Feudalism, also known as feudalism or feudal system, was a political, economic and social system that flourished in medieval Europe during the Middle Ages between the 9th and 15th century. Feudalism emerged as a result of the decentralization of empires, particularly the Carolingian Empire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Feudalism was characterized by the absence of public authority and the exercise of judicial and administrative functions by lords. The main feature 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 honor confirmed their status as knights. The award involved the king or lord touching his vassal's shoulders with a sword to confer knighthood. In the lowest strata of the feudal system were the peasants and farmers, also called serfs. About ninety percent of the population were serfs. The condition of the serfs was slightly better than that of the slaves. Another essential feature of feudalism was vassalage, in which one person (the vassal) had a reciprocal obligation to an immediate superior such as a lord or king. Obligations often included military services. The king assigned plots of land (called fiefdoms) to his nobles. In exchange for the land, the nobles swore allegiance to the king and promised to perform various tasks such as financial support, advice, and military services. So if the kingdom was threatened or new territories wanted to be conquered, the nobles were obliged to provide troops and fight alongside their king. These nobles then further distributed parts of their fiefdoms to knights or lesser nobles, who in turn performed military duties and swore fealty to the lords. Vassals received lands and protection (sometimes in the form of legal support) from their superior, if and when required. Fiefs were the central element of feudalism. These were hereditary properties or rights granted by a feudal lord or king to his vassal, who held them as compensation in exchange for a form of loyalty and service. These taxes were often revenue-generating lands or anything else of value, such as tax farms, offices, or business rights. However, granting land to a vassal did not waive the lord's rights to his property. The lords still had 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 homage, swearing fealty to the noble, and paying land relief. 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 favored the decentralization of authority. 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 agreement between individuals, not between nation-states and citizens. However, this led to general disorder and endemic conflict as there was no strong legal tradition preventing the lords from declaring war on each other. The consequence of the feudal system was the creation of groups.