Legal Definitions - fermer

The term fermer is a historical legal term referring to a person who leasesproperty, especially land, for a specific period. Essentially, a fermer was a tenant, particularly one who rented land for farming or other productive uses, holding it for the duration of an agreed-upon term.

• Example 1: Agricultural Lease

  Imagine a scenario in 17th-century England where a wealthy landowner grants a portion of his estate, consisting of several fields suitable for growing crops, to a local farmer named Eleanor. Eleanor agrees to cultivate the land and pay an annual rent to the landowner for a period of seven years. In this arrangement, Eleanor would be considered a fermer, as she holds the agricultural land under a lease agreement for a defined term.

  This example illustrates the primary meaning of a fermer as someone who leases land for farming purposes for a specific duration.

• Example 2: Commercial Property Lease

  Consider a historical town where the municipal council owns a series of small shops along a bustling street. The council leases one of these shops to a baker, Mr. Davies, for a term of five years. Mr. Davies pays a regular fee to the council for the exclusive right to use the shop space for his bakery business. Here, Mr. Davies would also be a fermer, as he holds the commercial property for a set term through a lease agreement.

  This demonstrates that the term could apply to the leasing of various types of property, not just agricultural land, provided it was held for a defined period.

• Example 3: Lease of an Incorporeal Right

  In a medieval duchy, the Duke holds the exclusive right to operate a ferry service across a major river. The Duke decides to lease this right to a merchant, Isabella, for a period of ten years, in exchange for a substantial annual payment. Isabella then profits by charging a fee to all who use the ferry. Isabella, by holding this non-physical "right" (an incorporeal right) for a defined term, would be considered a fermer of that right.

  This example shows how a fermer could hold not just physical land or property, but also a non-physical right (like operating a service or collecting tolls) for a specific duration under an agreement.