liege lord
One owed fealty
A liege lord is a feudal superior to whom vassals owed allegiance and service.
The vassal swore loyalty to his liege lord in exchange for land and protection.
The term appears mostly in historical contexts or fantasy settings: The knight knelt before his liege lord.
Sometimes shortened to simply liege as a form of address.
- homageExpression of deep respect
- overlordSupreme feudal superior
- suzeraintyControl without full annexation
- fealtyPledged devotion to authority
- fiefGranted feudal estate
baron · protector · oath · Middle Ages · sovereign · feudal system · feudalism · king · duke · noble house · manorialism · manor system · landed nobility · ruler · count · throne · royal court · medieval
- chivalryknighthood, knights, chivalry, medieval knights, honor
- medieval knightsknight, knights, armor, sword, swords
- noblesbaron, baroness, count, countess, duke
- feudalismfief, vassal, fealty, homage, fiefdom
- feudal titlesbaron, baroness, count, countess, duke
- medieval governancefeudal hierarchy, vassalage, lordship, commons, royal authority