ALLODIUM

ALLODIUM, Allodii, Allodus, or Alluen, Land held of a Man’s own Right. —Hollandus explains Allodium to be "Predium, seu quaevis possessio libera jurisque proprii & non in Feudum Cliente lari onere accepta." See ALLODII. After the Conquest of the Gauls, the Lands were divided in two manners, viz. into Benefices, Beneficia; and Allodial. Benefices consisted in Lands given by the King to his Officers and Soldiers; either for Life, or for a Time fixed. See BENEFICE. Allodes, or Alleuds, were such Lands as were left in Property to the ancient Possessors—The 62d Title of the Salic Law, is, De Allodis; where the Word signifies Hereditary Lands, or those derived from a Man’s Ancestors. Whence Allodium and Patrimonium are frequently used indiscriminately. See PATRIMONY. In the ancient Capitulars of Charlemagne and his Successors, we find Allode constantly opposed to Fee; but, toward the Period of the second Race of Kings, it lost the Prerogative; the Feudal Lords obliging the Proprietors of Allodial Lands to hold of them for the future. The same Change also happened in Germany, etc. See TENURE. The Usurpation of the Feudal Lords over the Allodial Lands, went so far, that they were almost all either subjected to them, or converted into Fees: Whence the Maxim, Nulla Terra sine Domino, No Land without a Lord. The Origin of the Word is infinitely controverted. Cassineneuve says, it is almost as obscure as the Head of the Nile, Few of the European Languages, but one Etymologist or other has derived it from.

ALLODIUM