Land owner in the era of feudalism. The Age of Feudalism in Russia

It is customary to call feudalism the social system that existed in Europe in the V - XVII centuries. In each country, it had its own characteristics, but usually this phenomenon is considered on the example of France and Germany. The period of feudalism in Russia has a time frame different from that of Europe. For many years, domestic historians denied his existence, but were wrong. In reality feudal institutions did not develop except in Byzantium.

A little about the term

The concept of "feudalism" was introduced by European scholars on the eve of the Great French Revolution. Thus, the term appeared just when Western European feudalism, in fact, ended. The word is formed from the Late Latin "feodum" ("feud"). This concept appears in official documents of the Middle Ages and denotes conditional inheritable landed property, which the vassal receives from the master in the event that he performs any obligations towards him (the latter most often implied military service).

Historians did not immediately identify common features of this social system. Many important nuances were not taken into account. However, by the 21st century, thanks to system analysis, scientists were finally able to give an exhaustive definition of this complex phenomenon.

Characteristics of feudalism

The main value of the pre-industrial world is the land. But the owner of land (feudal land) did not engage in agriculture. He had another duty - service (or prayer). The land was farmed by a peasant. Although he had his own house, livestock and tools, the land did not belong to him. He was economically dependent on his master, and therefore, carried certain duties in his favor. But still the peasant was not a slave. He had a relative freedom, and to manage it, the feudal lord involved non-economic mechanisms of coercion.

During the Middle Ages, the estates were not equal. The landed owner in the era of feudalism had far more rights than the landlord, that is, the peasant. In his possessions the feudal lord was an unconditional sovereign. He could execute and pardon. Thus, land ownership during this period was closely related to political opportunities (power).

Of course, economic dependence was mutual: in fact, the peasant fed the feudal lord, who himself did not work.

Feudal staircase

The structure of the ruling class in the era of feudalism can be defined as hierarchical. The feudal lords were not equal, but all of them exploited the peasants. Relations between land owners were built on interdependence. At the top of the feudal ladder was the king, who paid tribute to the dukes and the counts, and in return demanded loyalty from them. Dukes and counts, in turn, endowed the earth with barons (lords, sires, seniors), in relation to which were masters. The barons had power over the knights, knights - over the squires. Thus, the feudal lords, standing on the lower steps of the staircase, served the feudal lords, standing a step higher.

There was a saying: "The vassal of my vassal is not my vassal." This meant that a knight serving a baron does not have to obey the king. Thus, the power of the king in times of fragmentation was relative. The landowner in the era of feudalism is himself a lord. His political options were determined by the size of the allotment.

Genesis of feudal relations (V - IX century)

The development of feudalism became possible due to the decline of Rome and the conquest of the Western Roman Empire by Germanic tribes (barbarians). The new social system arose on the basis of Roman traditions (a centralized state, slavery, a colonel, a universal system of laws) and the characteristics of German tribes (the presence of ambitious leaders, militancy, inability to manage vast countries).

At that time, the conquerors had a primitive communal system: all the tribal lands were under the jurisdiction of the community and were distributed among its members. Capturing new land, the military leaders sought to own them alone and, moreover, to transfer them by inheritance. In addition, many peasants were ruined, villages were raided. Therefore, they were forced to seek a master, because the landowner in the era of feudalism not only gave them the opportunity to work (including themselves), but also protected from enemies. This was how the land was monopolized by the upper classes. The peasants became dependent.

The heyday of feudalism (X-XV century)

As early as the 9th century, the empire of Charlemagne disintegrated. Each county, signoria, the estate turned into a kind of state. This phenomenon was called "feudal fragmentation."

In this period, Europeans are beginning to actively explore new lands. Develop commodity-money relations, from the peasantry are allocated artisans. Thanks to artisans and traders, cities are emerging and expanding. In many countries (for example, in Italy and Germany) peasants, previously completely dependent on suzerains, receive freedom - relative or complete. Many knights, going to the crusades, released their peasants to freedom.

At this time, the church became the backbone of secular power, and the Christian religion - the ideology of the Middle Ages. So the landowner in the era of feudalism is not only a knight (baron, duke, lord), but also a representative of the clergy (abbot, bishop).

The crisis of feudal relations (XV - XVII century)

The end of the previous period was marked by peasant uprisings. They were the result of social tension. In addition, the development of trade and the outflow of population from villages to cities led to the fact that the positions of landowners began to weaken.

In other words, the natural-economic foundations of the elevation of the aristocracy were undermined. The contradictions between secular feudal lords and clergy became acute. With the development of science and culture, the power of the church over people's minds has ceased to be absolute. In the XVI-XVII centuries in Europe there was a Reformation. There were new religious trends that stimulated the development of entrepreneurship and did not condemn private property.

Europe in the era of late feudalism is a battlefield between kings, who are not satisfied with the symbolism of their power, the clergy, the aristocracy and the townspeople. Social contradictions led to revolutions of the XVII-XVIII centuries.

Russian feudalism

In the times of Kievan Rus (from VIII to XIII century) feudalism really was not. The princely possession of the land was carried out according to the principle of priority. When one of the members of the princely family died, his land was occupied by a younger relative. Behind him was a squad. Druzhinniki received salaries, but the territories behind them were not fixed and, of course, were not inherited: the land was in abundance, and it did not have a special price.

In the thirteenth century the epoch of princely Rus began. It is characterized by fragmentation. The possessions of princes (inheritance) began to be inherited. The princes acquired personal power and the right of personal (and not patrimonial) property. Formed the estate of large landowners - boyars, vassal relations arose . But the peasants were still free. However, in the 16th century they were attached to the ground. The era of feudalism in Russia ended at the same time, since fragmentation was overcome. But such a vestige as serfdom lasted until 1861.

Nuances

In both Europe and Russia, the period of feudalism ended approximately in the 16th century. But some elements of this system, for example, fragmentation in Italy or serfdom in the Russian Empire, existed until the middle of the 19th century. One of the main differences between European and Russian feudalism is that the enslavement of the peasantry in Russia occurred only when the villains in the West already received relative freedom.