Exercises on the characteristics of feudalism

(Fatec-SP) One of the characteristics to be recognized in European feudalism is:

1. Feudal society was similar to the caste system.
2. The ideals of honor and fidelity came from the institutions of the Huns.
3. Villains and serfs were bound by various obligations, among them the annual payment of capitation, carvings and banalities.
4. The manor's economy was dynamic, focusing on trade from neighboring manors.
5. The relations of production were slavery.

(FASP) We can define feudalism, from the economic point of view, as a system based on production, tending to self-sufficiency, with agriculture being its main sector. Politically, feudalism was characterized by:

1. existence of specific legislation governing the life of each manor.
2. assignment of executive power to the church.
3. direct relationship between ownership and sovereignty of the fiefs, thus fragmenting the central power.
4. absolute administrative decentralization.

Analyze the alternatives below that deal with the characteristics of feudalism and indicate which one is incorrect .

1. The serf was tied to the feudal lord, owing him loyalty, obedience and personal obligations, as well as the payment of different taxes.
2. The Church, in addition to owning a large number of fiefs and, consequently, being the largest landowner, was also responsible for the diffusion of cultural and religious values ​​of the Middle Ages.
3. In the Late Middle Ages, feudal society was essentially agrarian, so land was the greatest wealth anyone could own, that is, land was the economic basis of the feudal system.
4. In terms of politics, the monarch was the ultimate and absolute authority. In this sense, the feudal lords did not have autonomy in the military and judicial areas, being also prevented from minting their own coins.
5. The serfs could be ex-slaves, peasants or other free men who received a house and land to cultivate. These servants were spontaneously or not submitted to the power of the great lords.

Read the excerpt below about the work of a peasant during the Middle Ages.

The annual tributes paid by a French peasant named Guichard – who lived in Burgundy (present-day France), not far from Bishop Mâcon's estates – were typical of these arrangements. Every Passover he gave Canon Étienne, his lord, a lamb; in the hay season I owed him six pieces of money. When harvest time came, Guichard was obliged to give a generous measure of oats, as well as gather with other peasants to feast the canon. At the grape harvest, Guichard paid a new sum of money, in addition to the three loaves of bread and a little wine. He was free from obligations during the lean winter months until the beginning of Lent, when the lord awaited a gelding. In the middle of this period of penance, he owed six more pieces of money, and soon afterwards it was time to sacrifice the Passover lamb and start the whole cycle all over again (...)

Sacred campaigns:1100-1200. Rio de Janeiro:Time Life/Cultural City, 1990. p. 31. (taken from VICENTINO, C.; DORIGO, G. History for high school . General and Brazilian History. São Paulo:Scipione, 2006. 2nd Edition. P. 100.)

Now review the statements below.

I – In addition to religious matters, the clergy were also dedicated to exploiting the work of servants on land belonging to the church.

II – The economic activities of production and payment of tributes by the serfs were marked in time both in relation to climatic seasons and religious dates.

III – The tributes paid by the serf to his master consisted only of payment in kind, with no monetary payment.

IV – In addition to paying individual tributes and services, serfs were required to collectively offer the lord some services and products.

Regarding the above statements it is possible to say that:

1. all are incorrect.
2. only I and II are incorrect.
3. none is incorrect.
4. only III is incorrect.
5. only I, III and IV are incorrect.

Letter C . The personal relationship, mediated by obligations between serfs and villains in relation to their masters, mainly the payment of tributes, was one of the main characteristics of what was called feudalism, the regime of exploitation and social organization in force in the space we know today as Europe.

Letter C . Political power within the manors was exercised by the lord of that location, thus guaranteeing him political autonomy. Despite the political fragmentation generated by this situation, there was a whole series of common customs that were verified in several fiefs, as well as the relationship of subordination between lords of different fiefs, which did not interfere with the sovereignty exercised.

Letter D . Despite the monarchs exercising some authority, the feudal lords had autonomy in the political, judicial and economic organization of their fiefs.

Letter D . The mandatory taxes imposed on the serfs consisted of both payment in kind and monetary payment, using coins.