Final answer:
The collapse of the Roman Empire led to the rise of feudalism and manorialism in Western Europe. The removal of unified political authority initiated a system where lords granted land to fighters for military service (feudalism). Simultaneously, peasants provided labor on these lands in exchange for protection from the lords, leading to the birth of manorialism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 CE paved the way for the development of feudalism and manorialism in Western Europe. As centralized power crumbled with the fall of Rome, regional warlords became the main power holders. To protect their territories, these lords began to grant lands, or fiefs, to fighters in exchange for their military service, which led to the development of feudalism.
Similarly, manorialism emerged as an economic system where lower-class peasants provided labor services in exchange for the protection offered by the lords. Seeing no viable options elsewhere, many people, most notably serfs, pledged their allegiance to these lords, marking the beginning of manorialism. These systems not only offered the much-needed security during chaotic times but also formed the political and socioeconomic fabrics of the Middle Ages.
Both feudalism and manorialism utilized a strict hierarchical system whereby land ownership defined one's position in society. Lords owned lands and had vassals to provide services, primarily military in nature. In return, vassals were allowed to enjoy the produce of the lands they were allocated. Meanwhile, serfs provided the labor needed to work on these lands in exchange for protection from these lords and vassals.
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