Legal Definitions - villein in gross

A villein in gross was a specific type of unfree person in medieval feudal society whose servitude was personal to their lord, rather than being tied to a particular piece of land. Unlike a "villein regardant," who was bound to the land and transferred with it, a villein in gross was considered the personal property of their lord. This meant their lord could transfer, sell, or bequeath them to another person independently of any land. Their status was one of personal bondage, making them a form of movable property in the eyes of the law, though they typically held some limited rights and were not slaves in the classical Roman sense.

• Example 1: Transfer of Service
  Imagine Lord Alistair, a wealthy landowner, has a skilled weaver named Elara who is a villein in gross. If Lord Alistair decides to gift Elara to his cousin, Lady Beatrice, who is setting up a new manor and needs a skilled textile worker, he can do so without transferring any land. Elara's obligation of service is to Lord Alistair personally, not to a specific plot of land, allowing her to be transferred as a separate asset to Lady Beatrice's household.

• Example 2: Inheritance Separate from Land
  Consider a powerful baron, Sir Kael, who is drafting his will. He might stipulate that his eldest son inherits his primary castle and all associated lands, but that his younger daughter, who is establishing her own independent household, will inherit a specific group of villeins in gross, including their families, to serve her. This demonstrates that these villeins are treated as personal property that can be separated from the primary landed estate and bequeathed independently to different heirs.

• Example 3: Deployment Across Estates
  A duke, Duke Roland, owns several large estates spread across a region. He might have a group of villeins in gross who are particularly adept at mining. If a new ore vein is discovered on one of his distant estates, he could command these villeins to move there and work, even if they had previously been working on a different part of his domain. Their obligation is to Duke Roland himself, allowing him to deploy them where needed, rather than being fixed to a particular farm or village within one estate.