Peasantry

Definition

Peasantry refers to the social class of rural laborers, typically engaged in agriculture, who lived under the feudal system in medieval Europe. This class was primarily composed of serfs and free peasants who worked the land owned by lords and provided agricultural produce in exchange for protection and rights to work the land. The peasantry played a crucial role in the economy and society of medieval Europe, often bearing the burdens of taxes and labor while also forming the backbone of the agricultural sector.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Peasants were the largest social class in medieval Europe, making up about 90% of the population.
2. The majority of peasants were serfs, who had limited rights and were tied to their lord's estate.
3. Peasant life was characterized by hard labor, long hours, and subsistence farming, with families often struggling to meet their basic needs.
4. In exchange for their labor, peasants received protection from their lords and access to land for their own food production.
5. Over time, changes in agricultural practices and economic conditions led to shifts in the status and rights of peasants, contributing to the decline of feudalism.

Review Questions

• How did the role of peasantry shape the economic structures within medieval society?
  • Peasantry was central to the economic structures of medieval society as they provided the labor necessary for agricultural production. Their work enabled lords and nobility to sustain their estates and generate wealth. The economic interdependence between lords and peasants formed a crucial foundation for the feudal system, with peasants producing food that supported not only their own families but also the elite classes.
• Discuss how the existence of serfdom affected social mobility within the peasantry during medieval times.
  • Serfdom created a rigid social hierarchy that severely restricted social mobility for most peasants. Serfs were bound to the land they worked, which limited their ability to move freely or seek better opportunities elsewhere. This lack of mobility perpetuated poverty and made it difficult for serfs to improve their living conditions, contrasting with free peasants who had more rights and could potentially rise in status through land ownership or other means.
• Evaluate the impact of prolonged warfare on peasantry in medieval Europe, especially concerning economic conditions and societal changes.
  • Prolonged warfare had a significant impact on peasantry in medieval Europe by disrupting agricultural production and leading to higher taxes and demands from lords seeking to fund military campaigns. As conflicts ravaged farmlands and forced many peasants to flee, this resulted in food shortages and increased hardships for those left behind. Over time, such strains contributed to growing discontent among peasants, paving the way for uprisings and changes in social structure, ultimately influencing the decline of feudalism.

Related terms

Serfdom: A condition where peasants were bound to the land they worked, unable to leave without permission from their lord, and were subject to various obligations.

Fief: A piece of land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service, often cultivated by peasant labor.

Manorialism: An economic and social system that revolved around the manor, where the lord's estate functioned as the central unit of production, with peasants working the land.