The word fief typically refers to an estate of land, or to a person’s sphere of control. There are no categorical antonyms for this word.

Feudalism is a system of land ownership and duties. It was used in the Middle Ages. With feudalism, all the land in a kingdom was the king’s. However, the king would give some of the land to the lords or nobles who fought for him, called vassals.

What is another word for fief?

in European feudal society

Fief-holding was the practice granting land to a vassal by the lord in return for loyalty and military services. Manorialism was the economic system under feudalism. It was based on manor – the agricultural land operated by lord and worked by peasants.

An example of a fief is a legal practice the Middle Ages where society was built on relationships and classes. An example of a fief is a piece of land that is entrusted to someone for their use and the use of their heirs. An estate held of a superior on condition of military service.

As nouns the difference between manor and fief is that manor is a landed estate while fief is an estate held of a superior on condition of military service.

about 1000-1500 square miles

A lord is just any nobility or someone with some sort of authority. A King is in charge of a kingdom. An Emperor is in charge of an empire which is made up of many kingdoms, lands, countries, whatever. An Emperor is the head of state of an empire, which is a sort of meta-government controlling multiple countries.

They would have as much as 500–1000 professional troops with the ability to call up an additional 2,000 men at arms. They could also call on their counts in the Dutchy to raise their troops and join their Duke in battle.

Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Often, barons hold their fief – their lands and income – directly from the monarch. Barons are less often the vassals of other nobles.

Baron and Baroness

1. In speech. Formally addressed as ‘Lord Bombast’ and ‘Lady Bombast’. If a woman is a Baroness in their own right (e.g. women life peers) they are addressed as for the wife of a Baron.
2. In writing – formally. My Lord.
3. In writing – less formally. My Lord.
4. In writing – socially. Dear Lord Bombast or Dear Bombast.

The sons and daughters of a Baron have the title of Honourable written Hon before their first names. So Baron Smith son would be Hon John Smith and his daughter would be Hon Joanna Smith. The same rule applies to the sons and daughters of a viscount. All the children sons and daughters have the title of Lord or Lady.

In some contexts, courtesy title is used to mean the more general concept of a title or honorific such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Miss, Sir, and Madam.

Most earls almost always hold the title of viscount, so their eldest son is known as a viscount. For example, Earl Spencer is also Viscount Althorp, so his son is known as Viscount/Lord Althorp. These are called courtesy titles.