Causes of decline of feudalism

<font face="Arial"><font color="#404040">Reasons for the Decline of </font></font><font face="Arial"><font color="#404040">Feudalism</font></font>
<font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">The reasons for the decline of Feudalism during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages included:</font></font>

• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">The Crusades and travel during the Middle Ages opened new trade options to England</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">England started to move from land based economy to a money based economy</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">The Black Death - this reduced the population of England by one third. Labour became a valuable commodity</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">The Peasants Revolt - Peasants realised their worth and demanded changes. Charters were granted but ignored by nobles</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">More trade saw the growth of more towns</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">Peasants moved away from the country into towns they were eventually allowed to buy their freedom</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">Land was rented and the rights of lords over labour decreased</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">The Feudal Levy was unpopular and as time went by Nobles preferred to pay the King rather than to fight and raise troops</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">Armed men were paid a wage and Medieval warfare was financed by taxes and loans</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">Nobles became weaker - the Kings took back their lands and power</font></font>
• <font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">A centralised government was established</font></font>

<font face="Arial"><font color="#404040">The Decline of </font></font><font face="Arial"><font color="#404040">Feudalism - the Standing Armies</font></font>
<font face="Arial"><font color="#363636">The decline of feudalism came when rich nobles were allowed to pay for soldiers rather than to fight themselves. Life changed and Mercenaries were hired from all over Europe. The Mercenaries had few allegiances, except to money, and these paid fighting men were feared throughout Europe. The threat of the Mercenaries led on to the employment of professional, trained soldiers - the Standing Armies and ultimately the end of Middle Ages feudalism in England. </font></font>