Legal Definitions - affidatus

Affidatus is a historical legal term referring to a person who held land as a tenant under an obligation of fealty.

In the feudal system, fealty was a solemn oath of loyalty and service made by a tenant to their lord, in exchange for the right to occupy and use land. An affidatus was therefore someone whose right to land was directly tied to this personal pledge of allegiance and service.

• Example 1: Imagine a peasant farmer named Elara in 13th-century Germany. She cultivates a plot of land that belongs to the local Baron. Elara doesn't own the land, but she has sworn an oath of fealty to the Baron, promising him loyalty, a portion of her harvest, and labor services in exchange for the right to farm and live on the land.

  How it illustrates the term: Elara is an affidatus because she is a tenant holding land directly from the Baron, and her tenure is based on her solemn oath of fealty and the services she provides.

• Example 2: Consider a minor knight, Sir Gareth, in medieval England. A powerful Earl grants Sir Gareth a small manor (an estate) to manage. In return, Sir Gareth pledges his fealty to the Earl, promising military service, counsel, and unwavering loyalty. This oath secures his right to hold and benefit from the manor.

  How it illustrates the term: Sir Gareth is an affidatus because he holds the manor as a tenant, and his right to do so is contingent upon his sworn oath of fealty and the obligations of service to the Earl.