Effective Ruler: Feudalism To The Renaissance

What Made an Effective Ruler: Feudalism to the Renaissance
Two major social systems arose out of the middle ages; feudalism and the renaissance. Feudalism was a social and economic system that became prominent in the early eleventh century, and it relied on a respectful relationship between the lord and his vassals, a vassal being a person who was granted a fief, or land, by his lord in exchange for loyalty and military service. The renaissance emerged at the end of the middle ages in the middle of the fourteenth century. It was a period that a “rebirth” of classical learning, meaning that scholars looked at ancient Greek and Latin philosophers, because of the change in learning, government and social norms changed. Though the feudal era and …show more content…
The epic takes place in present day Spain during the feudal period around the eleventh century. In this poem an example of the reciprocated respect between a king and his vassal is when the Carriòn nobles asked King Alfonso if they would be allowed to marry Ruy Diaz’s daughters. Alfonso said, “I sent this fine Warrior off into exile. / I did not help him, but he has helped me. / How can I say what he will decide?” Alfonso would soon pardon Diaz (The Song of the Cid, 133). Since King Alfonso was allowed the pardon for Diaz, after he had been exiled but stayed faithful to him, is an indication that Alfonso reciprocated the respect that Diaz had for him. When the cid was informed of the pardon and marriage offer he said, “I owe everything to my Lord, Jesus Christ! / I was thrown out of my country, my honor taken away; / I have struggled hard and long for what I now have. / By the grace of God, the king grants me his favor / And asks me to marry my daughter to the Carriòn heir. / They are very haughty people, active courtiers. / This is not a marriage I would have chosen. / But since it has been suggested by him who is far above us, / Let’s talk about it, quietly, among ourselves -- / And in the end, may God in heaven show us the right way (The Song of the Cid, 135)!” Ruy Diaz, though he would not have considered the Carriòn brothers as …show more content…
Machiavelli stated that princes had to fight a balancing act to be a good ruler. A prince did not want to be too cruel or too merciful, “[A] prince must be cautious in believing accusations and in acting against individuals, nor should he be afraid of his own shadow. He should proceed in such a manner, tempered by prudence and humanity, that too much trust may not render him incautious, nor too much suspicion render him insufferable (The Prince, 57).” Machiavelli was stating that a good ruler must respect is people, by trusting his subjects enough that he still was wary of threats. This then arises the argument on whether it is better to be loved or feared. “A prince must nevertheless make himself feared in such a way that he will avoid hated, even if he does not acquire love; since one can very easily be feared and yet not be hated. This will always be the case when he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects, and their women. If he must spill someone’s blood, he should do this when there is proper justification and manifest cause (The Prince, 58).” Here, Machiavelli described yet again how respect the princes had for their subjects would make them an effective ruler. The princes would be respectful of their subjects’ property and women, not taking control of either. Machiavelli hinted that if the princes followed theses “guidelines” they would gain respect themselves, which would

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Effective Ruler: Feudalism To The Renaissance

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