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What services did a vassal owe to a lord?

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feudalism Detail from the *Heidelberger Sachsenspiegel* showing the homage ceremony, in which the vassals put themselves under the protection of their lords by placing their hands between his hands, 14th century; in the Universitatsbibliothek, Heidelberg, Germany.

In feudal society, a vassal was bound by a contract to provide specific services to their lord in exchange for a fief. These obligations generally fell into three primary categories:

Military Service: Often referred to as knight service, this included participating in wars or expeditions, providing escort services, or guarding the lord’s castle. The standard duration for such service was typically 40 days per year.1
Judicial and Administrative Duties: Vassals were expected to assist the lord in the governance and legal administration of his court.2
Financial Obligations: Vassals owed various "incomes" known as feudal incidents. These included relief, a payment made when a fief was transferred to an heir, and scutage, which was a tax paid as a substitute for military service.21

Central to this relationship was the duty of fealty, a pledge of loyalty. A failure to uphold these duties was considered a felony, a serious breach of the feudal contract.2