As of May 31, 2023, we have updated our Code of Conduct.

Questions tagged [feudalism]

For questions about the time period between the fall of the Roman Empire and 1500 A.D. and similar timeframes in created worlds.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
37 votes
28 answers
7k views

What disease affects only the non-peasants?

Imagine a roughly medieval world with a feudal government. I want a new disease to show up and spread rapidly which affects the nobility and leaders, but not the peasantry, setting up a situation for ...
dsollen's user avatar
  • 33.3k
5 votes
6 answers
854 views

Would feudalism work in a post-industrial society?

In my world, World War 3 happens and most countries are devastated. Nuclear weapons are used and there is widespread anarchy in many places. Some countries are untouched but many countries completely ...
Rhymehouse's user avatar
  • 2,578
6 votes
5 answers
214 views

What practices would keep ruling aristocrats young?

This world has a society with fairly modern technology (late 20th century or later) with a natural, reasonably healthy life span of 70+ years for people barring accidents, homicides, suicides, or a ...
ohwilleke's user avatar
  • 11.3k
8 votes
8 answers
2k views

Why can’t the everyman get housing without the Lords of America?

I am continuing to evolve my neo-feudal America after it falls from superpower status, basing this evolution on political science research which links such an evolution to the privatization of ...
Vogon Poet's user avatar
  • 7,035
10 votes
7 answers
3k views

Would a feudal lord sabotage the education of a foreign noble child in their custody?

Count Bobbert of Frugundy has many children, and he has sent his third son, Preter, to be raised at the court of Duke Wudlig of Brutsels, both to honour his ally and to allow the child to benefit from ...
KeizerHarm's user avatar
  • 13.5k
4 votes
3 answers
357 views

What are the most important factors that determine the balance of power between kings and nobles and merchants?

I am writing a fantasy world with post-medieval technology. Instead of just standard feudalism, I want mercantilism or capitalism to play at least some role in the power dynamics. I am thinking about ...
Claus Appel's user avatar
  • 1,040
10 votes
7 answers
422 views

How could a feudal monarchy work with multiple species that cannot interbreed?

In monarchies and feudal societies the line of succession was extremely important, having an heir was one of the primary goals and creating familial connections was important to creating alliances. In ...
Jack Fredricton's user avatar
18 votes
9 answers
5k views

Would "reverse feudalism" be feasible?

In (very oversimplified) feudalism a vassal gets usage of a land and protection from his lord in exchange for loyalty and services. If the piece of land is big enough the vassal can parcel it to his ...
AGrzes's user avatar
  • 1,283
29 votes
17 answers
8k views

Could a technologically advanced society exist as a feudal monarchy?

The Enlightenment brought both technological and scientific advancement (starting a period of discovery and achievement that hasn't yet ended) and social/political advancement. We generally think of ...
Rory M. Tims's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
243 views

Is it possible to have a "pure" feudal society? [closed]

Edit : Pardon my ignorance because I may very well be misconstruing terms that I have very limited understanding of. I read somewhere on this sub that pure feudalism is just a contract-law approach ...
Anonymousworldbuilding's user avatar
5 votes
5 answers
471 views

Would this system of corvee peasant labor be effective for building castles/fortifications?

Solarae is a militaristic kingdom that has long guarded the northern passes against the hordemen (think the Germanic migrations/migrants), but Solarae is also a rich kingdom due to the abundance of ...
Celestial Dragon Emperor's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
464 views

How would the introduction of firearms evolve in a society with limited economic development?

I hope this isn't too broad, but I thought it would be useful to get some logical progressions for how my feudal-gunpowder society might develop. It's building on an earlier question I asked here, but ...
Ynneadwraith's user avatar
  • 7,986
9 votes
5 answers
665 views

Army composition of feudal gunpowder society

The Society The society in question is feudal in structure. The most advanced widespread technology defining this society is the flintlock muzzle-loading firearm (I'm undecided as to rifled or not, ...
Ynneadwraith's user avatar
  • 7,986
-3 votes
5 answers
135 views

In an alternate feudal era low fantasy world, what would make a guild of rangers unique? [closed]

I want to have a Guild of Rangers that protect the southern border from pillage by mountain clans. Basically, more than armed guards on the roads, the Rangers that can go into the wilds beyond ...
Tanner's user avatar
  • 7
10 votes
2 answers
388 views

Could modern structural engineer be useful to medieval Master Mason?

I'm creating a world opposite of Les Visiteurs, where modern age structural engineer accidentally time travels to 13th century. When guards of the local lord arrest him on suspicion of being a spy, ...
Arturo's user avatar
  • 103
5 votes
2 answers
690 views

Medieval Mining

How might mining rights work in a medieval feudal society? Would individual lords have the right to mine precious metals on their own demesne, or did kings typically have exclusive mining rights? ...
Vermander's user avatar
18 votes
16 answers
4k views

How to reconcile a feudal system with a congressional/parliamentary democracy...?

I am currently trying to create a system of government for a project that, for reasons I can't quite go into, combines elements from both European feudal systems with current democratic governments, ...
bsideswiped's user avatar
  • 1,231
5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Realistic Reasons for a highly advanced society to have a true feudal system of government [closed]

There's lots of monarchs in SciFi but they are essentially Presidents for life with a House of Lords consisting of other friends/nobles. I am looking for a full pyramid feudal system where slaves ...
knowads's user avatar
  • 2,210
4 votes
3 answers
302 views

Feudal Title Inheritance

I am currently crafting a feudal system for my world, based off Kings, Dukes, Counts, Barons and Lords. I wanted to create some sort of family tree to create some inheritances and find out what ...
Andal's user avatar
  • 83
7 votes
2 answers
7k views

What are the duties of a feudal lord?

I'm writing a story wherein a young woman becomes the lord/lady of a number of villages in a feudal society (she is the vassal to a king). The world is sort-of medieval, with cannons but without ...
GregRos's user avatar
  • 678
27 votes
11 answers
5k views

How does one prove rulership in a rural illiterate world

We've got a lord - the lord returned from a quest and has been absent for a few years. When he returns it is to a little coastal town just large enough to have a thin palisade that protects it from ...
Magic-Mouse's user avatar
  • 5,672
11 votes
4 answers
4k views

What should be considered for creating a Professional Army in a medieval based society?

What factors should be considered for creating a Professional Army in a medieval based society? Basically in a Feudalistic society how would a professional army function? What benefits would this ...
Dynas's user avatar
  • 748
17 votes
9 answers
2k views

Wealth of an island-castle

In a feudal kingdom, a knight was granted a small island in the middle of a large river by the king. The island is only about 700 square meters. The island is too small to have any significant ...
Vincent's user avatar
  • 16.7k
4 votes
13 answers
1k views

Are there alternate materials to build warships with?

I have an empire set in a medieval era tech level. It has to have a powerful navy to defend its shores from pirates (it controls the entire continent) and it has a problem: lack of wood. The wood is ...
Jax's user avatar
  • 11.8k
15 votes
7 answers
2k views

How would I limit Feudalism?

I am creating a Medieval empire. It is following the feudal system and I want to avoid the extreme political breakup that happened to Europe in the Middle Ages. How would I limit the power of feudal ...
Jax's user avatar
  • 11.8k