Legal Definitions - superinfeudation

Definition: Superinfeudation is the granting of one or more feuds out of a feudal estate. It is also known as superfeudation. This is different from subinfeudation, which is the granting of a feud out of a feud.

Example: A lord grants a piece of land to a vassal, who then grants a portion of that land to another vassal. This is an example of superinfeudation.

This means that the original lord still has control over the entire estate, but the vassals have control over their own portions of the land. This system was common in feudal societies, where land ownership was a key factor in social and political power.