In feudal law, a lord's own land that he controlled directly, as opposed to land held by tenants.
From Old French 'demein,' from Latin 'dominicus' (of a lord). The term came to English during the Norman Conquest (1066) with French feudal terminology. Related to modern English 'domain' which has broader meaning.
The demain was crucial to feudal economy—a lord's demain produced his food and wealth directly, while tenant lands produced rent and services. Interestingly, the size of demain shrunk over time as peasants bargained for more freedom, showing how ordinary people gradually eroded feudalism!
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