Roles and Lifestyles of Aristocrats and Peasants During Medieval European Civilization

The majority of people in medieval Britain, both men and women, lived as farmers. Surely this was a life dominated by men at the time, with the heavy and physical work demanded in the fields? In fact, peasant life was very much about a partnership between husband and wife in raising a family and working the fields. At crucial times in the farming year, particularly harvesting seasons. Women worked alongside men in the fields.

The peasants were the lowest ranking social group in Russia. Some peasants owned tracks of land that they farmed, while others worked nobles’ land for money and food. Peasants had literally no rights under czarist rule. The nobles bought and

It has been claimed by some historians that since the peasants were not able to enjoy the knowledge, luxury and arts of the renaissance due to their poorness, therefore, they did not experience it. However, that is not true; even though they did not enjoy things like art and luxury, they did experience the renaissance, but just differently than other people. At the beginning of the 14th century –which became known later as the beginning of the renaissance- life in Europe was still medieval, by working on the land of the wealthy lords and devoting their lives for them, peasants were able to find food, homes and protection there. Nevertheless, peasants’ lives were hard, they work all day, their pay was barely enough to feed them and their families,

Peasants were members of the lowest class, those who work. They were the most common class. They were the millers, blacksmiths, butchers, carpenters, farmers, and other trades people. Peasant women in particular, spent much of their time taking care of children, making clothes, and cooking meals. They also tended gardens, took care of animals by tending chicken, shearing sheep, and milking cows (Cels 16). Within peasants, there were two main groups of people, the serfs and the freemen. Both were employed by the lords. And serfs were people that paid more fees, and had less rights. Freemen on the other hand paid less fees and had more rights than serfs (Noiret). While freemen could leave the manor when at whim, serfs were not allowed to leave

During the Middle Ages social class much different than modern day. In a feudal society “nobles were granted the use of land that legally belonged to the king,” (Doc. 1). The nobles, in return, would give the lord loyalty and military services (Doc. 1). As peasants or serfs worked for nobles and knights they received protection and a portion of the harvest to feed their families (Doc. 1).

In manorial villages the lords of the land would have vassals and serfs. A vassal was a voluntary obligation taken so the vassal would be cared for. Although once one became a vassal this obligation would follow through all the generations of the family. Serfs on the other hand

The Middle Ages, or Dark Ages, of the 15th century, established a policy regarding the practice of agriculture that later became known as feudalism. The monarchy bestowed vast tracts of land and an ennobling title to individuals who were tasked with keeping a functioning economy in their lands and maintaining a private militia for the protection of the realm and fiefdom they owned. These aristocrats allocated parcels of land to the serfs, or peasants, in exchange for complete rustic servitude and the privilege being allowed to live on that lord's land. Any crops or animals that were cultivated belonged to the realm and peasants were only permitted to keep a meager portion of their efforts. This archaic practice, established during the era

Feudalism provided security of the people of the Medieval Europe by working for nobles and knights to get protection in return. Also, “the peasants or serfs worked the land for the knights and nobles and in return they received protection and a portion of the harvest to feed to their families” (Doc. 1). This states that when serfs worked for nobles and knights, they

Everything in Medieval times everything was based on the Feudal System or the social class. It determined your rank, power, wealth,

Serfs created a steady food supply for their Manor.Peasants mostly farmed wheat and rye because that was a main source of food for people in the middle ages. They made wheat by scattering grain seeds in plowed soil then when it was golden, they collected it. They used the stems for multiple things and they put the grains in a granary to let it dry and protect it from mice. After it dried, it was beaten with wooden sticks to get the kernels out (Cels 11). This supplied villages with wheat and rye and created a lot of food to eat.Women serfs often had the job to carry the grain in bags to the lord's mill. Peasants made the grain into flour by putting it in between 2 flat stones in the lords mill.The wind powered the mill to make the dough. Once the grain became flower the peasants took it back but had to pay a fee in flour to the lord. If a peasant were to make there own dough in a hand powered mill, they would be fined (Cels 14). Peasants sometimes brought the dough or flour to the manor to make bread to sell. Same as the mill, they had to give the lord some of their bread. They could also be fined if they were caught baking bread at their house (Cels 14).This also created a steady food supply.

The upper class had high demands for serfs. Rebellions occurred because lords in the feudal system tried to continue impose the feudalism structure, which lead to the Peasant’s revolt. Through this, the laborers were able to demand better working conditions since the upper class was desperate for people to grow their crops. Those who were slaves gained power. Those who had their rights abused were able to stand up. “The peasants became slightly more empowered, and revolted when the aristocracy attempted to resist the changes brought about by the plague” (“1320: Section...”). The Peasant’s Revolt foreshadowed future labor unions. They wanted to have fairness and better treatment which started the end of feudalism. “This set Western Europe along the path of diverging classes” (“1320:

During the medieval period, the feudal system was the social structure of Medieval Europe. It classified the social statuses from monarchs, lords and bishops, knights and clergy, to peasants being the lowest class. Most of the pilgrims were knights. Knights that pilgrimaged were usually former crusaders or chivalrous men of numerous wars. During pilgrimages, knights usually took squires along with them as an act of chivalry (25). Another popular group of pilgrims was the clergy. The clergy contained clergywomen and clergymen. Clergywomen were usually nuns and clergymen were mostly monks and priests. (29). Members of the clergy were usually required to partake in pilgrimages since they were men and women of God. Aside from people of the higher classes, peasants were also a popular group during pilgrimages. Those pilgrims ranged from serfs, millers, freemen, plowmen, artisans, and farmers (Housley 656). In The Canterbury Tales, other types of peasants pilgrimaged. There was a reeve, a yeoman, and a cook (Chaucer 23). Artisans or guildsmen were people that were skilled in their jobs and supplied others with the products they mastered in creating. Besides millers, there were artisans who made tools that were useful for several activities like spoons and spoons for eating. Lastly, criminals usually went on pilgrimages for punishment including crimes like murder, incest, etc. (Housley 656).

The Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about ad 500 to about 1500. The Christian church played an important part in the history of the Middle Ages.

Monarchs owned the land and he would divide the land that he did not need up between the men who were called lords in return for loyalty to him in times of war. The lords enlisted soldiers who were called knights to be the fighting force in these wars. The lowest people in the feudal system were called peasants; these people farmed the land to provide food and provided other services for the kingdom in exchange for protection.

Life as a serf or peasant was not easy. Serfs were bound to their lord's land and required to do services for him. Although they could not be sold like slaves, they had no freedom (Ellis and Esler 219-244). Peasants farmed for the goods that the lord and his manor needed. They went through difficult hardship because of this. Peasants were heavily taxed and had to provide for themselves the goods that they needed (“The Middle Ages”). According to the medieval law, the peasants were not considered to 'belong to' themselves (“The Middle Ages”). Although serfs were peasants and had relatively the same duties and similar rights, what differentiated a peasant from a serf was that a peasant was not bound to the land (“The Middle Ages”). Peasants had no schooling and no knowledge of the outside world (Ellis and Esler 219-244). They rarely traveled more than a couple miles outside of their villages. All members of a peasant family, including children, tended crops, farmed, and did some sort of work to help out (Ellis and Esler 224). Very few peasants lived past the age of 35 because of hunger in the winter and the easy development and transmission of disease (Ellis and Esler 224).