Legal Definitions - fine for alienation

Fine for Alienation

Fine for Alienation is a historical fee that a tenant had to pay to the lord when they transferred their feudal estate to a new tenant. This fee was payable by all tenants who held their land by knight's service or tenants in capite by socage tenure. It was also known as a "fine."

For example, if a tenant wanted to transfer their land to someone else, they would have to pay a fine for alienation to their lord. This fee was usually a percentage of the value of the land being transferred.

Another example would be if a tenant died without an heir, their estate would revert back to the lord. If the lord then granted the estate to a new tenant, that tenant would have to pay a fine for alienation.

The examples illustrate how a fine for alienation was a fee paid by a tenant to the lord upon the transfer of a feudal estate to a new tenant. This fee was a way for the lord to maintain control over their land and ensure that they received compensation for any changes in ownership. It was a common practice in feudal societies and was used to regulate the transfer of land between tenants.