Land Succession In Medieval Society

The document being analyzed is a short excerpt from the manor court in medieval Europe which records the workings of a property dispute over the ownership of land that belonged to the deceased Alan Poleyn. This document reflects the importance in hierarchical succession in land rights, the role of minors in landownership, and the political schemes that went into acquiring land in medieval society. The document highlights the importance of family land succession in medieval society when “the whole township of Brightwaltham has sworn along with the whole township of Conholt say upon their oath that Huge Poleyn has better right to hold the said tenement than anyone else has, and that he is the next heir by right of blood” (Maitland, 1889).
Despite