What was the predecessor to feudalism in continental Europe?

Conditions varied radically between countries and even within countries, counties and even villages. The classic 'feudalism' as described by basic textbooks is a radically tidied up and rationalised (you might even say fictionalised) version of social relations in the medieval period that never really existed. read more

Medieval European Feudalism as it actually existed was simply decentralization where power was concentrated in the form of local landowners. Generally there was some type of central government, it was just comparatively weak. As time went on, the central government became stronger. read more

Feudalism spread from France to Spain, Italy, and later Germany and Eastern Europe. In England the Frankish form was imposed by William I (William the Conqueror) after 1066, although most of the elements of feudalism were already present. read more