Fealty
English feudalism |
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Manorialism |
Feudal land tenure in England |
Feudal duties |
Feudalism |
An oath of fealty, from the Latin fidelitas (faithfulness), is a pledge of allegiance of one person to another.
Definition
In
One part of the oath of fealty included swearing to always remain faithful to the lord. The oath of fealty usually took place after the act of
Fealty is distinct from other parts of the homage ceremony, and is usually used only to refer to that part of the ceremony where a vassal swore to be a good vassal to his lord.[3]
History
In
In the Late Middle Ages, the investiture and oath of fealty were invariably recorded by a deed; in modern times, this replaced the traditional ceremony. Where the geographical distance between the two parties was significant, the lord could name a representative before whom the oath was to be sworn.
The whole contract including the oath of fealty was part of a formal commendation ceremony that created the feudal relationship.[2]
The term is also used by English-speakers to refer to similar oaths of allegiance in other feudal cultures, as with medieval Japan, as well as in modern organized crime.
Citations
General and cited references
- Coredon, Christopher (2007). A Dictionary of Medieval Terms & Phrases (Reprint ed.). Woodbridge: D. S. Brewer. ISBN 978-1-84384-138-8.
- McGurk, J. J. N. (1970). A Dictionary of Medieval Terms: For the Use of History Students. Reigate, UK: Reigate Press for St Mary's College of Education. OCLC 138858.
- ISBN 0-7524-2969-8.
External links
- The dictionary definition of fealty at Wiktionary