Under William's feudal system, who initially owned all the land?

• A. The King
• B. The Church
• C. The Knights
• D. The Peasants

Answer: (A)

In William's feudal system, the king is the ultimate owner of all land. After conquering England, William asserted that all land belonged to the crown and could be granted out as fiefs to tenants in return for military service and loyalty. From the top down, lords held land from the king, knights and other followers held from those lords, and peasants worked the land under the authority of their immediate lord. The Church could own substantial lands, but even those lands were held with the king’s authority and could be granted or regulated by the crown. So the defining idea is that sovereignty over land starts with the king, making the king the initial owner of all land in this system.