Feudal fragmentation in England

The process of feudal fragmentation in the X-XII centuries. began to develop in England. This was facilitated by the transfer by royal power to the nobility of the right to collect feudal duties from peasants and their lands. As a result of this, the feudal lord (secular or ecclesiastical) who received such a grant becomes the full owner of the land occupied by the peasants and their personal master. The feudal lords' private property grew, they became economically stronger and sought greater independence from the king.
The situation changed after England was conquered by the Norman Duke William the Conqueror in 1066. As a result, the country, which was heading towards feudal fragmentation, turned into a united state with a strong monarchical power. This is the only example on the European continent at this time.

The point was that the conquerors deprived many representatives of the former nobility of their possessions, carrying out a massive confiscation of land property. The actual owner of the land became the king, who transferred part of it as fiefs to his warriors and part of the local feudal lords who expressed their readiness to serve him. But these possessions were now located in different parts of England. The only exceptions were a few counties, which were located on the outskirts of the country and were intended for the defense of border areas. The scattered nature of feudal estates (130 large vassals had land in 2-5 counties, 29 in 6-10 counties, 12 in 10-21 counties), their private return to the king served as an obstacle to the transformation of barons into independent landowners, as it was, for example in France

Development of medieval Germany

The development of medieval Germany was characterized by a certain originality. Until the 13th century. it was one of the most powerful states in Europe. And then the process of internal political fragmentation begins to rapidly develop here, the country breaks up into a number of independent associations, while other Western European countries embarked on the path of state unity. The fact is that the German emperors, in order to maintain their power over their dependent countries, needed the military assistance of the princes and were forced to make concessions to them. Thus, if in other European countries the royal power deprived the feudal nobility of its political privileges, then in Germany the process of legislatively securing the highest state rights for the princes developed. As a result, imperial power gradually lost its position and became dependent on large secular and church feudal lords. .
Moreover, in Germany, despite the rapid development already in the 10th century. cities (the result of the separation of crafts from agriculture), an alliance between royal power and cities did not develop, as was the case in England, France and other countries. Therefore, German cities were unable to play an active role in the political centralization of the country. And finally, in Germany, like England or France, a single economic center that could become the core of a political unification was not formed. Each principality lived separately. As the princely power strengthened, the political and economic fragmentation of Germany intensified.

Growth of Byzantine cities

In Byzantium by the beginning of the 12th century. The formation of the main institutions of feudal society was completed, a feudal estate was formed, and the bulk of the peasants were already in land or personal dependence. The imperial power, granting broad privileges to secular and ecclesiastical feudal lords, contributed to their transformation into all-powerful patrimonial lords, who had an apparatus of judicial-administrative power and armed squads. This was the payment of the emperors to the feudal lords for their support and service.
The development of crafts and trade led to the beginning of the 12th century. to the fairly rapid growth of Byzantine cities. But unlike Western Europe, they did not belong to individual feudal lords, but were under the authority of the state, which did not seek an alliance with the townspeople. Byzantine cities did not achieve self-government, like Western European ones. The townspeople, subjected to cruel fiscal exploitation, were thus forced to fight not with the feudal lords, but with the state. Strengthening the positions of feudal lords in the cities, establishing their control over trade and sales of manufactured products, undermined the well-being of merchants and artisans. With the weakening of imperial power, feudal lords became absolute rulers in the cities. .
Increased tax oppression led to frequent uprisings that weakened the state. At the end of the 12th century. the empire began to fall apart. This process accelerated after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 by the Crusaders. The empire fell, and on its ruins the Latin Empire and several other states were formed. And although in 1261 the Byzantine state was restored again (this happened after the fall of the Latin Empire), its former power was no longer there. This continued until the fall of Byzantium under the attacks of the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

Feudal fragmentation in Europe occurred during the early Middle Ages. The king's power became formal; he retained it only within his domain.

Relations between the king and the feudal lords during the period of fragmentation

The duties of the feudal lords included military service for the benefit of the king and the state, payment of monetary contributions in a number of cases, as well as submission to the decisions of the king. However, starting from the 9th century, the fulfillment of these duties began to depend solely on the goodwill of the vassals, who often did not show it.

Causes of feudal fragmentation

The prerequisites for this process were the death of Charlemagne and the division of the possessions under his hand between his sons, who were unable to retain power.

As for the reasons for the feudal fragmentation of European countries, they lay in weak trade ties between the lands - they could not develop in a subsistence economy. Each estate, owned by a feudal lord, fully provided itself with everything necessary - there was simply no need to go to neighbors for anything. Gradually, the estates became more and more isolated, so that each fief became almost a state.

Rice. 1. Feudal estate.

Gradually, large feudal lords, dukes and counts, ceased to reckon with the king, who often had less land and property. An expression appears that states that the king is only the first among equals.

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The second reason was that each feudal lord had his own army, which meant that he did not need the king's protection. Moreover, this king called vassals under his banners when he needed protection.

Internecine wars of feudal lords

The formation of feudal relations took place in the conditions of constant wars between nobles, because whoever had the land had more power. In an effort to take away both land and peasants from each other in order to become stronger and richer, the feudal lords were in a state of permanent war. Its essence was to capture as much territory as possible and at the same time prevent another feudal lord from capturing his own.

Rice. 2. Capture of a medieval castle.

Gradually, this led to the fact that there were more and more small feudal estates - even a comic expression about land-poor nobles appeared. It was said that such a feudal lord, when he goes to bed, touches the borders of his possessions with his head and feet. And if it turns over, it could end up with a neighbor.

The results of feudal fragmentation

This was a difficult period in the history of Western Europe. On the one hand, thanks to the weakening of the power of the center, all lands began to develop, on the other hand, there were numerous negative consequences.

Thus, wanting to weaken their neighbor, each feudal lord who started an internecine war first of all burned crops and killed peasants, which did not contribute to economic growth - the estates gradually fell into disrepair. Even more sad results of feudal fragmentation in Europe were observed from the point of view of the state: the endless fragmentation of lands and civil strife weakened the country as a whole and made it easy prey.

Rice. 3. Map of Europe during the period of feudal fragmentation.

It is impossible to name the exact year when this period of European history ended, but around the 12th-13th centuries the process of centralization of states began again. 4.7. Total ratings received: 184.

Over time, large feudal lords, who received lands from the kings as conditional possession, secured them for themselves. Now they could transfer lands by inheritance of their own free will and not obey their lords. At the same time, the feudal lords relied on their own vassals and became complete rulers in their lands. The book of medieval laws stated:

“In the remotest time, it depended on the power of the lords when they wanted to take away the feud they had given. After this they came to the conclusion that the feud was permanent for a year. Then it was established that the feud lasted throughout the life of the vassal. But since the fief did not pass to the sons by right of inheritance, they then came to the conclusion that it began to pass to the sons.”

The power of the kings gradually weakened. They were no longer able to cope with all the rebellious vassals striving for independence. The dominance of subsistence farming also contributed to the isolation of individual parts of the state. It made each large feudal possession independent and independent from the rest of the state, since everything that was necessary was produced within it. A long period began feudal fragmentation.Material from the site

The changes that took place in Western Europe indicated that by the 10th century feudal relations were developing in it. Their distinctive features were: the formation of classes of medieval society - feudal lords and peasants; formation of the “feudal ladder”; dominance of subsistence farming.

On this page there is material on the following topics:

• Causes of feudal fragmentation in Western Europe table

• Test on the topic of feudal fragmentation in Western Europe

• Brief description of Italy in the Middle Ages

• Causes of feudal fragmentation in Western Europe 6th grade table

• Features of feudal fragmentation in Western Europe briefly

Questions about this material:

States in the Middle Ages were not integral. Each consisted of several large feudal estates, which, in turn, were divided into smaller ones. For example, in Germany there were about two hundred small states. Most of them were too small, and it was said jokingly that the head of a sleeping ruler was on his land, and his outstretched legs were in the domain of his neighbor. This was an era of feudal fragmentation that captured the countries of Western Europe.

This topic will be very interesting not only to students, for whom it is briefly outlined in the textbook “General History. Grade 6,” but also to adults, who may have forgotten their schoolwork a little.

Definition of the term

Feudalism is a political system that arose in the Middle Ages and operated on the territory of the then European states. Countries under this order of government were divided into sections called fiefs. These lands were distributed by overlord monarchs for long-term use to noble subjects - vassals. The owners, under whose control the territories fell, were obliged to pay tribute to the state treasury every year, as well as send a certain number of knights and other armed warriors to the ruler’s army. And for this, the vassals, in turn, not only received all the rights to use the land, but also could control the labor and destinies of the people who were considered their subjects.

Collapse of the Empire

After the death of Charlemagne in 814, his successors failed to save the state he created from collapse. And all the prerequisites and reasons for feudal fragmentation began to appear precisely from the very moment when the Frankish nobles, or rather, the counts, who were officials of the empire, began to seize lands. At the same time, they turned the free population living there into their vassals and forced peasants.

The feudal lords owned estates called seigneuries, which were actually closed farms. On their territories, all the goods necessary for life were produced, from food to materials for the construction of castles - well-fortified structures where the owners of these lands themselves lived. We can say that feudal fragmentation in Europe also arose thanks to such a natural economy, which contributed to the complete independence of the nobles.

Over time, the position of count began to be inherited and assigned to the largest landowners. They ceased to obey the emperor, and turned medium and small feudal lords into their vassals.

Treaty of Verdun

With the death of Charlemagne, quarrels begin in his family, which lead to real wars. At this time, the largest feudal lords begin to support them. But, finally tired of constant hostilities, in 843 the grandchildren of Charlemagne decided to meet in the city of Verdun, where they signed an agreement according to which the empire was divided into three parts.

In accordance with the agreement, one part of the land passed into the possession of Louis the German. He began to rule the territory located north of the Alps and east of the Rhine. This state was called East Frankish. Here they spoke German dialects.

The second part was taken over by Karl, who bore the nickname Bald. These were lands located west of the Rhone, Scheldt and Meuse rivers. They became known as the West Frankish Kingdom. Here they spoke languages ​​that later formed the basis of modern French.

The third part of the lands, along with the title of emperor, went to the eldest of the brothers, Lothair. He owned territory located along Italy. But soon the brothers quarreled, and war broke out between them again. Louis and Charles united against Lothair, took away his lands and divided them among themselves. At this time, the title of emperor no longer meant anything.

It was after the division of the former state of Charlemagne that a period of feudal fragmentation began in Western Europe. Subsequently, the possessions of the three brothers turned into countries that exist to this day - these are Italy, Germany and France.

Medieval European states

In addition, there was another large European state. In 1066, the Duke of Normandy (a region located in northern France), having subjugated the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, united them and became king of England. His name was William the Conqueror.

To the east of the German lands, such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Kievan Rus were already formed. And where the nomads who came here dominated, over time the Hungarian Kingdom appeared. In addition, Sweden, Denmark and Norway arose in the northern part of Europe. All of these states were united for some time.

Collapse of medieval states

So what were the reasons for feudal fragmentation here? The reason for the collapse of the empires of that time was not only the civil strife of the rulers. As you know, the lands that were part of the state of Charlemagne were united through force of arms. Therefore, the reasons for feudal fragmentation also lie in the fact that there was an attempt to bring together completely different peoples who did not want to live together within the framework of one empire. For example, the population of the West Frankish kingdom was called the French, the East Frankish kingdom was called the Germans, and the peoples living in Italy were called Italians. An interesting fact is that the very first documents compiled in the languages ​​of the peoples living here appeared precisely during the struggle for power of the grandchildren of Emperor Charlemagne. So, Charles the Bald and Louis the German signed a treaty, which stated that they vowed to stand together against their older brother Lothair. These papers were compiled in French and German.

Power of the nobles

The causes of feudal fragmentation in Europe largely depended on the actions of the counts and dukes, who were a kind of governors in various parts of the country. But over time, when they began to feel almost unlimited power, the feudal lords ceased to obey the main ruler. Now they served only the owners of the lands on whose territory their estates were located. At the same time, they were directly subordinate to the duke or count, and even then only during military operations, when they went on a campaign at the head of their own army. When peace came, they were completely independent and ruled their lands and the people who inhabited them as they saw fit.

Feudal staircase

In order to create their army, dukes and counts gave part of their territories to smaller landowners. Thus, some became lords (chiefs), while others became their vassals (military servants). Upon taking possession of the fief, the vassal knelt before his lord and swore allegiance to him. In return, the master handed his subject a tree branch and a handful of earth.

The main feudal lord in the state was the king. He was considered a lord for counts and dukes. Their possessions included hundreds of villages and a large number of military detachments. One step lower were the barons, who were vassals of counts and dukes. They usually owned no more than three dozen villages and a detachment of warriors. Small feudal knights were subordinate to the barons.

As a result of the resulting hierarchy, a feudal lord with average income was a lord for a small noble, but at the same time he himself was a vassal for a larger nobleman. Therefore, a rather interesting situation developed. Those nobles who were not vassals of the king were not obliged to obey him and carry out his orders. There was even a special rule. It read: "My vassal's vassal is not my vassal."

The relationship between the classes resembled a ladder, where small feudal lords were on the lower steps, and larger ones led by the king were on the upper steps. It was this division that later became known as the feudal ladder. The peasants were not included in it, since all the lords and vassals lived off their labor.

Natural economy

The reasons for the feudal fragmentation of Western Europe also lay in the fact that the inhabitants of not only individual regions, but also villages practically did not need any connections with other settlements. They could make all the necessary things, food and tools themselves or simply barter with their neighbors. At this time, the natural economy was flourishing, when trade itself ceased to exist.

Military policy

Feudal fragmentation, the causes and consequences of which had a significant impact on the military power of the royal army itself, could not contribute not only to its strengthening, but also to the increase in the authority of the central government in the eyes of large landowners. By the tenth century the feudal lords had already acquired their own squads. Therefore, the king’s personal army could not fully resist such vassals. In those days, the ruler of the state was only the conditional head of the entire hierarchical system of that time. In fact, the country was under the rule of nobles - dukes, barons and princes.

Reasons for the collapse of European states

So, all the main reasons for feudal fragmentation were identified in the process of studying the cultural and socio-economic development of Western European countries in the Middle Ages. Such a political system led to an upsurge in material well-being, as well as a flourishing in the spiritual direction. Historians have come to the conclusion that feudal fragmentation was a completely natural and objective process. But this only applies to European countries.

Here are the reasons for feudal fragmentation common to all states without exception, briefly formulated in two points:

Availability of subsistence farming. It, on the one hand, ensured a rather sharp rise in prosperity and trade, as well as the rapid development of land ownership, and on the other, a complete absence of any specialization of individual areas and extremely limited economic ties with other lands.

Sedentary lifestyle of the squad. In other words, the transformation of its members into feudal lords, whose privilege was the right to own land. In addition, their power over the peasant class was unlimited. They had the opportunity to judge people and punish them for various offenses. This caused a slight weakening of the influence of the policies of the central government on certain territories. Prerequisites also appeared for the successful solution of military tasks by the local population.

Feudal fragmentation of Russian lands

The processes taking place in Western Europe since the 10th century could not ignore the principalities where the Eastern Slavs lived. But it should be noted that the reasons were of a special nature. This can be explained by other socio-economic trends, as well as local customs of succession to the throne.

The division of the state into principalities was due to the great influence enjoyed by the local nobility, called boyars. In addition, they owned huge plots of land and supported the local princes. And instead of submitting to the Kyiv authorities, they agreed among themselves.

Succession to thrones

As in Europe, feudal fragmentation began with the fact that the numerous heirs of the rulers could not share power. If in Western countries the Salic right of succession to the throne was in force, which required the transfer of the throne from father to eldest son, then in the Russian lands the Flattering right was in effect. It provided for the transfer of power from the older brother to the younger, etc.

Numerous offspring of all the brothers grew up, and each of them wanted to rule. Over time, the situation became more complicated, and the contenders for the throne constantly and tirelessly weaved intrigues against each other.

The first serious discord was the military conflict between the heirs of Prince Svyatoslav, who died in 972. The winner was his son Vladimir, who later baptized Rus'. The collapse of the state began after the reign of Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich, who died in 1132. After this, feudal fragmentation continued until the lands began to be united around Moscow.

Reasons for the fragmentation of Russian lands

The process of fragmentation of Kievan Rus covers the period from the 12th to the beginning of the 14th century. During this era, the princes waged long and bloody internecine wars to expand land holdings.

Here are the most important reasons for feudal fragmentation, briefly and clearly formulated in four points, valid only in Rus':

Intensification of internecine struggle due to two trends that existed in the rules of succession to the Kyiv throne. One of them is Byzantine law, which allows the transfer of power from father to eldest son, the second is Russian custom, according to which the eldest in the family should become the heir.

Significant weakening of the role of Kyiv as the central government. This happened due to the raids of the Polovtsians, who made travel along the Dnieper dangerous, as a result of which an outflow of the population from Kyiv to the north-west began.

A significant weakening of the threat from the Pechenegs and Varangians, as well as the defeat and improvement of relations with the rulers of the Byzantine Empire.

Creation of the appanage system by Yaroslav the Wise. After his death in 1054, the Russian lands were swallowed up by a whole series of internecine wars. The ancient Russian integral state was transformed from a single monarchy into a federal one, which was headed by several authoritative Yaroslavich princes.

We hope that this article helped to supplement the knowledge not only of schoolchildren who are now studying the topic “Causes of feudal fragmentation” using the textbook “General History. Grade 6”. It will refresh the memory of university students about the events that happened in the Middle Ages. Still, such a topic as feudal fragmentation, the causes and consequences of which we have described in sufficient detail, you will agree, is quite interesting.

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About the Verdun division of 843, when Charlemagne's empire was divided between his grandchildren, although the title of emperor was retained.

Compare the first and second information: what question do you have? Compare with the authors' version (p. 273).

Question: Why is the time from the 9th century called the period of fragmentation, if the empire was restored in the 10th century?

Answer: Formally, the empire was restored, but the feudal lords gained more and more power and ceased to obey their lords. At first this happened with large feudal lords, and then even with many middle-men. Kings and emperors actually ruled only small territories; the remaining lands were divided among smaller lords, who were constantly at war with each other.

Prove that a period of state fragmentation has begun in Western Europe. Have there been changes in other areas of society?

In 843, at Verdun, the empire was divided into three parts among the grandchildren of Charlemagne. But the new rulers tried to leave the management system and other aspects of life unchanged. All these features of the state underwent changes slowly, being separated by state borders over centuries of history.

Starting with Charlemagne's grandchildren, his empire begins to disintegrate. But this was a division into fairly large parts, so it is not entirely fragmentation. In addition, the owners of benefices had not yet turned into feudal lords - kings or the emperor could still take away their lands for improper service.

What parts did Charlemagne's empire fall into?

The empire disintegrated into the domains of Lothair I, Louis (Ludwig) II the German and Charles II the Bald.

Compare with the map on p. 37, what states were formed on the site of the empire?

Given that Lothair's possessions were soon divided between two other kingdoms, the West Frankish Kingdom (future France) and the East Frankish Kingdom (future Holy Roman Empire) arose in place of Charlemagne's empire.

Prove that a period of feudal fragmentation has begun in Western Europe.

The feudal lords received full power in their domains: to judge the people under their rule, to transfer the land by inheritance, to transfer it to their own vassals. The right of kings and the emperor to take away land was usually only a fiction. The main thing is that the feudal lords did not openly obey the monarchs and even went to war against them and each other. In these wars, feudal fragmentation is most evident.

Give her reasons.

Wars between claimants to the throne. For example, in the West Frankish kingdom there was a long struggle between two dynasties that laid claim to the royal title - the Carolingians and the Capetians. At the same time, the applicants bought more and more privileges for the help of the feudal lords.

Viking and Hungarian raids. The royal army often did not have time to arrive to repel the raid (and sometimes the contenders for the throne simply had no time for this). Troops were needed on the ground who could assemble quickly and repel the attack. Gradually, more and more rights flowed into the hands of those who could organize such defense.

Draw a conclusion about the lesson problem.

The combination of wars for the throne and barbarian raids strengthened the feudal lords so much that they were able to go against the power of the monarchs.

Try to find a European country where you could live in safety from the attacks of barbarian tribes.

Only the Cordoba Caliphate was safe. The Vikings sometimes attacked its coasts, but received a worthy rebuff, so they rarely attacked and did not go deep into the mainland. The lands from which the raids came - Scandinavia and Hungary - were not attacked. The map shows that no one attacked Poland, Croatia and Serbia, but information about these countries in the 10th century is so scarce that perhaps information about such raids simply has not been preserved. Otherwise, there is no reason why the Vikings and Hungarians should avoid them. All other countries were subject to raids, and even conquests, either by the Vikings, or their descendants (I remember, first of all, the campaign of Svyatoslav Igorevich against Bulgaria), or the Hungarians.

Which parts of Charlemagne's empire became an empire again in 962?

The lands of many Germanic tribes, as well as the kingdoms of Burgundy and Lombardy, were united into the empire.

Can the formation of the Holy Roman Empire be considered the re-creation of a single Western imperial state?

You can't think like that. Firstly, it did not unite all the territories that were part of the empire of Charlemagne. Secondly, it actually quite quickly disintegrated into the possessions of large feudal lords; the power of the emperor was weak and weakened even more by rivalry with the popes.

Draw a conclusion about the lesson problem.

The proclamation of the restoration of the empire did not stop feudal fragmentation even within the empire itself.

Try to describe a dispute between a close king and a count, a large landowner, in which one will argue for the need for a unified state, and the other will argue against it.

Such a dispute could be started by a supporter of the king with accusations against the count, who violated the feudal oath. To this, a supporter of the count would begin to say that the king was the first to violate the duties of a sovereign and therefore lost the right to the loyalty of his vassal.

This could be followed by an argument from a supporter of the king about the raids of the Vikings and Hungarians. In his opinion, as long as the kingdom was united, there were no such raids. To this, a supporter of the count could give many examples when the royal troops moved too slowly and it was the local counts who had to repel the raids.

A weak argument for a supporter of the king would be the benefits for trade, which was difficult to conduct when new borders had to be crossed every few kilometers. But he himself had to understand that a truly noble person, like the participants in this dispute, did not care about trade, he cared about military exploits and glory.

At that time, only the first pair of arguments were truly worthwhile. Because feudal law was relevant then. It described when a vassal has the right to consider himself free from the oath, and when for its violation he is worthy of losing the feud.

Try to explain the difference in the concepts of state and feudal fragmentation. Check yourself in the dictionary.

With state fragmentation, a single state is split into several, the ruler of each of them becomes a monarch. With feudal fragmentation, the state formally remains united, the feudal lords recognize the power of the monarch over themselves, again, formally, but in reality they do not obey him and even fight against him.