fief
1 of 1noun/fif/
Forms:fiefs
1
a feudal estate or land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and military service
- The king bestowed a vast fief upon his loyal knight as a reward for his bravery in battle.
- The peasants worked the fields on the lord's fief in exchange for protection and a share of the harvest.
- The vassal pledged allegiance to the lord and swore to defend his fief against any threats.
- Over time, the lord's fief grew in size and prosperity through conquest and strategic alliances.
- In medieval Europe, the feudal system was characterized by the exchange of land and military service between lords and their vassals, with each fief forming a crucial part of the feudal hierarchy.
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