Serfdom

Definition

This was a status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted in some countries until the mid-19th century.

Related terms

Feudalism: The dominant social system in medieval Europe, where nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, while peasants were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and share of produce.

Manorialism: An essential element of feudal society, it was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire.

Emancipation Reform of 1861: A reform issued by Tsar Alexander II that abolished serfdom throughout Russia.