Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Base tenure is a way of holding land that was used a long time ago. It meant that the person who owned the land had to do work for someone else who was more important. This type of tenure doesn't exist anymore in most places. It was the lowest type of tenure and meant that the person who owned the land had very few rights. Nowadays, tenure can also mean the protection of a long-term job or relationship.
Definition: Base tenure refers to the holding of property in villeinage rather than by military service or free service.
Example: In feudal times, real property was held predominantly as part of a tenure system. A particular feudal mode of holding lands, such as socage, gavelkind, villeinage, and frankalmoign, were used to determine the rights, terms, or modes of holding lands or tenements in subordination to a superior.
Explanation: Base tenure was the lowest form of servile tenures, where the bondman was at the disposal of the lord for life and limb. This type of tenure was held by villeins who were bound to the land and could not leave without the lord's permission. The lord had the right to demand labor or other services from the villein, and the villein had to pay rent or other dues to the lord. This example illustrates how base tenure was used to determine the rights and obligations of the tenant and the lord in feudal times.