The social, economic and political structure known as feudalism was a characteristic feature of Europe,Japan,China etc at different time. Universal definition of feudalism cannot be given. There are five characteristics common to most feudal societies:

• Lord-vassal relationship
• Personalized government
• A pattern of land holding based on granting of fiefs in return for services primarily military
• Existence of private armies
• Rights of lords over the peasants who are serfs.

The feudal political system was essentially a decentralized one and depended on a hierarchical network of personal ties within the ranks of nobility despite the formal principle of single line of authority stretching upwards to a king.The economic base of feudalism in Europe was characterized by manorial organization of production and a dependent peasantry who provided the surplus that lords needed perform their political functions.