Germanic serfdom, Laat/Lazzi.

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Helgiteut
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Germanic serfdom, Laat/Lazzi.

Post by Helgiteut »

I haven't found any sources in English so far, but the serfs in the Germanic Lowlands were called Laat/Lazzi. Thought to be cognate with english "Let."
HJA [25] THAM THÉR SATON VPPA É.LANDA WRDON LÉTNE HÉTEN THRVCHDAM HJA MÉST AL VRLÉTEN LÉVADON.
those who lived on the islands were called ‘Lets’ or ‘lefts’, because they mostly
lived in very remote locations (‘left-behind’).
7a. Before the Bad Times

I know not whether these islanders would have become the Laat/Lazzi, as I doubt they would have had high populations. However I have a thoughts for where this class of serfs would have come from within the framework of the OLB. The stranded Lydians where also "left behind", because they could not get home.

#1. From the Lyda's men of Lydasburg and Alkmarum.
THÁ SÉIDE GOSA. HJA HÀVON THIN SALT PROVAD ÀND THIN BRÀD ÉTEN. HJARA LIF ÀND LÉVA HÀVON HJA VNDER JOW HOD STÀLAD. I MOSTE [10] JOW AJNE HIRTA BISÉKA. MEN IK WIL THI EN RÉD JEVA. HALD HJAM ALOND JOW WÀLDICH BISTE VMRA WITHER HONK TO FORA. MEN HALD HJAM BI JOW BURGUM THÉR BÛTA.

Gosa continued: ‘They have tasted your salt and eaten your bread. They placed themselves entirely under your care. You must search your own hearts, but this I will tell you: do not let them go until you can bring them back home, and keep them out of your burgs.
14b. Gosa: Expulsion of the Blacks

This seems to be the creation of a class below Fryas society, and could have lead to the Serf class.

AK SKIL ÀIDER BURCH HÀVA FIFTICH BVWARA [30] THRVCH THÀT FOLK AKÉREN. MEN THÉRTO
MÉI MÀN ALLÉNA JÉVA. SOKKA THÉR NAVT ABEL ÀND STORA FAR WÉRA NER TO BUTA FARAR SEND.
13.
Every burg shall also have fifty farmers chosen by the folk, but for that task
only those who are not able or sturdy enough for defense or seafaring may be put
forward.
2f. Frya’s Tex

Being a peasant among Fryas was based on whether or not one was healthy enough to be a warrior, if not, then agricultural work was provided as an occupation. These workers were in the burgs, however. Whereas the stranded Lydians would have to have found work outside the Burgs.
Brea, bûter en griene tsiis is goed Ingelsk en goed Frysk
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Nordic
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Re: Germanic serfdom, Laat/Lazzi.

Post by Nordic »

A somewhat similar name is present in Lombard or Langobard history of Paul the Deacon (source):
PaultheDeacon-HistoryoftheLangobards-p30.png
PaultheDeacon-HistoryoftheLangobards-p30.png (181.2 KiB) Viewed 1862 times
The Lombard foundation story is akin to that of Goths in sense of coming out of the Scandinavia island (many lands and regions used to be historically called 'islands' like e.g. Scandinavia, Finland).
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Helgiteut
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Re: Germanic serfdom, Laat/Lazzi.

Post by Helgiteut »

I realise now the word used in English sources is "lites"
Brea, bûter en griene tsiis is goed Ingelsk en goed Frysk
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Kraftr
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Re: Germanic serfdom, Laat/Lazzi.

Post by Kraftr »

A place near the Rhine called Latum
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lank-Latum
from this WIKI among other theories of the origin of it's name;
'Latum wird einmal abgeleitet vom „Heim der Laten“ (Niederlassung der einem Herrenhof zinspflichtigen halbfreien Bauern)'
Latum one time is deduced from "home of the Laten"(township of half'-free farmers tribute-obligated to a Lords court)
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