History: manorialism

Manorialism extended the concept of feudal fiefdom's as a principal land owner, or Lord, was the overseer and master of a Manor. The Manor was the principal dwelling on the Lord's property or estate. The Lord had servants on the Manor known as serfs. The Lord was allowed to retain a modicum of governmental power in his Manor including the maintenance of a court and the enforcement of monopolistic power over the production of the serfs. The Manor was like a state within a state, and the lives of the serfs were dominated and controlled principally by the Lord's will alone.