Feoff

Feoff (also spelled feoffment) is a term used in the context of feudalism to describe the granting of a fief or fee (an estate in land) to a vassal by a lord. This process involved the transfer of land tenure and the associated rights and obligations. The person who received the fief was known as the feoffee, while the person who granted it was the feoffor.

Historical Context

The practice of feoffment was a fundamental aspect of the feudal system that dominated medieval Europe. It was a means by which lords could manage and control large tracts of land by delegating portions to vassals in exchange for fealty and service. This system created a hierarchical structure of landholding and governance.

Process of Feoffment

The process of feoffment typically involved a formal ceremony known as livery of seisin, where the feoffor would symbolically transfer possession of the land to the feoffee. This ceremony often included the handing over of a piece of turf or a twig from the land being granted, symbolizing the transfer of ownership.

Legal Aspects

Feoffment was a legal process that required the creation of a deed or charter to document the transfer of land. This document would outline the terms of the grant, including the obligations of the feoffee to the feoffor, such as military service, rent, or other forms of feudal dues.

Decline of Feoffment

The practice of feoffment began to decline with the advent of more modern forms of land tenure and the development of common law. By the late medieval period, other methods of land transfer, such as leasehold and copyhold, became more prevalent.

Related Concepts

• Feudalism
• Fief
• Vassal
• Lord
• Land tenure
• Livery of seisin
• Deed
• Charter
• Fealty
• Service
• Feudal dues
• Leasehold
• Copyhold
• Common law

See Also

• Manorialism
• Serfdom
• Homage
• Investiture
• Subinfeudation