Roots of feudalism Feudalism in the Holy Roman Empire

1 roots of feudalism

1.1 roman patronage
1.2 germanic clan system
1.3 emergence of feudal relationships
1.4 subsequent development

roots of feudalism
roman patronage

in late antiquity, out of roman system of patronage (or clientage) , clan (sippe) relationships of migration period (völkerwanderungszeit) (germanic kingdoms on roman soil), relations between rulers , subjects developed prevailing consensus commonplace , accepted.

in roman culture, common patron (a wealthy roman citizen) automatically retain freed slaves in dependent relationship, known patronage. required client accompany patron war , protect him if latter wished, accompany him court vocal supporter and, if patron held public office, act assistant , accompany him on representational events in public.

in return, patron had ensure legal , practical support of client in aspects of life. roman citizen, non-roman , entire tribes in roman empire have patron-client relationship.

in late antiquity, form of relationship increasingly adopted in rural areas, because roman nomenklatura increasingly saw vast estates (latifundia) refuge , economically important pillars, on had own jurisdiction , fortified prisons.

clients @ time bound patrons through allocation of land.

germanic clan system

during latter years of period of clan society germanic kingdoms on roman soil, common land belong king. distribute land subjects. these subjects family members, warriors had performed outstanding feats, , noblemen. land did not become property of subject, handed on him in persona. on death of king or vassal, land de facto returned new king. on time, practice developed person enfeoffed land, family, became beneficiaries of fief , remained permanently bound it. upon death of 1 party, new act of homage (lehnseid), formal legal ceremony, had take place. these transitions fluid , there exceptions practice of enfeoffment.

the vassal enfeoffed estate, divided smaller parcels of land, other lesser vassals, in turn had swear fealty him. in return lease of land, king demand loyalty , allegiance vassal , sub-vassals. means that, in event of war, had provide soldiers , assistance, or if money ran short or ransom needed, expected support king.

the roman patron-client relationship , clan-based feudal relationship in germanic kingdoms merged during middle ages feudal law, or lehnsrecht, legal , social set of relationships, formed pyramid king @ top.

the enforcement of lehnsrecht associated reduced circulation of money in late antiquity , medieval periods. money not bind vassal king, land. unlike money, plentiful.

even kings (see richard lionheart - compulsory allegiance) , @ least in middle ages, clergy (see ottonian-salian imperial church system) vassals of king or king.

emergence of feudal relationships

acceptain of oath of fealty (lehnseid) in 1512

under feudal system, various legal institutions came during carolingian period had existed independently. these institutions were:

the antrustiones - these inner circle of king s retinue; distinguished fact multiple of usual weregild had paid them.
the vassi - free lords no longer after able commend hands of more powerful lord, receiving sustenance , shelter in return obligation of loyalty , service. did not lose status free lords through commendation ceremony, royal court continued responsible them. commendation enacted so-called handgang ceremony, i.e. future vassus put hands, folded, hands of lord, enclosed them. gesture made relationship of 2 clear.
the beneficium (original meaning of benefit ) - in middle ages land leased, there cases estates granted without requiring recompense, example under duress or favour. lord remained true owner of land, no longer beneficiary.

it combination of these institutions, more , more lords achieved high social position, feudal system emerged. handgang, oath of loyalty (treueid), became referred homagium (latin), homage (french), or mannschaft (german), became decisive legal device until 12th century. not until spread of system of legal deeds handgang dropped oath of allegiance, better recorded in writing.

commendations still carried out @ levels. in lower classes based on manorial system (grundherrschaft), @ high levels on feudalism (lehnswesen).

the award of fiefs replaced remuneration work. necessary because monetary system necessary make regular payments still far underdeveloped during middle ages.

subsequent development

as services of vassal included military service, under frankish monarchy feudal system centuries basis of army social organization of holy roman empire.

it not king acquired vassals in way. imitated secular , ecclesiastical magnates. gradually, principle of heritability of fiefs established along admissibility of passing them on afterlehen sub-vassals. latter declared heritable in 1037 conrad ii in constitutio de feudis. came pass 12th century, duchies , counties awarded fiefs.

within each of these ecclesiastical , secular territories, however, there variety of types of feudalism. not until 13th century, did importance of feudal system decline, because instead of vassals (vassallen), liegemen (dienstmannen) - well-educated men (c.f. development of university system) - appointed. kings encouraged development, political reasons, , strengthened territorial lordship (landesherrschaft), replaced feudal system empire-wide. strengthening of territorial rulers had impact not reversed, power of various principalities did not reduce, unlike situation in france , england.

in england, feudal ties abolished revolution of 1649, , express decree charles ii in 1660. in france abolished decisions of national assembly on 4 , 5 august 1789. in germany, dissolution of feudal associations (lehnsverband) long process. legally, abolished inter alia confederation of rhine acts, in final recess of reichsdeputation , frankfurt constitution of 1849. 1 of last fiefs awarded in 1835, when ailing count friedrich wilhelm von schlitz, known görtz, enfeoffed spring @ salzschlirf , began excavate again. fiefs still in existence in 20th century abolished in 1947 allied control council edict.