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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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.
A set of unwritten rules, known as feudal customs, governed the relationship between a lord and his vassal. These included obligations such as military service, loyalty, and providing economic support. Vassals were also expected to offer counsel and advice to their lords.
The serf worked in the fields all day, bound to the land and serving the lord of the manor.
The serf worked tirelessly in the fields for his lord, without hope of escaping his feudal obligations.
A freeman was a person who was not bound to the land or obligated to provide labor to a lord, while a serf was a person who was bound to the land and required to provide labor to a lord in exchange for protection. Freemen had more freedom and autonomy compared to serfs who had limited rights and mobility.
A fief is a piece of land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and military service. A manor is a large estate, typically including the lord's residence, agricultural land, and the homes of peasants who worked the land. In the feudal system, a fief could be part of a manor, but they are not interchangeable terms.