Manorialism

Manorialism was a key economic and social system in medieval Europe, primarily during the Middle Ages. It centered around a manor, which was a large estate owned by a lord. Peasants and serfs worked the land, providing labor and goods in exchange for protection and the right to live on the land. The manor was self-sufficient, producing most of what its people needed. This system structured society into classes, with the lord at the top, followed by free peasants and serfs at the bottom, defining the daily life and relationships in rural communities during this period.