In the feudal system, what was the demesne?

In the feudal system, the demesne was the lands and holdings that a liege lord controlled directly and used for his or her own needs. When you think of the feudal system, the first word that may come to mind is "delegation." Feudal lords controlled their realms by delegating to their vassals, granting them lands and titles of their own. But feudal lords kept some lands for themselves and these lands formed a lord's demesne. Every level of the feudal power structure could have its own demesne. From the king of England to the lowest English count, feudal lords maintained direct control over some lands and used them to build their own wealth and power.