Which system of obligations linked lords and vassals through fiefs and homage?

• A. Theocracy
• B. Manorial System
• C. Mercantilism
• D. Feudalism

Answer: (D)

Feudalism is the system described here. It centers on a web of obligations between lords and vassals, formalized through fiefs and homage. A lord grants land—the fief—to a vassal in return for loyalty and military service. The vassal swears homage, pledging support and troops as needed, while the lord provides protection and the right to use the land. This arrangement creates a hierarchical, land-based structure that ties people together through reciprocal duties rather than through centralized authority or pure economic exchange. The other options don’t capture this personal, land-for-service bond: a theocracy is rule by religious authority, the Manorial System focuses on peasant labor and estate management, and mercantilism is a theory about accumulating wealth through trade.