Feudalism and the Social Structure of Medieval Europe
The Origins of Feudalism
Feudalism is the name given to the political, economic, and social system in medieval Europe between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. After the Carolingian Empire, Europe was divided into numerous kingdoms. The kings were very weak; they had no armies and could not protect their lands from the new invasions that affected Europe, such as those by the Vikings, Hungarians, and Saracens (a name used to refer to Muslims during the Middle Ages). To protect the population, kings
Read MoreThe Growth of Cities During the Renaissance Era
2. HIRIEN Renaissance: From the XII century, cities began to grow: some of the old cities gained power while new cities emerged next to monasteries or castles, forming small towns during the era of the Middle Ages. The intersections or trade routes led to a larger population of 50,000. The causes for the growth of the city include:
- Agriculture due to new techniques, which led to farmers emigrating to the cities to work for less.
- The recovery of trade, with traders moving to the cities. The fairs (
The Habsburg Monarchy: Politics, Society, and Culture in 16th-Century Spain
The Habsburg Political Model and the Union of Kingdoms
The Habsburg monarchs continued and developed the political legacy of the Catholic Monarchs. They sought to surround themselves with lawyers and civil law experts, often not belonging to the nobility. This strategy allowed political power to be centralized in the hands of the monarchs, aside from the aristocracy of the Court. The aristocracy continued to play an important role, wielding senior military and diplomatic positions, but always subordinate
Read MoreUnderstanding the Impact of Land Use on Water Resources
1. Land Use and Its Influence on Runoff Patterns
Land use significantly influences runoff patterns in a river basin by affecting how precipitation interacts with the land surface. Different land uses—such as urban development, agriculture, forests, and wetlands—alter the natural infiltration, evaporation, and surface flow processes, thereby impacting the volume and timing of runoff.
Urbanization typically increases runoff due to the proliferation of impervious surfaces like roads, pavements, and
Read MoreUnderstanding the Society of Estates and Its Transformation
A Society of Estates
– Society of Estates: This refers to organized estates. The estates were closed groups primarily accessed by birth. Each sector corresponded to a group defined by a common lifestyle and similar social function. It was waterproof, meaning its members could not change their condition.
– Characteristics of the Society of Estates: What characterized this society was the stability of inertia. Unlike capitalism, which is divided into groups according to wealth and is therefore more
Read MoreGlobal Economic Structures and Business Classification
Business Classification and Enterprise Types
Defining Business Types
- Small and Medium Companies (SMEs): Usually refers to smaller businesses.
- Companies/Enterprises: Generally refers to bigger businesses.
Classification Criteria
According to Size (Employees)
- Small: Less than 50 employees.
- PYMES (Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas): 50 to 250 employees.
According to Capital Ownership
- Public companies
- Private companies
According to Social Organization
- Public Licensed Companies / Sociedad Anónima (S.A.)
- Limited Companies