Feudal Contract

1
Feudal Contract

• The granting and receiving of fiefs was confirmed
  by a contract. An oath of fealty sealed it during
  a ceremony of homage. This was a very important
  ceremony during the Middle Ages.
• Contracts lasted until death.
• Upon the death of the vassal, the oath was
  formally renewed with the vassals heir. It was a
  deeply personal and binding contract that few
  dared to break.
• The basic element of the feudal contract was an
  exchange of rights over land, given by the lord,
  for military and other honorable services, given
  by the vassal.

2
An example follows

• I, Lord Arthur, do hereby agree to- give 10
  acres of land to Charles Wycliffe- provide a one
  room cottage with two windows and a dirt floor on
  the manor   
• I, Charles Wycliffe, do hereby agree to
• - defend my lord with my life- ransom my
  lord if he be taken in battle     - provide my
  serfs to the lord for labor two days per month
• I do hereby agree to the above terms.
• Lord Arthur Charles Wycliffe