For context, I am an MA student studying Early Modern and Medieval Europe. I am familiar with textbook definitions and have seen a chunk of primary sources describing the feudal contract and such. One of the most famous would be the words of the Bishop (I believe) describing that the contract must be easy, practical, reciprocal, etc. (I hope you know what I’m referring to.) I’ve also seen diplomatic documents like John the Softsword of England giving England to the Papacy and taking it back as a fief. I’m mentioning this just to give any potential commenters the idea that I’m somewhat familiar with these concepts but still not really satisfied with my understanding of land management and politics.

I want to know not only what it was and how it functioned, but how land politics and ownership worked where feudalism wasn’t the predominant system. Where can I, a historian in training, learn the historiography of the term and develop an accurate view of “feudalism?”