seigneuries

A seigneurie was a fundamental unit of land tenure and administration in the feudal system, particularly prevalent in medieval Europe. The system was most prominent in France, but similar structures existed in other feudal societies. The seigneur, or lord, held the land from a higher authority, typically a king or duke, and in turn granted portions of it to vassals or peasants. This grant of land was called a fief or feodum.

In exchange for the land, vassals and peasants owed obligations to the seigneur. These typically included military service, labor, and various fees or payments, often in kind, such as a portion of their harvest. The seigneur also exercised judicial and administrative powers within his territory, acting as judge and collecting taxes. Peasants living on the seigneurie were often bound to the land, a status known as serfdom.

The seigneurial system varied in its specific practices and intensity across different regions and time periods. While it provided a framework for land management and social order, it also contributed to a hierarchical society with significant power imbalances. The seigneurie gradually declined with the rise of centralized states, the commutation of feudal dues into monetary payments, and ultimately, the abolition of feudalism in many parts of Europe.