Final answer:
The medieval feudal society was held together by a hierarchical system of obligations and loyalties, involving lords, vassals, knights, serfs, and the Church. These relationships were based on land ownership, military service, and the pursuit of protection, with the pledge of fealty being a core component. The decline of feudalism was influenced by changes in military practices, power centralization, and increased social mobility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The forces holding feudal society together during the Middle Ages were based on a system of reciprocal obligations and loyalties between different societal classes. At the top of this hierarchy were the lords, who owned the land and provided protection. Knights served the lords by offering military service and enforcing justice, while serfs worked the land and in return received protection and a place to live.
This system was underpinned by the pledge of fealty, where vassals pledged loyalty to lords in exchange for fiefs or land grants. Economically, the lower classes, mainly peasants, provided resources through their labor and sometimes through taxes. The Church also played a central role by holding land and serving as a stabilizing force despite the turbulent political environment characterized by frequent armed conflicts.
Over time, changes in military practices, centralization of power, and social mobility signaled the decline of feudalism, eventually leading to its replacement by more centralized forms of governance and the rise of capitalist economies as seen in the industrial era.