Which statement best describes the seigneurial arrangement in rural areas, where land is rented to habitants and the seigneur provides infrastructure?

• A. Nobles rent land to farmers in exchange for crops, and must provide a mill and church
• B. Freehold property with no obligations
• C. Communal land with no landlords
• D. Peasants own the land and charge rent to nobles

Answer: (A)

Seigneurial arrangements in rural areas were a hierarchical system where land was owned by a seigneur (a noble) and rented to habitants (tenants) who work the land. The seigneur granted parcels to the habitant families and, in return, the tenants paid rents—often in crops—and performed certain duties. A key part of the system was the seigneur’s obligation to provide infrastructure that supported village life, such as a mill for grinding grain and a church for worship. This setup shows a clear landlord–tenant relationship: the noble supplies land and services, while the tenants cultivate the land and contribute dues. The other descriptions don’t fit because they describe scenarios with no landlord, or with peasants owning the land, or with land held communally.