Which system of land ownership is characterized by holding land free of any rent or service owed to the government?

The allodial system of land ownership is characterized by individuals holding land free of any rent or service owed to the government. This system grants complete ownership rights, allowing landowners to possess, use, transfer, and dispose of their land as they wish without any obligations to a higher authority or government entity. In other words, allodial ownership means that the land is owned outright, and there are no conditions attached to that ownership.

In contrast, the feudal system involves a hierarchy where land is held in exchange for services or obligations to a lord or the crown. Landownership in this system is never absolute, as vassals must provide various forms of service to the land’s overseer.

The leasehold system denotes a relationship where the tenant holds land but pays rent to a landlord, which is quite the opposite of the allodial system's rights. Lastly, common law encompasses a body of unwritten laws based on legal precedents established by the courts, rather than a specific system of land ownership. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the distinctive nature of the allodial system in terms of land sovereignty and independence from governmental claims.