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Simple English definitions for legal terms
mesne lord
Read a random definition: Federal Judicial Code
A quick definition of mesne lord:
A mesne lord is a type of feudal lord who held land from a superior lord and stood between a tenant and the chief lord. This means that they were a landlord to someone who rented their land, but they themselves also had a landlord who owned the land they were renting. It's kind of like being a middleman between two people.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A feudal lord who held land from a superior lord and stood between a tenant and the chief lord.
In simpler terms, a mesne lord was a lord who owned land that was rented out to tenants, but they themselves were not the highest-ranking lord in the area.
Example: In medieval times, a mesne lord might have owned a large estate and rented out portions of it to farmers. However, the mesne lord themselves would have owed allegiance and paid taxes to a higher-ranking lord, such as a baron or duke.
This example illustrates how a mesne lord was a middleman between the tenant farmers and the highest-ranking lords in the feudal system.