During the European Middle Ages, numerous changes occurred that had a significant effect on society. These changes were related because they were both caused by the same underlying problem. The main factor that led to the peasant rebellions and the Crusades was the corruption of the upper class. The wealthy population of this period did everything they could to secure their wealth, even if it came at a very high cost. In the European Middle Ages, which began in the 5th century, feudalism was the general system of government, while manorialism was the economic system in feudalism. “Feudalism was a loosely organized system of government in which powerful local lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords. In exchange, these lesser lords, or vassals, promised service and loyalty to the greater lord” (Ellis and Esler 186). A lord's manor was usually self-sufficient and lords, knights and peasants lived there. The obligations of vassals and lords were formed through a tradition known as feudal contract. This contract was beneficial to both peoples because the vassals gained the lord's protection and received a fief (property), while the lord received forty days of military service and the loyalty of the vassal. Everything in a manor house was centrally located such as a water mill, a church, and the manor house (Ellis and Esler 186). Food, clothing, furniture and tools were produced by self-sufficient farmers. The peasants were not slaves but could not leave the land without the lord's consent. They worked for the lord and paid occasional fees. The lord gave the farmers the land they cultivated and retained the profit from (Ellis and Esler 189). Those who lived in the manor had contact with the Church through...... middle of paper......maintained their luxurious lifestyle, but forced farmers and citizens to face financial hardship (Harman 149). The reason the empire was rich was due to the “plundering of the peasants and the subjugation of the slaves” (Harman 82). This is an example of the fraudulent behavior of the rich (Harman 82). Evidence Section - 547 Due to feudalism, the upper class had enormous power over the peasants. They abused this power to the point of triggering peasant rebellions. Furthermore, the Pope's manipulative skills led to one of the worst and most violent events in history, the Crusades. The murder of hundreds of thousands of people occurred because the Pope was able to manipulate Christians into fighting this battle. This shows that with great power comes great responsibility and because the rich did not understand this responsibility, society collapsed.