Medieval Feudalism and the Three Estates System

Feudalism in Western Europe

When: From the 9th century until the early Modern Period (15th century).

Where: In Western Europe (Charlemagne's Empire).

What: A political, social, and economic system.

The Feudal Pact and Vassalage

The kings lost power and shared it with the clergy and nobility through the feudal pact.

• The Lord: Usually the king, he needs to form an army of faithful warriors. He hands over a fief (an area of land) which the vassal lives on and is in charge of. The pact is sealed at the homage ceremony; in it, the lord invests the vassal with the fief.
• The Vassal: A noble who obtains land in exchange for military aid. He is obliged to assist the lord in war by providing armed men and giving advice. At the homage ceremony, the vassal swears to be faithful. This oath is sacred; if it is broken, he loses the fief.

The Three Estates of Feudal Society

Society was organized into three groups or social orders, later known as estates:

Bellatores: The Nobility

• Who: Kings, lords, vassals, and knights.
• Privileged: Yes, they avoided paying taxes.
• Functions: Defending society.
• Latin Name: Bellatores.

People belonged to this privileged group by birth. For knights, their way of life was war. There were different categories of nobility:

• High Nobility: Very powerful, influenced the decisions of the kingdom, and sometimes held more land than the kings themselves.
• Low and Middle Nobility: Composed of knights and lords with fewer possessions. Nobles lived in castles and could form their own army of knights and foot soldiers.

Oratores: The Clergy

• Who: Priests and the Pope.
• Privileged: Yes, they avoided paying taxes.
• Functions: To pray to save souls.
• Latin Name: Oratores.

Members of this privileged group were part of the Church. Their function was to plead to God through prayer. One of their privileges was to receive a tax for maintaining priests and the costs of the church: a tithe. Peasants had to give a tenth part of their crops or livestock.

The clergy was divided into two groups:

• Regular Clergy: Belonging to monastic orders, they lived a secluded life in monasteries and convents. This group included abbots and abbesses (who led the institutions), monks, and nuns.
• Secular Clergy: Clergy who did not live in monasteries, such as priests and bishops.

There was another division based on social origin:

• Higher Clergy: Abbots, bishops, etc., who came from noble families.
• Lower Clergy: Rural parishes and humble monks who came from the peasantry.

Laboratores: The Third Estate

• Who: Peasants.
• Privileged: No, they paid taxes.
• Functions: To work and pay taxes.
• Latin Name: Laboratores.

Most of the population (90%) belonged to this non-privileged estate. They maintained the rest of society (the nobility and the clergy) through their work and taxes.

Vows of the Clergy

To become a member of the clergy, one had to make three promises (vows):

• Poverty
• Obedience
• Chastity