The End Of The Western Roman Empire - 1323 Words

The transition between the end of the western Roman empire and the start of modern European history is commonly referred to as the Middle Ages or the medieval period. With the decline in trade and formal learning, the constant state of warfare and invasions, and most importantly the absence of a strong centralized government, there was widespread disorder and an overwhelming need for stability. Rather than central rulers, people looked towards local rulers for protection as small,weak kingdoms besides Charlemagne’s empire emerged. With it came a life dependent on feudal relationships, the self-sufficiency of the manorial system, and the Christian Church. A new political system known as feudalism developed in western Europe due to a weak†¦show more content†¦In exchange for land, a vassal had to pledge loyalty and military service; taking on a number of responsibilities towards the feudal lord such as having to serve on the lord’s court for administration in jus tice. Just like how nobles could be the vassals of kings, knights can also be the vassals of nobles. Generally, the feudal hierarchy is divided into three categories; those who fought consisted of nobles and knights, those who prayed consisted of officials of the Christian Church, and those who worked were peasants and serfs. The nobles provided a part of their fiefs to the knights on lease, in the same way as the king had â€Å"leased† them. The bottom of the hierarchy consists of peasants and serfs who worked on the fiefs and paid tithes in exchange for protection from barbaric tribes and land to live on. However, this feudal social hierarchy was very rigid with little opportunities for social mobility. In an excerpt describing the obligations of the serfs of Dernale, England (D4), it is described that â€Å"When anyone of [the bond-tenants] dieth, the lord shall have all the pigs of the deceased, all his goats, all his mares at grass†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When a serf dies, most o f his/her belongings go to the lord instead of the family. As a result, it’s difficult for serfs to increase their prosperity from one generation to the next because of the inability for their possessions and accumulated hard work to be passed onto their