In feudal society, which term describes a person under the authority of a lord?

In feudal society, which term describes a person under the authority of a lord?

• A. Knight
• B. Serf
• C. Peasant
• D. Vassal

Answer: (D)

In feudal society, the main relationship is vassalage: a person who swears loyalty to a lord and, in return for land and protection, provides service—usually military—from which the lord derives authority over that person. This personal bond and obligation define someone as under the lord’s authority, making the term vassal the best fit. Knights are often vassals, but their identifying feature is military status; serfs and peasants are tied to land and labor, not defined chiefly by a formal feudal oath of loyalty to a particular lord.

In feudal society, the main relationship is vassalage: a person who swears loyalty to a lord and, in return for land and protection, provides service—usually military—from which the lord derives authority over that person. This personal bond and obligation define someone as under the lord’s authority, making the term vassal the best fit. Knights are often vassals, but their identifying feature is military status; serfs and peasants are tied to land and labor, not defined chiefly by a formal feudal oath of loyalty to a particular lord.