villeinage
Definition
Noun: 1. A feudal tenure of land: The system or condition under which a villein (a feudal tenant) held land from a lord, typically involving service and obligations in exchange for the right to use the land. 2. The legal status of a villein: The condition of being a villein; the state of servitude or bondage characteristic of a feudal serf.
Usage Examples
Noun (Feudal tenure):
- The manor's records detailed the obligations attached to the villeinage.
- Land held in villeinage was distinct from freehold land.
Noun (Legal status):
- He was born into villeinage and bound to the lord's estate.
- The charter promised freedom from villeinage for the peasants.
Advanced Usage
- "Tenure by villeinage": A specific phrase describing the method of holding land.
- The estate was cultivated under tenure by villeinage.
Variants and Related Words
- Villein (noun): A feudal serf or tenant subject to a lord and bound to the land.
- The villein owed weekly labor to his lord.
- Villenage (noun): An alternate, chiefly historical, spelling of "villeinage."
Synonyms
- Serfdom: The state of being a serf, closely related to villeinage.
- Bondage: A state of being bound by law or custom to serve a lord.
- Servitude: The condition of being under the control of another person, often used interchangeably with feudal bondage.
Notes on Meaning
The two primary meanings are historically interconnected. The first meaning focuses on the system of landholding, while the second focuses on the personal legal condition of the tenant. In practice, one implied the other: holding land by villeinage defined one's status as a villein.
Noun
-
tenure by which a villein held land
-
the legal status or condition of servitude of a villein or feudal serf
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