Villein

A villein was like a special helper on a big farm called a manor. They weren't exactly slaves, but they couldn't just pack up and leave! They had to work for the boss of the farm, called the lord, and in return, they got to live on a piece of land and grow food for themselves. It was a bit like having a big chore list that you had to do every week!

Villeins were part of a system called feudalism, which was common a long, long time ago. Think of it like a pyramid, with the king at the top and lots of people below. Villeins were near the bottom. They weren't born into being a villein, but if you lived on certain land, you became one. It was a way for lords to get help on their farms without having to pay them money.

Villeins had to spend some of their time working in the lord's fields, planting seeds, harvesting crops, or taking care of animals. This was their 'rent' for the land they lived on. They also had their own small plots of land to farm for their families. It was a lot of hard work, from sunrise to sunset, just like many farmers today!

Yes! Sometimes, if a lord was happy with their work, they might let a villein become free. This was called 'manumission'. It was like getting a special pass to go wherever you wanted. In England, this system mostly disappeared around the year 1500, but in other places, like France, it lasted even longer, until 1789!