feudal lord
Definition
Noun: A man who held power, authority, and land within the feudal system, a dominant social structure in medieval Europe. He was a lord who granted land (a fief) to vassals in exchange for military service and loyalty.
Usage
The term is used to describe a specific historical figure of authority from the medieval period. - The feudal lord demanded forty days of military service each year from his knights. - Peasants worked the land owned by the feudal lord and paid him a portion of their harvest.
Advanced Usage
- The concept of a feudal lord is central to understanding the political and social hierarchy of feudalism, where power was decentralized and based on landholding and personal bonds of allegiance.
- While historically specific, the term can be used metaphorically to describe a person who exercises outdated, autocratic control in a modern context.
- The CEO ruled the company like a feudal lord, demanding absolute obedience.
Variants and Related Words
- Lord: A more general term for a ruler or a man of high rank, which includes but is not limited to feudal lords.
- Suzerain: A feudal lord to whom fealty is due; a paramount lord.
- Liege lord: A feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service.
- Seigneur: A feudal lord; the lord of a manor (term of French origin).
Synonyms
- Overlord
- Liege
- Sovereign (in the specific context of being the highest feudal authority)
- Baron (as a specific rank of feudal lord)
Antonyms
- Vassal
- Serf
- Peasant
- Bondsman
Related Phrases
- Feudal system / Feudalism: The overarching social and economic system in which a feudal lord operated.
- Lord of the manor: A feudal lord who presided over a manor, the basic estate.
- Homage and fealty: The formal ceremonies and oaths of loyalty sworn by a vassal to a feudal lord.
Noun
-
a man of rank in the ancient regime
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