A serf was an agricultural worker in medieval times. They were peasants who had been bound legally to the land by their lords. Serfdom (The system itself) originated in the 900’s, and was at its peak in the 1100 and 1200’s. In fact, the word serf comes from the Latin word servus, or slave. Serfdom lasted the longest in Russia. Serfs were basically the lowest class of people in Europe, the lowest form of servitude. Serfs were tied to their lord directly; their physical labor was as normal as any other major obligation. Serfs made up the main population of medieval Europe and were probably the most important part of the economy. Serf’s social and legal class was handed down. Also the serf’s freedom to make decisions was limited in a number of ways. Serfs had to ask the lord of the manor to marry a partner from off the manor. They also had to pay fines for inheritance, or for having children leave the manor, and for having a son leave to become a monk. Serfs had to pay to use the lord’s granary and bread oven and were charged for things such as using the lord’s stuff to carry their produce to the market. Because their lives and labor were legally bound to the land, serfs were included when that land was transferred to someone else. The only thing they had was their bodies, their clothes, belongings, houses, even tools belonged to the Lord of the manor. Even though pretty much the property of their lords, serfs, unlike slaves, did have some technical freedoms. There are points that indicate economic and social mobility among the serfs, a market for land between them, and the existence of a distinguished body of manorial customs that could protect and regulate serfs’ rights. Even so, wealth and unfree status could go together; economic opportunity was sometimes more important.