Legal Definitions - feodatory

Definition: Feodatory (also spelled feudatory) refers to a vassal who owes feudal allegiance to a lord. It can also refer to the grantee of a feud, which is an estate held by feudal service.

Example: In medieval Europe, a feodatory was a person who held land from a lord in exchange for military service or other obligations. For example, a knight might be a feodatory of a lord, and would be expected to provide soldiers for the lord's army when called upon.

Explanation: The example illustrates how a feodatory was a vassal who owed loyalty and service to a lord in exchange for land or other benefits. Feodatories were an important part of the feudal system, which was a social and economic system that dominated Europe during the Middle Ages.