. Medieval and modern history; an outline of its development . ome idea must be obtained of the forms into which theygrew, because of their permanent influence on social organi-zation and on some departments of law. The theory of the feudal system which has come downto us represents it as a much more orderly and regular or-ganization than it was in reality at the time of its heightin the tenth and eleventh centuries. This is because thetheory was put into shape by lawyers, who drew up lawbooks based upon the feudal law at a time when the systemitself was falling into, decay, and who naturally
. Medieval and modern history; an outline of its development . ome idea must be obtained of the forms into which theygrew, because of their permanent influence on social organi-zation and on some departments of law. The theory of the feudal system which has come downto us represents it as a much more orderly and regular or-ganization than it was in reality at the time of its heightin the tenth and eleventh centuries. This is because thetheory was put into shape by lawyers, who drew up lawbooks based upon the feudal law at a time when the systemitself was falling into, decay, and who naturally systematizedthe law as far as possible. This is, however, of less impor-tance for our present purpose, because it was very largely § 82] The Forms of the Feudal System 87 through their work that permanent influence was given tofeudal institutions. In this theory the king was the lord,or suzerain, of the whole kingdom. Next to him were thegreat barons, or peers of the realm, who held large portionsof the kingdom as his vassals. Their territories in turn were. Edinburgh Castle divided among their vassals, who were thus the rear vassalsof the king, and so on down to the smallest piece of landwhich would give a man income enough from its cultivationby serfs to enable him to make fighting his whole name vassal must not be supposed to have carriedwith it any reproach or dishonor in feudal days. Quite the 88 The Feudal System [§§ 83, 84 France themost feudalof , Periods, 82-93, with map. Rehef, hom-age, and ,Middle Ages,I. 170-181;Emerton,Europe, 488- contrary. The vassal was a noble, and throughout the feudalranks all were at the same time vassals, except the highest,and suzerains, except the lowest; indeed, so strong wasthe idea that all land must be held of some one, that itwas sometimes said that the king was Gods vassal for hiskingdom. 83. The Feudal System in France.—It was in Francethat the facts most nearly corresponded to thi
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