A fief (/fiːf/; Latin: feudum) was the central element of feudalism. It consisted of heritable property or rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty (or "in fee") in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the personal ceremonies of homage and fealty.

How did fiefs work?

fief, in European feudal society, a vassal's source of income, held from his lord in exchange for services. The fief normally consisted of land to which a number of unfree peasants were attached and was supposed to be sufficient to support the vassal and to secure his knight service for the lord. ...

How do people pay for fiefs?

Under the feudal contract, the lord had the duty to provide the fief for his vassal, to protect him, and to do him justice in his court. ... Examples of incidents are relief, a tax paid when a fief was transferred to an heir or alienated by the vassal, and scutage, a tax paid in lieu of military service.