Legal Definitions - herield

Herield (also known as hereyeld or heriot) refers to an ancient feudal custom where, upon the death of a tenant, their lord was entitled to claim the best beast or chattel (an item of personal property) from the deceased's estate. This was a form of feudal relief or tribute, signifying the lord's continuing dominion over the land and the tenant's possessions. It represented a payment or forfeiture due to the lord upon the tenant's death.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Agricultural Forfeiture
  Imagine a medieval village where a farmer named Thomas holds his land from Lord Blackwood. When Thomas passes away, Lord Blackwood's steward arrives at Thomas's farm and, according to the long-standing feudal agreement, claims Thomas's finest plow horse. This horse, being the most valuable animal and a crucial piece of equipment for the farm, is taken as the herield due to the lord upon the tenant's death.

• Example 2: Artisan's Tool
  Consider a skilled weaver named Eleanor who lives and works on land belonging to Baroness Anya. Upon Eleanor's death, Baroness Anya's representative visits Eleanor's workshop. As per the feudal custom, they identify Eleanor's most intricate and valuable loom, a tool essential for her craft and her most significant personal asset, and claim it as the herield. This demonstrates the lord's right to a valuable chattel beyond just livestock.

• Example 3: Monetary Equivalent
  In some feudal arrangements, the herield might be a specific item or its monetary equivalent. For instance, a tenant named Robert holds a small estate from Duke Richard, with their agreement stipulating that upon Robert's death, the duke is entitled to either Robert's best hunting dog or a sum of five silver coins. When Robert dies, his heirs, knowing the duke prefers the silver, offer the five coins, which Duke Richard accepts as the agreed-upon herield, fulfilling the feudal obligation.