10/3/2023 0 Comments Medieval european castles![]() ![]() In this way, the manor was a distinct societal unit with crucial legal, social and economic functions – it was therefore important for a lord to have a manor house befitting his status. More serious crimes were handled by higher authorities, such as royal courts. In this way, the lord would dispense justice within the jurisdiction of his manor on everyday legal matters such as land tenure, contracts, and torts (cases handling restitution for damages, theft or injury). The manorial courts were the lowest level of feudal courts, with each one being presided over by the lord of the manor. The manor was a self-contained social and economic unit – the lord of the manor was supported by the goods and labour provided to him by his tenants (usually they gave him a portion of their crop), and in return, he not only provided them with land but also with justice. This was essentially the economic form that feudalism took at the lowest level of society, and it was known as ‘manorialism’ or ‘seignorialism’. In return, they owed him obligations, which were typically paid in labour, goods or coin. The peasants who lived on the land in a manor were granted the right to farm that land by the lord of the manor. At the lowest level was a division of land known as a manor or a ‘fief’. Under the feudal system, lords were granted territory by the king, in return for military service in his armies each year. Manors or ‘fiefs’ as they were also known, represented the low end of feudalism, where peasants would owe goods or services to their lord in return for land.Īs a result, the manor house was an important administrative and economic centre – it was not simply the home of the lord of the manor, but it was the building from which he ruled his fief.Īs a result, manor houses came to be large and often luxurious structures, intended not only to function as comfortable homes for the nobility but also to impress the lord’s guests as well as the peasants living on his land, reinforcing his authority over them as their feudal superior.Ģ FAQs about Medieval Manor Houses A Guide to Medieval Manor Houses Manorialism ![]() Kings and great nobles granted land to more minor lords in return for military service. The feudal system of government and societal organisation which flourished during the middle ages was based around land ownership and service – specifically the obligatory service that a vassal owed to his lord in return for land. The manor house was primarily the residence of a lord of the manor during the medieval period.
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