Feudalism was a political and economic system characterized by granting unlimited power to feudal lords over the lands and people. Society was divided into estates - the nobility who defended the people in war, the ecclesiastics who directed Christianity, and the peasants who supported the other estates through their labor. Nobles lived either as higher nobility who were direct vassals of the king such as dukes and counts, or lower nobility such as knights who could own a horse and weapons for war.

1. FEUDALISM

2. FEUDALISM IN EUROPE
FEATURES:
• Feudalism was
characterized by granting
almost unlimited power
to the feudal lords. They
obtained great territories
and control over the life
and death of the
inhabitants, who found
themselves at the
expense of the
conscience and will of the
feudal lord.

3. FEUDAL ECONOMY
THE MANOR:
• It is a hereditary
donation of lands and
vassals, including
jurisdiction, given by
monarchs to nobles or
clerics as payment for
services rendered or
reward of acquired
merits.

4. FEUDAL SOCIETY
ESTATES:
• Nobility. They were the counts,
marquises and knights who
defended the population in case
of war.
• Ecclesiastics. They were men and
women of consecrated life to
God, who prayed and directed
Christianity.
• The peasants. They were the
majority of the population and
they maintained the other two
estates with their work.

5. HOW NOBLES LIVED
THE NOBLE ESTATE
• The higher nobility, the
direct vassals of the
king, such as dukes,
counts, marquises and
barons.
• The lower nobility,
lesser nobles, such as
knights or people who
could own a horse and
weapons of war.