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Simple English definitions for legal terms
wardship in chivalry
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A quick definition of wardship in chivalry:
Wardship in chivalry is when a knight is responsible for taking care of a child who has inherited land or property until they are old enough to manage it themselves. This was a common practice in medieval times and was part of the knight's duty as a tenant of the land.
A more thorough explanation:
Wardship in chivalry is a term used to describe the practice of a lord taking control of a minor's estate and person until they reach the age of majority. This was an incident to the tenure of knight-service, which was a type of feudal land tenure.
For example, if a knight who held land from a lord died leaving a minor heir, the lord would take control of the land and the minor's person until they reached the age of majority. During this time, the lord would have the right to collect the profits from the land and make decisions on behalf of the minor.
Another example would be if a knight owed a debt to a lord and died leaving a minor heir. The lord could take control of the land and the minor's person until the debt was paid off.
These examples illustrate how wardship in chivalry was used as a way for lords to maintain control over their lands and ensure that minors were properly cared for until they reached adulthood.