Legal Definitions - adscripti glebae

Adscripti glebae refers to a historical legal status where individuals, typically agricultural workers or serfs, were permanently bound to the land they cultivated. This meant they were not free to leave the property and, if the land was sold or transferred to a new owner, the individuals bound to it were transferred along with it. Their legal status was intrinsically linked to the land itself, rather than to a personal contract with a specific landowner.

• Example 1: In a medieval European kingdom, Lord Arthur decides to sell a portion of his vast estate, including several villages and their surrounding farmlands, to Lady Beatrice. The peasants who live and work on these lands are considered adscripti glebae. Upon the sale, these peasants automatically become bound to Lady Beatrice's service and are legally obligated to continue working the land for her, just as they did for Lord Arthur. They do not have the right to leave the estate and seek work elsewhere, as their status is tied to the land itself, not to the individual lord.

• Example 2: Imagine a historical agricultural society where a family, the Millers, has worked the same plot of land for generations. Under the system of adscripti glebae, when the patriarch of the Miller family passes away, his children do not gain freedom to move or choose a different profession. Instead, they inherit the same legal obligation to remain on and cultivate that specific land, perpetuating their status as individuals tied to the soil across generations, regardless of their personal desires.

• Example 3: A powerful emperor, as a reward for loyalty, grants a large agricultural region to one of his generals. This region includes numerous farms and the communities that sustain them. The people living and working on these farms are considered adscripti glebae. When the land is transferred to the general, the people living on it are automatically transferred as part of the grant. The general now has the right to their labor and allegiance because their legal status is an attribute of the land's ownership, not a personal choice or contract with the previous owner.