Lords and Vassals

Lords and vassals are key figures in the feudal system, a social and economic structure that dominated medieval Europe. Lords were powerful landowners who held large estates and had authority over their lands. Vassals were lesser nobles who pledged loyalty to a lord in exchange for land and protection. This relationship was reciprocal: vassals provided military service, tribute, or support, while lords offered land and security. This system created a hierarchy that structured society, with each level relying on the cooperation and loyalty of those above and below them. It was fundamental to the organization of medieval life and governance.