A system of required unpaid labor that feudal peasants had to perform for their lord, usually for a certain number of days per year.
From Old French 'corvée,' derived from Latin 'corbata' (related to 'corvus,' crow). The term emerged in medieval English to describe the feudal obligation, especially in France and England.
Corvée laws were so brutal that they actually sparked peasant rebellions—the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 in England was partly about refusing excessive corvée demands, showing how a single unfair labor system can topple kingdoms.
Corvée (medieval labor tax) was historically enforced on peasants, with women's domestic corvée (spinning, water-hauling, textile work) systematically uncompensated and unrecognized as 'real' work compared to male labor conscription.
Use 'corvée' in historical context neutrally, but acknowledge when describing labor systems that women's unpaid obligations were distinct, more extensive, and often rendered invisible in economic records.
["compulsory labor","labor obligation","feudal obligation"]
Feminist economic historians documented how corvée analysis traditionally ignored women's forced domestic service; recognizing gendered corvée reveals how feudal systems extracted labor from women without formal acknowledgment.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.