Fealty: Love, Loyalty, and Choice in Feudalism

Started by bilbobaggins, December 01, 2024, 09:54:38 AM

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bilbobaggins

December 01, 2024, 09:54:38 AM
Luciano Anastasi
Fealty: Love, Loyalty, and Choice in Feudalism by Jeb Smith

Fealty in the medieval period was a voluntary and deeply personal bond between lords and vassals, rooted in loyalty, love, and mutual benefit. Unlike modern governance, which is often impersonal and obligatory, feudal bonds reflected a society where relationships were based on choice and reciprocal obligations. Peasants and vassals selected lords who could provide protection, opportunities, and regional stability, creating a dynamic and decentralized system. Kings and lords alike depended on the loyalty of their people, often bound by oaths and mutual affection stronger than kinship ties. This personal nature of fealty shaped medieval social structures, blending autonomy with shared responsibility.

https://historymedieval.com/fealty-love-loyalty-and-choice-in-feudalism/
Jeb Smith is an author and speaker whose books include Missing Monarchy:
Correcting Misconceptions About The Middle Ages, Medieval Kingship, Democracy, And Liberty
And Defending Dixie's Land: What Every American Should Know About The South And The Civil War, written under the name Isaac C. Bishop.

Smith has written over 100 articles found in several publications, among them The Postil Magazine, The Libertarian Institute, History is Now Magazine, History Medieval, The Libertarian Christian Institute, Vermont Daily Chronicle, The Rutland Herald, Medieval Magazine, Medieval Archives, and Fellowship & Fairydust Magazine, and has been featured on various podcasts. For speaking engagements, interviews, or questions, please contact him at jackson18611096@gmail.com
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