Medieval Glossary

Reeve

A royal or manorial official. See the term sheriff for a description of the 'shire reeve.' On a manor, the reeve would act as an administrator, similar to a seneschal, who was in charge of a manor's management and feudal functioning. Usually a serf or villein drawn from the tenants of the manor served in this position. The reeve would usually either be appointed by the lord or elected by the other tenants.

Related term(s): Manorial; Sheriff; Feudal; Seneschal; Serf; Villein
Category: Government and Law
Added: 09.05.04
Last modified: 03.07.05
Source information: Singman, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Medieval Europe. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999. 101.

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