Dominum directum Law and Legal Definition
Dominum Directum is a Latin term which means the right to do everything. The term is often used in connection with feudal law. It is the right of a sovereign to disposition a property. Dominum means domain or area of rule, and directum means directing as a leader.
Under feudal law, rights to all land were vested in the sovereign. The sovereign parceled out the lands to tenants who did military services for the king. The tenants again divided the land among inferior vassals who worked on the land.
The sovereign was the holder of dominum directum over the property. The property that a feudal lord holds will include buildings, trees, and all underground resources in the land. It would also include movable property. When a holder of dominum directum transfers the property to another person the right of dominum directum also transfers accordingly. The vassals in the land will only possess rights that the holder of dominum directum provides.
