Feudalism was a system of land ownership and duties that was prevalent in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. It was a way of organizing society around the bonds derived from the possession of property in exchange for labor or other forms of service. The basic idea of feudalism was that people were given land and protection by people of higher rank, and worked and fought for them in return. The person holding the land was known as the "Lord," and the person who received the land from the lord was termed as the "Vassal". The Vassal receiving the land from the lord was entitled to perform duties ordered by the Lord. Peasants had to pay their dues through unpaid work, agricultural production, or through cash under the system.

Before the French Revolution, feudalism was prevalent in France. The feudal system was a political and social organization in which the rulers leased their land to the peasants for their free labor and loyalty. France also contributed to spreading feudalism to many more countries like Italy, Spain, Eastern Europe, and Germany.

The system of feudalism functioned under the tenets of obligation and rights. It also maintained a structured hierarchy that ensured the systems success and spread across the European countries during later periods. The Church was also part of the feudal structure, which had a certain degree of independence from the King. It was one of the universal institutions to function during the Middle Ages of Europe.

In summary, feudalism was a system of land ownership and duties that was prevalent in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. It was a way of organizing society around the bonds derived from the possession of property in exchange for labor or other forms of service. The feudal system was prevalent in France before the French Revolution, and France also contributed to spreading feudalism to many more countries.