Life in a Medieval Village
Simple History・7 minutes read
Medieval villages in Western Europe during the Middle Ages were rural, with peasants tied to the land they worked on for a lord, focusing on farming cereal crops and facing arduous daily life. The Black Death in the mid-14th century significantly affected village life, causing fewer peasants, higher wages, revolts, changes in social structure, and the decline of many villages by the 16th century.
Insights
- Peasants in medieval villages were tied to the land they lived on, toiling on fields near a lord's manor, paying rent, and focusing on cultivating crops and raising livestock for survival.
- The devastating impact of the Black Death in the 14th century caused significant shifts in medieval village life, including reduced peasant populations, increased wages, social unrest, altered power dynamics, and ultimately the decline of numerous villages by the 16th century.
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Recent questions
What was the main occupation of medieval villagers?
Farming
How did the Black Death impact medieval village life?
Reduced population, higher wages, social changes
What were the working hours of medieval villagers?
Sunrise to dusk
How were medieval villagers legally bound to the land?
Rent payment in exchange for living on lord's manor
What were the main crops cultivated by medieval villagers?
Wheat, barley, rye
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