Hofstelsel

Hofstelsel, also known as the manorial system, was a system of economic and social organization prevalent in medieval Europe. It was characterized by the division of land into self-sufficient agricultural estates called manors, each owned by a lord. The manor was the center of economic and social life, providing land, protection, and justice for the people who lived and worked there.

The inhabitants of a manor were typically peasants, who were bound to the land and owed labor and produce to the lord. In return, the lord provided them with a plot of land to cultivate for their own subsistence and offered protection against raids and other dangers. Peasants were not slaves, but they had limited freedom and were subject to the lord's authority.

The economy of the hofstelsel was primarily agricultural. Peasants cultivated crops, raised livestock, and produced goods for their own needs and for the lord. The lord would often have a manor house, a church, a mill, and other facilities to support the community. Trade between manors was limited, and the system emphasized self-sufficiency.

The hofstelsel played a crucial role in shaping medieval society. It provided a framework for agricultural production, social order, and political stability in a time of widespread insecurity. Over centuries, as trade and urban centers grew, the hofstelsel gradually declined, eventually being replaced by more complex economic and social structures.