What was the main obligation of Knights (Under-Tenants) in the feudal system?

• A. To serve the king as knights for up to 40 days on lands granted by their Baron
• B. To collect taxes for the king
• C. To administer villages and markets
• D. To lead merchant guilds

Answer: (A)

In feudal society, land is exchanged for loyalty and military support, so knights who held land as under-tenants were bound to provide armed service to their lord. The usual arrangement was a set period of knightly duty each year—often described as about 40 days—rendered in return for lands granted by their Baron. That service is the practical expression of their obligation, and through the Baron it also ties back to the king, since the Baron himself holds from the king.

This is why the option describing military service for a defined number of days on land granted by the Baron is the best answer. Collecting taxes, administering villages and markets, or leading merchant guilds are not the primary duties of knights in the feudal framework; those tasks belong to other officials or urban organizations, and are not what defined a knight’s central role in the feudal hierarchy.