Villein (feudal)

Villein (feudal)

Villein (or "villain") was the term used in the feudal era to denote a peasant (tenant farmer) who was legally tied to the land he worked on. An alternative term is serf (from Latin "servus" = "slave"). A villein could not leave the land without the landowner's consent. Villeins thus occupied the social space between a free peasant (or "freeman") and a slave. The majority of medieval European peasants were villeins.

The term derives from late Latin "villanus", meaning a man employed at a Roman villa rustica, or large agricultural estate. The system of tied serfdom originates from a decree issued by the late Roman emperor Diocletian (ruled 284-305) in an attempt to prevent the flight of peasants from the land and the consequent decline in food production. The decree obliged peasants to register in their locality and never leave it.

Because of the lowly status, the term became derogatory. In modern French "vilain" means "ugly" or "naughty" and in Italian, "villano" means "rude" or "ill-mannered". In modern English slang "villain" means a scoundrel or criminal.


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  • Villein — Vil lein, n. (Feudal Law) See {Villain}, 1. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • villein — early 14c., spelling variant of VILLAIN (Cf. villain), referring to a feudal class of half free peasants …   Etymology dictionary

  • villein — [vil′ən] n. [ME: see VILLAIN] any of a class of feudal serfs who by the 13th cent. had become freemen in their legal relations to all except their lord, to whom they remained subject as slaves …   English World dictionary

  • Villein — The wealthiest class of peasant. They usually cultivate 20 40 Acres of land, often in isolated strips. A bondsman, a man bonded to the land that he worked. Villeins lived in villages, attached to a lord’s holdings, all but a slave. A lord who… …   Medieval glossary

  • villein — villain, villein The two spellings are forms of a single word with two branches, originally meaning either ‘a low born rustic’ or ‘a serf in the feudal system’ and derived from the Latin word villa meaning ‘country house or farm’. The spelling… …   Modern English usage

  • villein — Villain Vil lain, n. [OE. vilein, F. vilain, LL. villanus, from villa a village, L. villa a farm. See {Villa}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Feudal Law) One who holds lands by a base, or servile, tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest class …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • villein — noun Etymology: Middle English vilain, vilein more at villain Date: 14th century 1. a free common villager or village peasant of any of the feudal classes lower in rank than the thane 2. a free peasant of a feudal class higher in rank than a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • villein in gross — /vilan in grows/ In feudal law, a villein who was annexed to the person of the lord, and transferable by deed from one owner to another. 2 Bl.Comm. 93 …   Black's law dictionary

  • villein regardant — /vilan ragardant/ In feudal law, a villein annexed to the manor of land; a serf …   Black's law dictionary

  • villein socage — noun : a tenure of land held by a tenant villein owing by custom a duty to render to the feudal lord fixed and definite services of a base and servile nature * * * Medieval Hist. land held by a tenant who rendered to a lord specified duties of a… …   Useful english dictionary

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