Birtokközi

Birtokközi is a Hungarian term that translates to "inter-estate" or "between estates." It refers to a concept and a historical practice related to land ownership and agricultural management in Hungary, particularly during the feudal era and up to the early 20th century. Essentially, it describes areas of land that were not solely part of a single lord's demesne or a peasant's allocated plot, but rather served common or shared purposes between adjacent estates.

These birtokközi areas could encompass various functions. They might have included common grazing lands where livestock from multiple estates could be tended. Forests or woodlands on the fringes of estates could also be considered birtokközi, providing resources like timber or game that were accessible, often under regulated terms, to inhabitants of neighboring manors. Additionally, certain water sources or pathways might have fallen into this category, facilitating movement and resource utilization across estate boundaries.

The management and use of birtokközi lands were typically governed by customary law, local agreements, or specific regulations established by the landowners involved. This system reflected a practical approach to resource sharing and land utilization in pre-modern agrarian societies, acknowledging the interdependence of neighboring estates. The concept gradually diminished with the privatization of land and the abolition of feudal structures.