Legal Definitions - moteer

Moteer is a historical legal term that refers to a customary payment or service owed by a tenant to their feudal lord. These obligations were typically rendered or formally acknowledged at the lord's court, which served as the administrative and judicial center of the lord's estate. It represented a regular duty or tribute that solidified the relationship between the tenant and the lord under the feudal system.

• Example 1: Agricultural Payment

  Imagine a peasant farmer in 14th-century England who held a plot of land from a local baron. As part of their tenancy agreement, the farmer was custom-bound to deliver a portion of their annual grain harvest, perhaps a sack of wheat, to the baron's manorial court each autumn. This payment was a regular, expected tribute for the right to farm the land.

  This illustrates a moteer as a customary payment (the sack of wheat) made by a tenant (the farmer) to their lord (the baron) at the lord's court, fulfilling a recurring obligation tied to their landholding.

• Example 2: Labor Service

  Consider a village carpenter living on a duke's estate in medieval France. The carpenter might have been required to spend two days each spring repairing fences on the duke's personal lands. After completing this work, the carpenter would report to the duke's court to confirm the service was rendered, or to receive further instructions for other communal duties.

  Here, the moteer is a customary service (repairing fences) performed by a tenant (the carpenter) for their lord (the duke), with the performance or acknowledgment taking place at the lord's court as part of their feudal duties.

• Example 3: Symbolic Tribute

  In a medieval German principality, a merchant who operated a small shop within the prince's domain might have been obligated to present a single silver coin or a specific, valuable item, such as a finely crafted belt, to the prince's annual court. This act served as a symbolic acknowledgment of the prince's authority and the merchant's right to conduct business within the territory.

  This example demonstrates a moteer as a customary, often symbolic, payment (the silver coin or crafted item) made by a tenant (the merchant) to their lord (the prince) at the lord's court, signifying an ongoing obligation and recognition of authority.