answersLogoWhite

0

From a legal point of view, the term freeman applied to peasants who were not bound to the soil, but rented the land they farmed and were free to leave or do as they chose. This status could be achieved if a serf could enter into a bargain with his lord that freed him of other obligations. For example, it was a status that presumably could be purchased, if parties agreed.

A serf who ran away from the land to which he was bound was considered free after a year. This meant that a serf who ran of to the lands of another lord to farm them could enter into free status on the lands of that other lord, and it would be legal after a year. This was common in the decades after the Black Death, when there was a shortage of agricultural workers and lords were willing to steal serfs from each other.

The term freeman was also applied to free tenants in towns and cities. Many of these were also runaways who had lived away from the lands they were bound to for over a year.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

What else can I help you with?