kept their skills sharp by engaging in frequent battles with rival manors or estates.  Through competition and free enterprise, the warriors became fighters superior to the foreign invaders, and the invasions stopped.

"Chivalry" developed as a code of behavior for everyone, and it required loyalty to one’s lord and to God.  Christianity was honored, as were women, who under the code of chivalry were to be considered the equivalent of the Virgin Mary.  When an enemy was conquered, they were to be treated fairly and with good sportsmanship.  Tournaments of jousting knights were held to entertain spectators and improve combat skills.  On the humorous side, it became popular to use battering rams and catapults in warfare.  This was a free enterprise approach to the military, whereby each lord developed his own army.  The system developed very good soldiers, and they kept their skills sharp by engaging in frequent battles with rival manors or estates.  Through competition and free enterprise, the warriors became fighters superior to the foreign invaders, and the invasions stopped.

Later, beginning in 1099 and continuing until the 1300s, the wealth and highly trained soldiers made possible the Crusades to recapture Jerusalem (which had fallen under Muslim control).  

Later, beginning in 1099 and continuing until the 1300s, the wealth and highly trained soldiers made possible the Crusades to recapture Jerusalem (which had fallen under Muslim control).  

Impact of Feudalism Today:  Our law of real property (land) is based on the feudal system.  Homes today are usually owned as a “fee” or “fee simple,” which is the concept developed by the feudal system to represent a grant of land to someone.  Also, the roots of our free enterprise economic system of private property are in feudalism.

'''Impact of Feudalism Today''':  Our law of real property (land) is based on the feudal system.  Homes today are usually owned as a "fee" or "fee simple," which is the concept developed by the feudal system to represent a grant of land to someone.  Also, the roots of our free enterprise economic system of private property are in feudalism.

==Feudalism and Religion in Japan==

==Feudalism and Religion in Japan==