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Fidelity, allegiance. The feudal obligation of a vassal or tenant to the lord of the manor. An incident of feudal tenure; the obligation of fidelity. Under the feudal system, every owner of lands held them of some superior lord, from whom or from whose ancestors, the tenant had received them. By this connection the lord became bound to protect the tenant in the enjoyment of the land granted to him; and, on the other hand, the tenant was bound to be faithful to his lord, and defend him against all his enemies. This obligation was called fidelitas, or fealty.
- n. Fidelity to one's lord; the feudal obligation by which the tenant or vassal was bound to be faithful to his lord; the special oath by which this obligation was assumed; fidelity to a superior power, or to a government; loyalty. It is no longer the practice to exact the performance of fealty, as a feudal obligation. Fidelity; constancy; faithfulness, as of a friend to a friend, or of a wife to her husband. Fealty is distinguished from homage, which is an acknowledgment of tenure, while fealty implies an oath. See Homage.
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