Final answer:
The king's followers were expected to provide Loyalty and military service in return for protection and land grants. This feudal arrangement involved pledges of fealty and was foundational to the social and military structure of medieval Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
In return for the protection and rewards provided by the king, what was expected from the king's followers was A) Loyalty and military service. This relationship was central to the feudal system, where followers who were often called vassals pledged their allegiance and provided military support to their lord in exchange for land and protection. The lord, in turn, might owe service to a higher lord or directly to the king. Feudal lords were not usually required to pay taxes to their overlords; instead, these taxes were often levied on the peasants working the land.
In this system, the vassals were empowered to extract wealth from their lands and the peasants therein, which enabled them to afford the necessary equipment and provisions for warfare. The service they provided was primarily military but could include other obligations such as advising the lord and attending his court. In the context of medieval society, the relationship between a lord and vassal was governed by the pledge of fealty, which was often confirmed by rituals or ceremonies symbolizing the bonds of loyalty.