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Loading... Mediaeval Feudalism (1942)| 215 | 1 | 127,322 | 
(3.42) | None | "In the following pages I have tried to explain, as simply and concisely as possible, the historical significance of the feudal system. . . . My purpose has not been to give a comprehensive description of Europe in the feudal age, or even of feudal society. I have taken for granted that the reader will be familiar with the main political events of the Middle ages: the barbarian invasions, the formation of the Carolingian Empire, the establishment of the later monarchies, the Crusades, and the like. I have omitted all but cursory mention of the manorial system and the revival of commerce . . . . I have, in other words, restricted the discussion to the few institutions that may be said to have constituted feudalism proper, or to have been peculiarly associated with it."--from the PrefaceThis reprint of the first single-volume work in English (originally published in 1942) to treat the principles of feudalism gives a clear and concise account of the origin, growth, and decay of the feudal system. Special attention is paid to the principles of feudal tenure, chivalry, the military life of the nobility, and the workings of feudal government, as illustrated by actual cases.… (more) |
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▾References References to this work on external resources.  Wikipedia in English
None ▾Book descriptions "In the following pages I have tried to explain, as simply and concisely as possible, the historical significance of the feudal system. . . . My purpose has not been to give a comprehensive description of Europe in the feudal age, or even of feudal society. I have taken for granted that the reader will be familiar with the main political events of the Middle ages: the barbarian invasions, the formation of the Carolingian Empire, the establishment of the later monarchies, the Crusades, and the like. I have omitted all but cursory mention of the manorial system and the revival of commerce . . . . I have, in other words, restricted the discussion to the few institutions that may be said to have constituted feudalism proper, or to have been peculiarly associated with it."--from the PrefaceThis reprint of the first single-volume work in English (originally published in 1942) to treat the principles of feudalism gives a clear and concise account of the origin, growth, and decay of the feudal system. Special attention is paid to the principles of feudal tenure, chivalry, the military life of the nobility, and the workings of feudal government, as illustrated by actual cases. ▾Library descriptions No library descriptions found. ▾LibraryThing members' description
| Book description |
Medieval feudalism is one of those subjects that most of us are familiar with, and yet have difficulty describing. Was is a political, military, economic, or social system? And how did it develop? All these questions are answered in this superb book. Carl Stephenson has done a magnificent job of paring away all extraneous subjects and focusing on just the key elements. This short book, a masterpiece of brevity, succinctly sums up medieval feudalism better than anything ever written.
Medieval feudalism was essentially a means of paying retainers in land, rather than money. With the collapse of the Roman Empire and the disappearance of coinage, the only medium of exchange left was land and its produce. Thus, the barbarian German rulers of France sought some means of retaining able-bodied soldiery and companions at court.
What evolved was a process of infeudiation - essentially an exchange of land for military service. The entire concept of vassalage, liege lord, and knighthood came about in France in the early Middle Ages, though many of its more advanced forms did not evolve until much later.
This is an important book for any history buff who has the least interest in the Middle Ages.
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SINCE its first printing in 1942 the late Carl Stephenson's 'Mediaeval Feudalism' has enjoyed a distinguished career. Eminent historians of America and Europe have reviewed it with high praise in the most respected historical journals. To the college freshman it has been a "vade mecum" in the awesome task of mastering such complicated feudal principles as subinfeudation and liege homage. The omniscient graduate student has at first reading whisked through it with disdain, casting it aside for the imaginative hypotheses of a Marc Bloch or for the impressive tomes of German historians, only to come meekly back to it to obtain his bearings and a sense of proportion. Seasoned scholars and teachers have read the book with discrimination, realizing that behind each page stood years of research and thought devoted to the study of feudalism in mediaeval Europe; they in turn have recommended it to their students.
[END QUOTE]
Another book by Stephenson, 'Medieval History: Europe from the Fourth to the Sixteenth Century', was for decades one of the most widely used textbooks in the field. He is probably best known for 'Borough and Town: A Study of Urban Origins in England' (1933). Stephenson was working in an age rife with prejudiced nationalism among European scholars; as an outsider he helped show the commonality of medieval institutions and move the discussion beyond 19th and early 20th century nationalistic concerns.
From Internet Archive ( http://www.archive.org/details/mediavelfeudalis006821mbp )
Wikipedia article ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Stephenson ) (