vassal
noun
(in the feudal system) a person granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a lord or other superior; feudal tenant.
subvassal
-
a word derived from
vassal.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Suzerain is used to mean the direct lord and also an overlord separated by one or more degrees from a subvassal.
From An Introduction to the History of Western Europe by James Harvey Robinson
