Legal Definitions - feodum novum

The term feodum novum refers to a "new fief" or a "newly created feudal estate." In historical feudal systems, it designated a grant of land or rights that was newly bestowed by a sovereign or lord upon a vassal, rather than being inherited from a previous generation or being an ancient holding. It signifies the establishment of a new feudal tenure, often in exchange for service, loyalty, or a payment.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Royal Grant for Service

  Imagine a medieval king who, after a particularly successful military campaign, wishes to reward a loyal knight for his exceptional bravery and leadership. The king grants this knight a specific manor, including its lands, villages, and the rights to collect taxes and administer justice within that territory. This manor had not previously been held by the knight's family as a feudal estate.

  This scenario illustrates a feodum novum because the knight is receiving a new grant of land and associated rights directly from the king. It establishes a fresh feudal relationship and tenure, distinct from any inherited land or pre-existing family holdings.

• Example 2: Newly Developed Territory

  Consider a powerful duke who invests significant resources in draining a large, previously unproductive marshland within his domain, transforming it into fertile agricultural fields. To ensure its cultivation and generate revenue, he then grants portions of this newly productive land to several of his vassals, obligating them to manage the land, provide agricultural output, and offer military service when required.

  These grants represent feoda nova. Although the physical land existed before, its transformation into productive territory and its subsequent *initial grant* under feudal terms to new tenants establish new feudal tenures. The vassals are receiving a new right to use and profit from this newly developed land, creating a new set of feudal obligations.

• Example 3: Distribution of Conquered Lands

  Following a successful conquest of a neighboring kingdom, a victorious monarch finds himself with vast new territories under his control. To consolidate his power and reward his most trusted generals and nobles, he divides these newly acquired lands and grants specific regions, complete with their towns, resources, and populations, to them as their personal fiefs.

  These grants are prime examples of feoda nova. They represent the creation of entirely new feudal tenures over newly acquired lands, rather than the continuation or inheritance of pre-existing feudal arrangements within the monarch's original domain. Each general or noble receives a "new" fief in the conquered territory.