I remember being in a humanities class, and my professor was pretty blunt about defining feudalism: she said she didn’t know what it meant. I was taken aback at first, and to this day, I still don’t know what it exactly means.
What is feudalism, and did it really exist?
Ah, crap, you said the F-word where Medievalists can hear - take cover. Fortunately, our FAQ section on the Middle Ages starts exactly with the debate around the word. And if anyone else would like to grapple with this vexed issue, please don't let this post stop you! More insight is always welcome.