Feudalism and the Manor System

Feudalism became the common way to live in Western Europe and lasted for hundreds of years. It was a new system in which land was owned by higher ranks (kings, lords) but held by vassals in return to their loyalty and service. The share of land the vassals got was called a fief. Each person involved in the Manor System, including women and children, obeyed laws and had different duties, creating a harmonious community. All members that were part of it depended on each other as you can see in the scheme below. In return for land and safety, the ones lower on the graph would provide food, services, money, military and much more. The daily life of the differently ranked people  in the manor system was very unlike. The fairytale, rich life of lords, manors and nobles was completely different for the peasants and serfs. They were poor and worked for the manor by farming or different services. Most of them were serfs, meaning they were considered as part of the manor and couldn't leave it or get married without the lord's permission. They could save money to buy freedom but they hardly got any. They lived in small huts and ate simple foods, overall living a hard life from birth to death.