Main duty of vassal

A vassal's main duty was to be the assistant, or second in command, to whomever their direct feudal lord was. Because they had so many responsibilities, vassals in the Middle Ages were given more authority and lands. Another important duty of a vassal was to attend to his feudal lord during court. May 24, 2012

The word vassal is believed to have been derived from the Medieval Latin term vassallus, the Roman and Latin term vassus, meaning servant, and the Celtic and Welsh term gwas, which means a young man who is a servant or feudal tenant.

Vassals in the Middle ages were those who held the land, called a fief, and owed service and allegiance to the lord who granted them that land. The vassal was usually a knight or a baron, but could also be a member of the clergy or a trusted member of nobility. Vassals in the Middle Ages were an integral part of feudalism, which was the system of government throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.