CARUCATE Meaning and
Definition
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Carucate is a term derived from medieval England, specifically from the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods, to describe a unit of land measurement. This term was used to determine the amount of land required to support a plow team or caruca – an essential agricultural tool during that period. A carucate was generally defined as the amount of land that a team of eight oxen could plow in a single season.
The term carucate has varied interpretations throughout history. In some regions, it was equivalent to approximately 120 acres, while in others, it amounted to around 100 acres. These variations were due to differences in local agricultural practices, soil types, and other contextual factors. Additionally, the size of a carucate could differ depending on the quality of the land – a richer soil might require less acreage to sustain a plow team.
The carucate held significant importance in medieval manorial systems. It served as a basis for determining land tenure, taxation, and the allocation of agricultural obligations among tenants. The ruling elite used the carucates to measure and apportion land grants, ensuring that the recipient could maintain a sustainable livelihood.
Although the term carucate is now outdated and rarely used, it remains historically significant in understanding the agricultural economy and landholding systems of medieval England. It provides valuable insights into the importance of plowing in medieval farming practices and its role in shaping feudal arrangements and land distribution.
Common Misspellings for CARUCATE
- xarucate
- varucate
- farucate
- darucate
- czrucate
- csrucate
- cwrucate
- cqrucate
- caeucate
- caducate
- cafucate
- catucate
- ca5ucate
- ca4ucate
- carycate
- carhcate
- carjcate
- caricate
- car8cate
Etymology of CARUCATE
The word "carucate" has its roots in medieval English and is derived from the Latin word "carucata" or "caruca". It ultimately comes from the Old English word "caruca", which referred to a plow.
In medieval England, a "carucate" was a unit of land measurement that represented the area that could be plowed by one plow team (a team of eight oxen) in a single year. It was used as a basis for assessing taxes and other feudal obligations.
The Latin word "caruca" has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱerh₂- or *ḱr̥h₂-, which means "to turn" or "to bend". This root ultimately gave rise to various words related to plowing and agriculture in several Indo-European languages.
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