vassal
Sign in to savethumb|A vassal swears the oath of fealty before Frederick I, Elector Palatine|Count Palatine Frederick I of the Palatinate.
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A vassal was a person who pledged loyalty and service to a more powerful lord in exchange for protection and land during the medieval period. This relationship, shown in the image through the oath of fealty ceremony, was a key part of how medieval societies organized power and governed territory.
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6 sectionsContents
- European vassalage
- See also
- Similar terms
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thumb|A vassal swears the oath of fealty before Frederick I, Elector Palatine|Count Palatine Frederick I of the Palatinate.
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe and elsewhere. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. The rights and obligations of a vassal are called vassalage, while the rights and obligations of a suzerain are called suzerainty. The obligations of a vassal often included military support by knights in exchange for certain privileges, usually including land held as a tenant or fief.