Final answer:
A vassal with fiefs from conflicting lords could seek mediation, align with the most powerful one, engage in diplomatic negotiations, or surrender a fief. Politics often involved bargaining and alliances, but feudalism frequently led to armed conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a vassal found themselves holding fiefs from more than one lord, they would have to navigate a complex web of feudal loyalties, especially when their lords were in conflict with each other. The vassal's response to such a situation might include several strategies:
- Seeking mediation from a neutral party, such as the Church or another respected lord, to resolve the dispute.
- Aligning with the most powerful lord, a pragmatic choice that might ensure the vassal's own security and interests.
- Engaging in diplomatic negotiations directly between the conflicting lords, attempting to broker peace or compromise.
- In some cases, surrendering one of the fiefs could be a drastic but effective solution to resolve the conflict.
Historically, political bargaining and forging alliances through marriages were ways that city-states and empires sought to resolve conflicts and maintain peace. However, the feudal system's inherent military obligations often made politics synonymous with armed struggle, thus complicating peaceful resolutions.