Glossary

Question 1

vassal

Answer 1

will serve a lord with military service, by oath, and in exchange receive land ( a fief)

Question 2

to perform homage

Answer 2

to swear that the given overlord is your man

Question 3

to swear fealty

Answer 3

sworn loyalty separate to land obligations

Question 4

Vexin

Answer 4

Norman borderlands with France

Question 5

magnate

Answer 5

major land owning baron

Question 6

royal demesne

Answer 6

lands of the crown

Question 7

to enfoeff

Answer 7

to grant land to a vassal

Question 8

mitre

Answer 8

hat of a bishop

Question 9

curia regis

Answer 9

the court of the king: government (split into justice and taxation)

Question 10

familia

Answer 10

family of the king and most powerful magnates

Question 11

liegemen

Answer 11

vassals

Question 12

surety

Answer 12

guarantee, sometimes providing hostage

Question 13

honours

Answer 13

collections of lands in the form of manors

Question 14

bishop of Winchester

Answer 14

Henry of Blois, Stephen’s brother

Question 15

custodian

Answer 15

a person responsible for taking of/ protecting something

Question 16

authority

Answer 16

the right to obedience

Question 17

power

Answer 17

the ability to enforce

Question 18

knight

Answer 18

a professionally trained warrior supported by being given land and money

Question 19

levying

Answer 19

to raise (soldiers)

Question 20

contumacious

Answer 20

rebellious

Question 21

castellan

Answer 21

a royal officer who looks after a castle

Question 22

attestor

Answer 22

someone who witnesses charters

Question 23

danegeld

Answer 23

land tax. used to raise troops or pay of the danes

Question 24

archdeacon

Answer 24

senior church official: below the rank of bishop

Question 25

Policraticus

Answer 25

statesman

Question 26

senate

Answer 26

government of any ruler

Question 27

sacerdotium

Answer 27

priests

Question 28

regnum

Answer 28

royal power

Question 29

writ

Answer 29

royal instruction/decree/charter granting privileges. Issued by the chancery possibly to justices/sheriffs.

Question 30

fief holding

Answer 30

land holding

Question 31

laity

Answer 31

those not ordained

Question 32

plaintiff

Answer 32

some one who brings a case to the king/justice to be heard

Question 33

Brabancons

Answer 33

Flemish mercenaries

Question 34

purpresture

Answer 34

unlawful encroachment on royal demesne

Question 35

servitum debitum

Answer 35

service owed (as feudal lord you owe knight service to the king)

Question 36

scutage

Answer 36

payment in place of servitum debitum

Question 37

farm

Answer 37

the fixed amount a shire must pay

Question 38

seisin

Answer 38

possession

Question 39

escheat

Answer 39

crown’s right to reversion of property to its possession on death of magnate/baron with no recognised heir

Question 40

itinerant courts

Answer 40

travelling courts

Question 41

hide

Answer 41

area of land needed to support one family

Question 42

Jury of presentment

Answer 42

12 men naming the accused

Question 43

assize

Answer 43

royal ruling promulgated with consent of magnates

Question 44

eyre

Answer 44

judicial circuit

Question 45

villein

Answer 45

type of peasant/serf tied to the land on which they work (opposed to a freeman). don’t own things freely.

Question 46

serf

Answer 46

peasant

Question 47

marcher lord

Answer 47

lords on border with wales with more autonomy and responsible for defence

Question 48

writ praecipe

Answer 48

writ moving case to the curia regis

Question 49

wapentake

Answer 49

a hundred in Danelaw

Question 50

primogeniture

Answer 50

first son inherits all

Question 51

partage

Answer 51

inheritance split between heirs