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Simple English definitions for legal terms
villein tenure
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A quick definition of villein tenure:
Villein tenure, also known as villeinage, was a type of servile tenure in which a tenant was obligated to render base services to a feudal lord. This meant that the tenant had to work for the lord and perform various agricultural duties, but the exact nature of the work was often uncertain and subject to the lord's will. If the services were unfixed, the tenure was considered unfree. However, in some cases, the services were certain and of a base and servile nature, which was known as privileged villeinage. In pure villeinage, the services were not certain, and the tenant had to do whatever they were commanded whenever the command came.
A more thorough explanation:
Villein tenure, also known as villeinage, refers to a type of feudal landholding where a tenant was obligated to provide base services to a lord in exchange for the right to use the land. This servile type of tenure was prevalent in medieval Europe.
There were two types of villeinage:
- Pure villeinage: In this type of villeinage, the services that the tenant was required to perform were not certain. The tenant was obliged to do whatever they were commanded to do whenever the command came.
- Privileged villeinage: In this type of villeinage, the services to be performed were certain, although they were of a base and servile nature.
For example, a tenant in pure villeinage might not know what work they would have to do the next day, while a tenant in privileged villeinage might know that they were required to provide a certain amount of labor each week.
Villein tenure was considered unfree because the tenant's services could not be entirely defined without frequent reference to the lord's will. The lord had a great deal of power over the tenant, and the tenant's status was considered servile.