Legal Definitions - invadiatus

Invadiatus

Historically, an invadiatus was an individual who was bound by a pledge or a promise, often involving their personal service, freedom, or even their person as security for an obligation. This term typically refers to a historical legal status where a person's liberty or actions were constrained due to a commitment made, either by themselves or on their behalf.

• Example 1: Pledging oneself for a debt

  Imagine a medieval farmer who, facing a poor harvest, needed to borrow grain from a wealthier landowner to feed his family. To secure the loan, the farmer might have pledged his future labor or even his personal service to the landowner until the debt was fully repaid. In this scenario, the farmer would be considered an invadiatus, as he was under a personal pledge of service to fulfill his financial obligation.

• Example 2: A person pledged as security for another's obligation

  Consider a situation in the past where two rival noble houses sought to establish a truce. To guarantee that one lord would uphold his end of the agreement, he might offer a trusted knight or even a younger family member as a "pledge" or "hostage" to the other lord. This individual, whose freedom or safety was held as security for the lord's promise, would be an invadiatus, bound by the pledge made by their superior.

• Example 3: Pledging service for protection or land

  In a feudal system, a commoner might pledge their loyalty, military service, and a portion of their harvest to a powerful baron in exchange for protection from invaders and the right to cultivate a plot of land. This commoner, by virtue of their solemn oath and commitment to serve the baron, would be an invadiatus, as they were under a pledge of fealty and service in return for security and livelihood.