Legal Definitions - superfeudation

Superfeudation is an alternative term for superinfeudation, a practice common in historical feudal systems.

It refers to the act where a vassal (a person who holds land or rights from a superior lord) would, in turn, grant a portion of their own land or rights to a sub-vassal. This process created an additional, subordinate layer in the feudal hierarchy. The sub-vassal would then owe fealty, services, or rents not directly to the original superior lord, but to their immediate grantor (the vassal who granted them the land or rights).

Here are some examples illustrating superfeudation:

• Example 1: Land Grant for Military Service

  Imagine a King who grants a large territory, known as a duchy, to a Duke in exchange for the Duke's loyalty and the provision of a certain number of knights for the royal army. The Duke, finding it difficult to manage such a vast area and raise all the required knights himself, decides to grant smaller parcels of land (manors) within his duchy to several Barons. Each Baron, in turn, pledges loyalty and military service directly to the Duke. This act by the Duke, creating a new layer of Barons who are his vassals and owe service to him rather than directly to the King, is an instance of superfeudation.

• Example 2: Grant of Specific Rights

  Consider a powerful Earl who is granted by a King the exclusive right to operate all mills and collect milling fees within a particular county. The Earl, wishing to delegate some of this responsibility and profit, then grants a local Knight the right to operate a specific mill within that county and collect its fees. The Knight becomes the Earl's vassal for this specific right, owing a portion of the collected fees and loyalty to the Earl. This delegation of a granted right, creating a new subordinate relationship, demonstrates superfeudation.

• Example 3: Obligations for Agricultural Labor

  A Lord is granted a large estate by a Baron, with the understanding that the Lord will ensure the land is cultivated and a portion of the harvest is provided to the Baron annually. To achieve this, the Lord then grants smaller plots of land within his estate to several Peasants (or serfs), who are obligated to work the land and provide a share of their produce and labor directly to the Lord. The Lord's act of creating these subordinate tenures with the Peasants, who owe their duties to him, not the Baron, is an example of superfeudation.