Vassal (Noun)
Meaning
A person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The king's vassal was required to provide a certain number of knights for military service in exchange for the land he held.
- As a vassal, the baron was sworn to defend the lord's lands and attend his court whenever summoned.
- The vassal was granted a large tract of land in return for his loyalty and promise to provide military service.
- The feudal lord demanded that his vassal pay homage to him on a regular basis as a symbol of his allegiance.
- In the medieval system, a vassal was a nobleman who held land from a superior lord and was obligated to provide him with military service and counsel.