Final answer:
In the feudal system, the ultimate expression of loyalty was owed to the King. He stood at the top of the hierarchy, with lords, knights, and vassals below him, and serfs providing labor on the land.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ultimate expression of feudal loyalty was owed to the King, as he was the ultimate authority in the feudal structure. At the top of this hierarchical system, the king granted large lands to lords or nobles who in turn provided him with loyalty, military support, and a share of the wealth generated from the lands. Lords managed their domains with the assistance of knights and vassals, who were granted smaller sections of land, or fiefs, in return for their military service and other duties.
The serfs worked the land and were bound to it, providing labor and a share of the produce to the lord of the manor. Despite the serfs being essential for the agricultural production that sustained the feudal system, they were not the primary recipients of loyalty oaths; their role was more of servitude to their direct lords.