Question

How did Charles Martel affect the development of feudalism?

Answer 1

Hint: Charles Martel was the de facto ruler of Francia from the year 718 until his death. He was a Frankish statesman and also a military leader. Frankish statesman Pepin of Herstal was his father and Alpaida was his mother.

Complete answer: Charles Martel, as a means of defeating the Islamic armies invading France, started feudalism. To defeat the Islamic armies Charles Martel persuaded the free Franksih tribesmen. He persuaded them to give up a great degree of their freedom to support the professional standing army. This was done to defend against the aggression and expansion of the Islamic Empire.

Since the establishment of the Islami Empire about a 100 years ago they were first defeated in the Battle of Tours in 732 by Charles Martel. The basis of the feudal system was the freedom that the people gave up. To provide resources to mount knights and armored soldiers, who were capable of protecting them, the peasants would work hard. In return of this it was the duty of the knights and professional soldiers to give protection to the peasants.

If there was no threat by the Islamic Empire then it is very likely that the feudal system would have never been born. Therefore the threat of Islamic conquest was the reason for the starting of the feudal system. The answer to the question of how much freedom were the people willing to give up in order to be safe and secure was the feudal system.

Note: Francia was divided by Charles Martel between his sons, at the end of his reign. His two sons were Carloman and Pepin. Charlemagne, grandson of Charles, became the first emperor in the West since the fall of Rome.