Feudalism began in the early Middle Ages, around 1000 CE, and ended 300 years later. There are many reasons for the fall of this well-established system, but the two most important are the Black Death and the rise of trading towns. The fragile balance of the feudal system rested on the authority of the lords and the king. With the plague, the economy collapsed and the lords were no longer able to provide for the needs of their vassals. Additionally, trading towns ruled by wealthy merchants grew. The citizens of these cities were free and were no longer under the authority of the barons, thus bringing the collapse of the feudal system closer. Feudalism is the political, military and social system of the Middle Ages. The feudal system is based on the relationship between a lord and his vassal. It looks like a hierarchical pyramid. The king is at the top, his vassals, the lords, bring him loyalty and military aid in exchange for fiefs and peasants. The knights, vassals of the lords, pay tribute and military service in exchange for food, protection and shelter. Finally, peasants, or serfs, cultivate the land and pay rent in exchange for food, protection, and shelter. Serfs had no political or military rank and were generally treated unfairly. However, they constituted the basis of the feudal system without which everything would collapse. This system worked as long as everyone played their role. However, due to the poor living conditions in which they lived, many peasants attempted to conquer the free cities. To become a free citizen, a serf had to flee his master's land and stay in a city for a year without being caught. These conditions, although difficult to maintain, were worth trying for the serfs who were trying to find a better life for the...... middle of paper ......and for the well-being of their members and their families. Cities also created universities and their own social hierarchy with the patriciate at the top. All these changes made the cities more powerful and began to taint the image of the feudal system. The feudal system was overthrown by the Black Death and the rise of trading towns. With the plague epidemic, the cities, already powerful, become totally independent as the kingdom collapses. The harsh living conditions of peasants and the depopulation of the countryside pushed people to flee to the cities where they hoped to trade and succeed in life. Cities brought opportunities that did not require a title of nobility. Thus, many nobles married off their daughters to wealthy merchants who ruled the money-driven economic cities, leaving the disintegrating feudal system behind..