Definition

Noun: 1. A medieval English villein: A cottier was a peasant of low social status in medieval England who occupied a small cottage (a "cot" or "cottage") and worked for a lord. Their status was above that of a slave but below that of a free person. They were bound to the land and owed labor services or rent to the lord of the manor in exchange for the right to live on and cultivate a small plot of land.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The cottier worked three days a week on the lord's demesne as part of his rent.
  • Unlike a freeman, the cottier could not leave the manor without the lord's permission.
  • Historical records show that cottiers often lived in very basic conditions.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Legal Context: The term is primarily used in historical, legal, or academic discussions about medieval English society and feudal land tenure systems. It describes a specific class within the manorial system.
  • The Domesday Book provides detailed information on the number of villeins, bordars, and cottiers on each manor.

Variants and Related Words

• Cottar (noun): An alternative spelling with the same meaning, more commonly used in Scottish contexts.
  • In medieval Scotland, a cottar held a similar status to an English cottier.
• Villein (noun): A broader term for a feudal serf; a cottier was a type of villein, typically one with a very small holding.
• Bordar (noun): Another class of medieval peasant, often considered to have a slightly larger holding or different obligations than a cottier.

Synonyms

• Serf: A person in a condition of feudal servitude, bound to the land.
• Villein: A feudal tenant entirely subject to a lord or attached to a manor.
• Peasant: A poor farmer of low social status who owns or rents a small piece of land for cultivation.

Related Phrases

• Cottier tenure: A historical system of land holding where the tenant (cottier) paid rent through labor or a share of the crop, rather than money. This term is particularly associated with Irish history.
  • The poverty of the Irish peasantry in the 19th century was exacerbated by the widespread system of cottier tenure.

Noun

1. a medieval English villein