Feudalism was a system of governing where an upper class (nobility) has certain well-defined responsibilities to the king in return for the use of land (fiefs) exploited with the labor of a peasantry (serfs). The relationships in the feudal system resemble a pyramid. The lowest vassals are at the base and the lines of authority flow up to the peak of the format, the king. Lords and vassals were networked together in a web of mutual obligations. The vassals owed their lords a specified number of days annually in military service and in protecting the castle. At the top of the pyramid was the lord, which meant that he accrued much of the benefits. He was the owner of all the land within his designated region. Feudalism was a contractual agreement among the upper classes by which a lord gave land to his men, vassals, in return for military services. The contract was verbal, which often leads to disputes in duties and obligations. There were no solid borders placed upon territories held by a lord.

             The boundaries of ownership were constantly changing hands. The entire area of the kingdom was broken up into smaller pieces of land. The smaller pieces of land were called fiefs. The lord or overlord granted them to the vassal. Large fiefs were often divided into smaller fiefs, which were ruled by inferior vassal. .

             "The process of division and subdivision was known as subinfedudation". The problem of break down the land weakens the strength of the territory and reduces effectiveness. .

             The vassal being the selected soldiers in which the lords surrounding them selves began to move in to the upper class of society and in way became aristocrats who followed the court. .

             The lords expected his vassals to attend his court in order to give him advice and to participate in judgments of cases concerning other vassals. .

             Monarchs during the feudal period had other sources of authority besides the feudal suzerainty.