Conversation so far:
What is the historical and geographical distribution?
The term is most often used with reference to medieval Western Europe.
Where did this originate?
Antecedents of the system can be traced to the rural economy of the later Roman Empire (Dominate).
Why was this plan implemented?
CANNOTANSWER.
What was the expected outcome of this distribution?
Several factors conspired to merge the status of former slaves and former free farmers into a dependent class of such coloni.
Who was the ruler during these distributions?
CANNOTANSWER.

Question: What is an important fact about this distribution?
Self-contained rewrite: What is an important fact about historical and geographical distribution?