odalism

See also: Odalism

English

Etymology

odal +‎ -ism

Noun

odalism (uncountable)

1. (historical) A system of heritable freehold property rights to odal land.
   • 1859, David Balfour, Oppressions of the Sixteenth Century in the Islands of Orkney and Zetland: From Original Documents:

     But the King's sagacity had found the pear not ripe — Odalism was sick, but not dead — the project was deferred, and no open attempt was renewed to feudalize the Islands for another generation.

   • 1861 June 22, David Balfour, “Odal Rights and Feudal Wrongs: a Memorial for Orkney”, in The Athenaeum, page 828:

     Odalism had this peculiarity: that by whatever means the primal occupant obtained his lands, these descended, free of all service, to his descendants. But we could never understand why an Odaller, who rested on such right alone, should complain if his neighbour, coveting his vineyard, should, by the strong hand, oust him from his allodium.

   • 1887, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland:

     I therefore pass by the long tale of oppression in the islands under Scottish rule, the subversion of the native laws, the imposition of the feudal system upon the odalism of the north, the appropriation of the greater part of the land by adventurers from Scotland; in short, the ruin of the native race.

Anagrams

• amidols, disomal, lamoids, misload, osalmid