History glossary
Manor
a medieval landed estate where peasants worked fields under a lord's authority.
- Category
- Medieval society
- Region
- Medieval Europe
What it means
A manor was a local agricultural estate in medieval Europe. It usually included a lord's land, peasant holdings, common resources, courts, rents, and labor obligations. Manorialism describes this local economic and social organization.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Norman Conquest of England
From Viking settlers to conquerors, the Normans reshaped England, Italy, and the medieval Mediterranean.
Feudalism and Medieval Society
From the estates of Charlemagne's empire to the flowering of Gothic cathedrals, this story explores how feudal hierarchies, manorial agriculture, and Church authority shaped the lives of kings, knights, and peasants alike.
