FEUDALISM (13h 57min, jan 1, 476 y – 6h 16min, dec 31, 1500 y)

Description:

The fall of the Roman Empire gave rise to the Middle Ages. This was a period in history marked by the rule of Monarchies and the Catholic Church. During Feudalism the church and God are the ultimate authority. In the feudal system, the key currency was land which the king owned. The king would grant land to persons (vassals) in return for their loyalty. The highest ranking vassal was a duke who would subdivide the land to lower ranking vassals and so forth unto the lowest ranking person in the feudal system: the peasant. Peasants were the lowest class in the feudal system and would pay rent or provide free labor to the vassal in exchange for a right to cultivate the land for subsistence farming. The power of the church in this system was one of unquestionable authority. Society relied on superstition and religion heavily. Questioning nobility, kings, queens or the church was uncommon and frowned upon.