Middle Ages Regents Practice

The term that refers to the annual tax paid by serfs to their lords is rent. In the feudal system, serfs were typically bound to the land they worked, and in exchange for the protection and land usage provided by their lords, they were required to pay rent. This rent could take various forms, including a portion of the crops they harvested, labor on the lord's lands, or other services that contributed to the lord's estate.

Tribute generally refers to a payment made by one state or authority to another as a sign of dependence or submission, which does not accurately describe the typical transaction between lords and serfs. Tithe is a specific term that denotes a religious obligation to pay one-tenth of a person's income to a church, and while important, it does not capture the broader economic relationship of serfs and their lords. A feudal levy pertains to military service or obligations owed to a lord rather than a recurring tax. Therefore, rent is the correct term for the financial obligations of serfs in the feudal system.