Introduction to the Medieval World: Class 18
Class 18: Secular Society: Aristocratic Cultures and Peasant
Life
Assigned Reading:
Topics: The Aristocracy.
Chivalry. Political Power. Literature. Chaucer. Peasant life.
Diet. Mortality. The Manor. Variety of patterns.
I. Aristocracies - Basic Nature
A. Meaning of Aristocracy in Middle Ages
Aristocracy and Nobility
Birth, Titles, Power, Class
B. A Military Class
Basis for aristocracy's existence.
Their provision of military power to higher powers.
Their wielding it on their own behalf.
C. A Land-holding Class
Almost all European aristocracies develop out of power
and wealth gained from owning land.
In France this, of course, had been connected with
Feudalism, which in ninth-tenth centuries had involved
both a system of power relationships/obligations among
the feudal lords and a conflation of public and private
power. This was not the case everywhere. But due to the
cultural and political impact of France that impact of
that model was felt across Europe
D. Levels within the Aristocracy
Magnates - in Spain rijos hombres
Sub-lords
Knights
E. Changes in middle ages modulated the meaning of both
military power and land holding. But the aristocracy
remained.
II. Effect of Commercial Revolution on Aristocracy
A. Commercialization of Life - Money reintroduced
Money as root of evils
[Importance of Avarice as a sin to medieval moralists -
replaces Pride as worst of seven deadly sins.]
-But as root of a more advanced economy.
-Knight service replaced by scutage in England by late
12th century.
B. Availability of goods
Luxury good become available - Spices,
Silk, or even good woolen cloth, Wine
Aristocracies are a consuming class. Old self-sufficiency
was not appropriate to their status.
C. Governments need money
In early middle ages no distinction between a monarchs
private income and public expenditure.
It was possible to run a state on that.
Government did very little.
As society becomes commercialized, money becomes more
important.
How do governments get money. Not through feudalism.
-They impose tariffs
-But not enough - need special taxes on income.
Leads to calling of assembly.
No taxation without consent, not as a principle but
as a practicality
D. Urban Oligarchies
Within towns a distinct class structure
Based on master Merchants.
In Italy bankers especially become prominent
III. Varieties of European Aristocracy
How did all this impact on the European Aristocracy.
- in terms of power
- in terms of wealth
- in terms of culture
Hollister talks of the aristocracy. Strictly speaking this
is in accurate. There were distinctions based on country.
A. Aristocracies and Political Power
Two way movement
1. Development of Councils into Parliaments
Tradition of King's Councils
2. Centralization of Power
B. Wealth
Landed wealth was not liquid. Peasants might pay in kind
or by labor service.
To gain liquidity two methods
-selling surplus produce
-converting services to rents
Which was most profitable depended on general economic
conditions [which no-one understood]
Aristocrats tended to chronically overspend for
cultural reasons.
C. France
1. Developments already discussed in N. France
a. Castles
b. Lineage
2. South France - a distinct culture.
Remained independent minded
Albigensian Crusade
3. Rising Power of French Kings.
Philip Augustus 1180-1223
Louis IX - 1226-1270
Philip IV the Fair 1285-1314
Use of Roman Law - King is emperor in own kingdom.
Piecemeal acquisition of territory stopped any
national council emerging. but Estates General 1302.
Aristocracy loses power in politics. But not
in all areas. Lack of National consciousness in
France. Until 100 years war.
D. England
1. The conquest
Centralization
2. Power of Henry I and Henry II
Noble rebellions under Stephen
Destruction of Castles
3. England - Parliament
Magna Carta 1215 - feudal and constitutional
Barons Revolt 1265 - Simon de Montfort
Barons, + reps from towns and shires.
Edward I (1272-1307. used them to raise money.
Regular Parliaments in early 14th century
E. Spain/Castile and Leon
1. Built up piecemeal
2. Alfonso X
Cortes
Towns and Nobles
F. Germany
Ministrales - servants of Emperor
Emergence of real feudalism in late 12th and
13th centuries
G. Italy
Landed aristocracy important - but often moved into
towns. Some towns dominated by Aristocrats - Rome, Milan,
Ferrara. In others the oligarchy comes to dominate.
IV. Aristocratic Families
A. Basic aim was to preserve family power.
B. Lineage emphasized primogeniture.
Problem of younger sons disbursing family
property.
C. Strategy of having few children - common to aristocracies.
But aristocrats subject to same mortality pressures
as everyone else:
-high infant mortality
-chance of disease and accident.
D. Problems
1. Heiresses
2. Families die out
-no British title goes back before 1265.
E. Class Mobility
There is movement into aristocracy from below.
V. Military Changes
Mounted shock combat troops
Advent of the infantry - Long bow, Crossbow
Most explicit in 14th and 15 th centuries
VI. Aristocratic Culture
Concentrating on France here.
Although nature of position in society changed, aristocrats
develop a culture which in many ways looks back to the
good old days.
Childish aspect of aristocratic culture - in comp. with
Church and Urban cultures. But Aristocratic mores still
dominant - see folk tales.
A. Distinguish from Clerical culture and popular culture
-Reading ability. spreads gradually
B. Chivalry
-emphasizes military nature of aristocracy
-Theory of knighthood
Christian dubbing ceremony
-elaboration of manners
-Vassalage
-Underside - Ransoms - for money
C. Sport - Hunting, Hawking/Falconry, Tournaments
D. Evolution of Sweaty baron to courtly lord.
VII. Literature
Latin and Vernacular
A. Epic - Song of Roland
Martial Spirit.
Crusade literature?
B. Troubadour Lyric
Love and Marriage
C. Romance - Arthur
Convergence of Lyric and Epic
D. Courtly Love
Andreas Capellanus
VIII Life on the Land
i. Introduction
A. Village and Manor formation in 9th and 10th
centuries already discussed. [Go over]
Village - unit of Work
Manor - unit of jurisdiction
B. Myths of changelessness and sameness.
ii. Change 1050-1350
A. Causes of Change [Q&A]
1. Population
Expansion -
effects - amount of production
- Value of labor
2. Expansion of resources
-Internal (assorting. - Swamps & Forests
-done by peasants - due to population growth
-done by landlords to enhance their own lands to
produce salable goods - the exchange economy
-External - Spain & Germany
All leads to surplus
3. Commercial Revolution
Commercialization of Economy
-Peasants can sell for money
-Tax collectors want money
-Lords want money
4. Limits to Growth might kick in.
1200-1350 - little ice age
B. Twelfth Century
1. Expansion
-of area farmed and of Europe in General
-out paces population expansion.
2. Slaves and Serfs
Slaves die out in Carolingian period
-how to maintain an legal status when there is
no real concept of law.
-People simple `forget' the distinction
The word `servus'.
Serfs become tenants
3. Labor shortage
Preventing Peasants leaving - migration
- Spain, Germany, Towns
Enhance position on village
-give up labor service
-commutation to money rents
[flip side of commercial revolution's effect on
aristocracy]
4. Demesne Farming less in 12th century
5. Emergence of a free peasantry in many
areas.
C. Thirteenth Century
1. Population growth began to outstripped land
availability
Effects on Rural Life
-made labor cheaper
-new beginning of farming demenes intensively
-Landlords need money also for extraordinary
taxation
2. Legal consciousness
-Refer Bologna and canon Law
-England and origins of Common Law
Custom into law
-Harder to evade old obligation
-some people get stuck in categories
3. landless laborers -
some evidence that in England people
were prepared to give up freedom for land.
D. Summary
11th and 12th century
- population and land expansion
- profits peasants and Lords
13th century
-population growth continues but with new effects. It
decreases the relative value of labor
14th century - A Malthusian crisis?
iii. Village Life
A. The Manor
Law
-Beadle - police official
-Bailiff - runs manor courts
-Pledging/Frankpledge
Reeves - elected by fellows. Always a villein.
allocates labor
B. Physical Lay Out
See handout
C. Church
1. Clergy
2. Tithes
3. Feasts
D. Monasteries and Monastic Landlords
-Opened up new areas
-stricter in enforcing obligation on peasants
iv. Peasant Life
This is necessarily schematic.
A. Variety of Patterns
Myth of sameness across Europe
1. Northern Europe
-grain based cultivation
Manor and Village
-Varieties - fishing
- sheep farming - hill farms
- regional specialization
-Hops
-Grapes
2. Southern Europe
-Grain and Olives
-Not the same spread of manorial system
-Varieties - Fishing
- Sheep - Transhumance
B. Daily Life
- basically North European and English Evidence
[Discuss why so much information comes from England
-Survival of sources - no major revolution or wars
-English language historical writing
-The lecturer is English
-does all this lead to a bias?]
Pre-dawn breakfast - black bread and ale
Work and marriage
Outside work - largely male
-plowing
-Harvesting
-trapping
Inside Work - largely female
-kitchen garden
-animal maintenance
-repair
-cooking
C. Fees for lords tools - mill etc.,
D. Housing - Thatch and timber
One or two rooms, No furniture
Animals in the House
Beds - shared
E. Nuclear and extended families
F. Problems
Nature - drought, flooding, famine,
disease of humans, animals
and crops [remember when we discuss religion]
G. Mortality
1. Mortality - 2/3 before age 10
1/3 in first year
2. Disease
-no doctors, aspirin, flea powder, lice killer
3. Effects of War
4. Diet
a. Causes of Change
Slow spread of tools - iron
Three field system
b. Grain - Wheat, Rye, Spelt
c. Peas and beans
d. Meat, Rabbits, Pigs
e. Effects of New Diet - tentative
Women live longer than men now - a change
-iron rich vegetables eaten now
-women need more iron - pregnancy,
menstruation all use blood
-women need 2x as much as men
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