Villeinage: meaning, definitions and examples
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villeinage
[ ˈvɪləneɪdʒ ]
historical context
Villeinage refers to a form of serfdom in the medieval period, primarily in England, where villeins were subjected to the lord of the manor and bound to the land they worked on. They were not free individuals but rather peasants who held their land in return for labor and other obligations to their lord. This system was a crucial part of the feudal system, enabling lords to maintain control over the agricultural production and labor within their domains. Villeins could not leave the land without permission and had limited rights, making them dependent on their lords for security and livelihood.
Synonyms
feudal tenancy, serfdom, servitude.
Examples of usage
- The villeinage system shaped medieval society significantly.
- She studied the effects of villeinage on economic structures.
- The decline of villeinage marked a shift in social hierarchies.
Translations
Translations of the word "villeinage" in other languages:
🇵🇹 servidão
🇮🇳 ग्राम्यता
🇩🇪 Leibeigenschaft
🇮🇩 perbudakan
🇺🇦 селянин
🇵🇱 chłopstwo
🇯🇵 農民身分
🇫🇷 vasselage
🇪🇸 servidumbre
🇹🇷 kölelik
🇰🇷 농민제도
🇸🇦 عبودية الفلاحين
🇨🇿 poddanství
🇸🇰 poddanstvo
🇨🇳 农奴制度
🇸🇮 kmetovanje
🇮🇸 þrælahald
🇰🇿 құлдық
🇬🇪 გლეხური მდგომარეობა
🇦🇿 kəndliyin vəziyyəti
🇲🇽 servidumbre
Etymology
The term 'villeinage' originates from the Old French word 'vilain', which means 'peasant' or 'countryman'. The Latin root 'villanus' referred to a farmhand. These terms were closely tied to the feudal system that developed in medieval Europe, particularly during the 9th to 15th centuries. In the context of the feudal hierarchy, villeins were below the free men and often worked the land owned by nobles or lords. Over time, the notion of villeinage evolved as legal concepts changed and society transitioned towards more modern forms of labor and property rights. By the late medieval period, the rigid structure of villeinage began to erode, leading to the eventual emergence of free peasantry in the evolving agricultural economy.