Legal Definitions - feudum

Definition: Feudum is a Latin term that means a fief or feud. It refers to a piece of land that was granted to a vassal by a lord in exchange for loyalty and military service.

Examples of different types of feudum:

• Feudum antiquum: A feud that passed to a vassal from an intestate ancestor or that ancestors had possessed for more than four generations.
• Feudum hauberticum: A feud that was held on the military service of appearing fully armed when summoned by the lord.
• Feudum militare: A knight's feud that was held by knight-service and esteemed the most honorable species of tenure.
• Feudum nobile: A feud for which the tenant did guard and owed fealty and homage.

These examples illustrate the different types of feudum that existed during the feudal period. They show how the nature of the land tenure varied depending on the type of service that was required of the vassal.