Before the High Middle ages, what are now England and France were divided up into many separate fiefdoms. The feudal system evolved in such a way that the king had little power. The vassals pledged their allegiance to their lords and the peasants pledged their allegiance to the vassals, so it was really the lords who had the power. The kings also had no armies of their own and relied on their vassals for support. The church was also a very powerful force due to the immense amount of control it had over people. The church controlled kings by the power of excommunication and by imposing interdicts against their kingdoms if they challenged the Church.…
