Fiefs

A fief is a grant of land or other value given by a lord to a vassal within the feudal system. The grant, or fief, established a formal bond between overlord and vassal, who owed service in return for the use of the land and its income. A fief could consist of soil, villages, or rights to revenues, and the vassal’s tenure typically required homage and fealty.

In medieval Europe, feudalism centered on a hierarchical relationship in which a lord granted a fief to a vassal who performed military or other services for the lord. The vassal’s duties commonly included military service for a specified period, counsel at the lord’s court, and certain financial payments or aids. The lord was expected to provide protection and to administer justice within the fief, at least in part.

Fiefs varied widely in size and content and could include rights to collect rents, administer justice, or exercise other prerogatives tied to the land. The system allowed subinfeudation, whereby a vassal could grant a portion of his fief to a sub-vassal, creating a multi-tier chain of obligations. Holdings could be hereditary, passing to heirs, subject to continued loyalty and service.

Over time, the rise of centralized monarchies and changes in land tenure reduced the prominence of classic fiefs. The concept persisted in historical contexts and legal language, informing descriptions of land tenure and noble obligations, even as formal feudal relationships declined.