Enfeoffment
Encyclopedia
Under the European feudal system
, enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of title in land by a system in which a landowner would give land to one person for the use of another. The common law
of estates in land grew from this concept.
In China and some other South East Asian countries, from the time of the Zhou Dynasty
(1046–256 BCE) relatives and descendants of the ruling family were granted enfeoffments in return for pledging to protect the King or Emperor in times of war.
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
, enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of title in land by a system in which a landowner would give land to one person for the use of another. The common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
of estates in land grew from this concept.
In China and some other South East Asian countries, from the time of the Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
(1046–256 BCE) relatives and descendants of the ruling family were granted enfeoffments in return for pledging to protect the King or Emperor in times of war.