Villainage (Noun)
Meaning
The legal status or condition of servitude of a villein or feudal serf.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The system of villainage in medieval England restricted the freedom and mobility of those born into a life of servitude.
- Under the Norman Conquest, the existing Anglo-Saxon peasantry was gradually reduced to a state of villainage, forced to work the land in exchange for protection.
- Villainage was the fate of those who could not escape the burden of serfdom, a lifelong condition that bound them to the land and their lord.
- In medieval Europe, villainage was often passed down through generations, making it nearly impossible for individuals to break free from their serf status.
- The lord of the manor held absolute power over those in a state of villainage, controlling every aspect of their lives, from their labor to their marriages.