Legal Definitions - preceptum amissionis superioritatis

PRECEPTUM AMISSIONIS SUPERIORITATIS

Preceptum amissionis superioritatis is a legal term that means "a precept of a lost superiority." It refers to a legal order that forces a superior to allow a vassal's disponee entry to the land.

For example, if a lord sells his land to a vassal, the vassal's disponee (the person who inherits the land from the vassal) may need a preceptum amissionis superioritatis to gain entry to the land. This legal order would require the lord to allow the disponee to enter and take possession of the land.

Another example would be if a vassal dies without an heir, and the lord wants to sell the land to someone else. The new owner would need a preceptum amissionis superioritatis to gain entry to the land, as the lord no longer has a vassal to grant entry to.

These examples illustrate how preceptum amissionis superioritatis was used in feudal societies to ensure that land ownership was properly transferred and that vassals and their heirs were protected.