(Redirected from Fief)
Under the system of
feudalism, a 'fiefdom', 'fief', 'feud', 'feoff', or 'fee', often consisted of
inheritable lands or revenue-producing property granted by a
liege lord in return for a form of allegiance, originally to give him the means to fulfill his military duties when called upon. However anything of value could be held in fief, such as an office, a right of exploitation (e.g., hunting, fishing) or any other type of revenue, rather than the land it comes from.
Equivalents elsewhere
While many other cultures have known, or sometimes still know, a form of feudalism, the historical development of property rights is highly complex and precise traditions vary, so the terms can at best be considered equivalent, never synonymous.
★ In
Japan, a fief is called "
han."
★ In
Persia, under the
Qajar dynasty, a 'tuyuldar' held a large fief.
★ In
Somalia, under the
Ugaas and Garaad system, continue as 'elder sons' inherit top tribal positions to rule over large populations.
★ In feudal
India, forms of fief included the
jagir (land) and the
mansab, but often the same was true for formally administrative/domanial (especially tax-collecting) 'estates' such as
taluqa or
thikana.
★ In the
Ottoman Empire,
Timariots and
Sipahi were kinds of fiefed military.
★ In
Germany, a fief is called "
Lehen".
See also
★
Appanage (consisting in part of the liege's domain, granted to a junior relative)
★
Knight-service
Sources and references
★
RoyalArk- see each present country