Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Feodum Novum: A type of land ownership in medieval times where a person would receive land from a lord in exchange for loyalty and military service. Feodum novum specifically refers to a new piece of land that was not inherited, but rather acquired by the person themselves. This type of land ownership was part of the feudal system and was common in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Definition: Feodum novum (or feodum) is a Latin term that refers to a new fief or feud that began with the person of the feudatory and was not acquired by succession.
Example: If a lord granted a new piece of land to a vassal, it would be considered a feodum novum. This type of fief was not inherited from ancestors but was acquired by the vassal's own merit or service to the lord.
Explanation: Feodum novum was a new type of feudal land tenure that emerged during the Middle Ages. It was different from feodum antiquum, which was a feud that passed to a vassal from an intestate ancestor, or a feud that ancestors had possessed for more than four generations. Feodum novum was a way for lords to reward their vassals for their service and loyalty, and it allowed vassals to acquire new lands and increase their power and wealth.