Fief Normally, land held by a vassal of a lord in return for stipulated services, chiefly military Can also apply to an official position Often called a Holding
In former times, a fief was a piece of land given to someone by their lord, to whom they had a duty to provide particular services in return. In European feudalism, a vassal's source of income, granted to him by his lord in exchange for his services. The fief usually consisted of land and the labor of peasants who were bound to cultivate it. The income it provided supported the vassal, who fought for his lord as a knight. Dignities, offices, and money rents were also given in fief