Talk:Feudal relief

So, fiefs were invented by William the Conqueror? Were there no fiefs in other kingdoms? Or is it just Anglocentrism at work? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 155.210.228.247 (talk) 09:24, 16 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The word fief was certainly not invented by William and it was in use in most of what is now France before it arrived in England, and also in other parts of Europe too. A fief did service in return for Tenement (law). In England this was extended to cover any freely heritable tenement. After the Norman Conquest, the monarch held all of the land, which he leased out to what was known as tenants-in-chief. The tenant-in-chief could grant fiefs to his own followers, however, the Norman kings imposed on all free men who occupied a tenement a duty of fealty. Thus fiefs in England were different to the rest of Europe, the article should point it out, but doesn't!! Wilfridselsey (talk) 12:30, 16 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]