Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: pensioner
MAIN-RENT: Main-rent is a term used in history to describe the service required of a vassal, which is a person who owes loyalty and service to a feudal lord. It can also refer to the territory held by a vassal or the dominion of a feudal superior over vassals. Basically, it means that someone is under the control of someone else and has to do what they say.
Definition: Main-rent is a term used in feudal times to refer to the service required of a vassal, or the territory held by a vassal. It is also known as vassaticum or vasseleria. Main-rent can also refer to the dominion or authority of a feudal superior over their vassals, or to political servility and subjection.
These examples illustrate the different ways in which main-rent was used in feudal society. Vassals were expected to provide some form of service or tribute to their lords, whether in the form of military service, labor, or goods. In exchange, they were granted the use of land or other resources to support themselves. The relationship between vassals and their lords was one of mutual obligation and dependence, with each side relying on the other for support and protection.