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How did feudal lords summon the ban and arriere-ban?

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feudalism Detail from the *Heidelberger Sachsenspiegel* showing the homage ceremony, in which the vassals put themselves under the protection of their lords by placing their hands between his hands, 14th century; in the Universitatsbibliothek, Heidelberg, Germany.

In the context of the feudal system, the ban and arriere-ban represented a formal royal proclamation used to summon the entire feudal host to arms.12

The ban referred to the direct summons of the king's immediate vassals, while the arriere-ban extended this call to the subvassals—those who held land (an arriere-fief) from the king's tenants-in-chief. Historically, this practice originated from the Germanic hariban, a term denoting the "summoning of the war band" or a proclamation calling up an armed force.21

While the king held the authority to issue this summons, the practical execution of military service was governed by the feudal contract. Under this arrangement, vassals were obligated to provide military service in exchange for their fief. However, as the feudal era progressed, the reliance on this direct summons shifted; many vassals began to fulfill their obligations through scutage, a tax paid in lieu of actual military service, as kings increasingly turned toward mercenaries and professional forces rather than relying solely on the traditional feudal levy.23