Feudalism and King John of Englands Disregard for Its Tenets

Feudalism and King John of Englands Disregard for Its Tenets

Feudalism was a set of European military and legal customs between the 9th and 15th centuries. The system focused on structuring the society around relationships founded on land ownership. According to Banham, feudalism followed a hierarchy of kings, nobles, knights, free men, and villeins (13). The king was at the top of the hierarchy. He was rich and powerful because he made all decisions on how the country could be ruled. He also owned a large piece of land across England. The nobles were second in the hierarchy and reported directly to the king. Their main role was to fight. Hire our assignment writing services in case your assignment is devastating you. We offer assignment help with high professionalism.

Below the nobles in the hierarchy were the knights, who were the nobles’ young sons. The knights served as juries, forest officials, coroners, and sheriffs. Next, the free men were under the knights in the hierarchy. They were free to work and travel anywhere in England and served on juries. Lastly, the villeins were at the bottom of the hierarchy. They were free peasants who worked for a free tenant or their lord’s land but had no rights. For example, they could not leave their villages without permission because they could be sold and bought by their lord (Banham 13). Another characteristic of feudalism was the land distribution among the king, the lord, the church, and the royal demesne.

Although feudalism effectively maintained order across England, King John of England disregarded these basic tenets, which led to tension between him and the nobles. The main reason for the disregard was his obsession with power. He disregarded feudalism by making decisions at will and not following the law. He also exploited feudalism rights to set high taxes, seize the estates owned by barons, and enforce arbitrary fines. According to Goldman (2018), King John used taxation to raise money for wars to reconquer the land he had lost. The nobles responded to King John’s failure to serve as a good liege by withdrawing their support and creating a rebel army. The nobles also stopped paying fines and taxes.

Works Cited

Banham, Dale. The Reigns of King Richard I and King John, 1189-1216. Hodder Education, 2016.

Goldman, Lawrence. “Magna Carta: History, Context and Influence.” London Institute of Historical Research, 2018, p. 28, https://doi.org/10.14296/718.9781909646889

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First, explain the basics of feudalism. Then, describe how King John of England disregarded these basic tenets.

Feudalism and King John of England Disregard for Its Tenets

How did his nobles respond to his failure to serve as a good liege?
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