What describes the feudal contract between lords and vassals?

• A. Lords granted land (fief) to vassals in exchange for military service; oaths of fealty establish mutual obligations.
• B. Vassals granted land to lords in exchange for protection
• C. Clergy held land in exchange for taxes
• D. Kings granted towns to peasants for allegiance

Answer: (A)

In feudal society, the binding relationship is a system of reciprocal obligations anchored in land tenure. A lord grants land, a fief, to a vassal in return for military service and loyalty. The oath of fealty formalizes this bond, making the obligations mutually understood: the vassal commits to serve the lord in war and at court, while the lord promises protection, justice, and the governance of the land tied to the vassal’s tenure.

This arrangement centers on a personal, sworn obligation tied to a piece of land, rather than simply exchanging lands for money or taxes, and it is not about clergy holding land or peasants receiving towns. The described mutual exchange—land in return for military service, sealed by an oath—is the hallmark of the feudal contract between lords and vassals.