A peasant farmer bound to work on a lord's estate and unable to leave without permission, forming the bottom tier of medieval feudal society.
From Latin 'servus' meaning 'slave,' though serfs had more rights than slaves, including the right to marry and own some property. The term evolved through Old French 'serf' to distinguish this status from complete slavery.
Serfs were 'tied to the land' in a system that was simultaneously oppressive and protective—they couldn't leave, but they also couldn't be evicted! This created stable rural communities that lasted for generations, and many serfs actually lived better than urban poor because they had guaranteed food and shelter, even if they lacked freedom.
Medieval feudalism bound both men and women to land, but historical records disproportionately document male serfs' obligations. Female serfs faced compounded exploitation: labor duties plus reproductive coercion and sexual vulnerability to landlords—largely absent from formal records.
When discussing serfdom, explicitly acknowledge gender dimensions: women's dual exploitation, restricted mobility, enforced childbearing, and sexual coercion. Avoid default-male framing of feudal systems.
Women serfs' resistance and economic contributions (textile production, food preservation, trade) are historically underrecorded compared to male agricultural labor.
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