Feudalism In The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages was a time where people tried to gain back the knowledge they previously lost due to the collapse of the Roman Empire. The most common system that they would use was Feudalism. Every level in feudalism benefitted each other, and everything would collapse if one level didn’t do their part. Feudalism is a military based system depending on loyalty to meet the needs of its people because if everyone is loyal to their obligations because everyone would benefit in some way. The Hundred Years’ War was the start of the decline of Feudalism. France and England fought for the lands of France due to miscommunication of who owned what land.The Hundred Years’ War declined feudalism by making the monarchs lose power and the peasants gain
power. Also, the Hundred Years’ War made it so that serfs became more wealthy as knights became increasingly useless and unable to defend the serfs, shifting the power from monarchs to the common people.
The Hundred Years’ War started the downfall of feudalism through its military. It was started because the King of France, Charles died without a direct heir. The king of England, Edward III was the nephew of Charles, saw this as an opportunity to control of the French throne through his mother. This caused a conflict between the French and English kings for the French throne and it’s land. French support of a movement for independence among the Scots, inspired Edward to gather a large army and invade Normandy in 1337, an event that many historians cite as the first action of the Hundred Years' War (Hooper 116). The Hundred Years’ war helped shift the power from feudal lords to the monarchs and the common people. During the war, monarchs would collect taxes and make armies. As a result, kings didn’t have to rely on nobles to supply knights for his army but instead relied on serfs. Serfs became wealthier due to the rewards given for fighting for their side. Changes in the military, such as using cannons, made it so that knights and castles were less useful. The longbow was effective against knights and castles were not very effective against iron balls from cannons using gunpowder. With all of this considered, the Hundred Years’ war was one of the main reasons why feudalism ended (Hooper 116).
power. Also, the Hundred Years’ War made it so that serfs became more wealthy as knights became increasingly useless and unable to defend the serfs, shifting the power from monarchs to the common people.
The Hundred Years’ War started the downfall of feudalism through its military. It was started because the King of France, Charles died without a direct heir. The king of England, Edward III was the nephew of Charles, saw this as an opportunity to control of the French throne through his mother. This caused a conflict between the French and English kings for the French throne and it’s land. French support of a movement for independence among the Scots, inspired Edward to gather a large army and invade Normandy in 1337, an event that many historians cite as the first action of the Hundred Years' War (Hooper 116). The Hundred Years’ war helped shift the power from feudal lords to the monarchs and the common people. During the war, monarchs would collect taxes and make armies. As a result, kings didn’t have to rely on nobles to supply knights for his army but instead relied on serfs. Serfs became wealthier due to the rewards given for fighting for their side. Changes in the military, such as using cannons, made it so that knights and castles were less useful. The longbow was effective against knights and castles were not very effective against iron balls from cannons using gunpowder. With all of this considered, the Hundred Years’ war was one of the main reasons why feudalism ended (Hooper 116).