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Medieval Society
The medieval castle was a product of feudal society and an important physical part of the feudal structure, but what kind of society was it that needed a castle to function effectively?
Feudal Structure
The Feudal society was built on class structure and specified the individual's relationship with his superiors and inferiors. Each class very much knew their place and were likely to stay there as nobility was purely a birth right and the blood of a commoner deemed to be different. The monarch granted land in his kingdom to his trusted lords and companions for their support and enjoyment thus delegating responsibility for the defence and administration of those lands. The lord was able to prosper from his lands and in return became the King's vassal owing him allegiance and service. In time of peace the lord had duties, such as at court, while in time of war the lord was expected to gather able men and horses from his land to aid the king in his wars. This agreement or fief, as it is called, continues further down the line with the lord empowered to grant areas of his land along with maintenance and protection to nobles under him who in return owed personal fealty and military aid, this is called subinfeudiation. Feudalism was a system of government well suited to a time when communication was difficult, it had a basis in relations rather than correspondence and rights and duties rather than the exchange of currency. Not all of the country was taken up with fiefs as the king kept some lands to farm and administer for his own direct support just as his vassals would have kept some of their own lands for the same purpose. In theory a fief was revocable and would return to the ownership of the king on the event of the holder's death but in practice the monarch was usually unable to sustain additional lands and so fiefs became hereditary.
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