What was the Seigneurial system?

Answer 1

Characteristics

• A seigneury was granted to a seigneur.
• The seigneur was obliged to rent long lots (concessions) on his seigneury to tenant-farmers called censitaires (habitants).
• The lots were narrow rectangular tracts of land found perpendicular to a river allowing more settlers access to the river.
• The seigneur also built roads, a mill, an oven, and held a court to settle disputes.
• In return, the censitaires cleared their lots, paid rent as a portion of their income and in the form of food and produce (cens et rentes), worked 3 days a year without pay (corvée), and paid a tax (lods et ventes) if they sold their lots.