In the Middle Ages, a casalis or casale (Medieval Latin and Italian; Old French and Old Spanish casal), plural casalia (casali, casales), was "a cluster of houses in a rural setting".[1] The word is not classical Latin, but derives from the Latin word casa, meaning "house". The term originated in western Europe and was also employed in the Crusader states. Depending on the situation, the terms feudum, villa and locum suburbanum could by synonyms.[1] The word casale came into use in the eighth century to refer to an isolated rural tenement or demesne.[2]