Final answer:
Serfs could not leave the manor without permission, as they were bound to the land under the manorial system. After emancipation in Russia, serfs faced other challenges, but the system of being tied to the land was abolished.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of the manorial system during the Middle Ages, serfs were not permitted to leave the manor without the lord's permission. Serfs were unfree laborers tied to the land, obligated to provide labor and goods to their lord. They were an integral part of the feudal society, contributing to agricultural work and maintenance of the estate. The relationship between serfs and their lords was governed by the customs and laws of the time, which largely restricted the mobility of serfs, binding them to their lord's land.
Despite being the largest class in European society, serfs had very limited rights and freedoms and could face physical abuse. Post-emancipation in Russia, however, once serfs were released from their obligatory service to their lords, the situation did not improve drastically. Though emancipated, serfs still faced significant challenges such as high purchasing prices for the land they had worked on and a lack of land allocation for domestic serfs.