A most interesting character: Charles Martel
Charles Martel was the Mayor of the Palace in the Frankish kingdoms during the 700’s. he is best known (militarily) for winning the Battle Of Tours in 732 and halting the Muslim invasions into Europe through Spain and pushing them out of Frankish lands. Through his campaigns he became the de facto king (although the title was reserved for his son) of the Franks.
However, he should be best remembered as the founder of feudalism as a way to support a large horse army. Although the roots of feudalism – heretical training, guilds etc. — reach as far back as the reforms of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, Martel was the first to organize it into the concepts of Kings, Dukes, Barons, Knights, and peasants. In this hierarchical structure each of these classes were lords to those beneath them and owed their loyalty to those above them as a vassal. This organization was further reformed by Charlemagne; however, Martel deserves credit as the founder.