serfdom in Eastern Europe

Serfdom in Eastern Europe was a system where peasants, called serfs, were tied to the land and required to work for landowners, often in return for protection and a place to live. Serfs couldn't freely leave their estates and had limited rights, functioning almost like property of the landowners. This system was widespread from the Middle Ages until its gradual abolition in the 19th century. It kept many peasants in a cycle of dependence and limited economic mobility, shaping social and economic structures in the region for centuries.