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A vassal was a subject of a monarch who held a fief from that monarch. In other words the vassal was a lord with an estate that consisted of one or more manors. In return for the fief, the vassal had to give an oath swearing to support the monarch as needed, such as to fight for him in wars and provide soldiers from his followers.

A serf was a peasant who had no land of his own, but had a relationship with a lord that was in some respects like the relationship between the vassal and the monarch. Just as the vassal got land from the king, the serf was provided with a place to live and fields to farm, though the were not his to own. And just as the vassal supported the monarch with soldiers, the serf supported the lord with food, labor, or money for rent.

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14y ago

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A vassal is a free person who enters into a mutual agreement with a lord to provide military or other services in exchange for land, while a serf is a peasant who is bound to the land and obligated to work for a lord in exchange for protection and security. Vassals have more autonomy and legal rights compared to serfs.

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12mo ago
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Q: What are the differences between a vassal and a serf?
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