Serfs In The Middle Ages

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

Controlled With Guns Guns give people power. They have much more power than humans, guns are a better fighting tool and better protection. Until the extent of not using it to protect, but to purposely hurt someone else.

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).

During the Middle and Dark ages, a lord or baron of a fief owned all the land and loaned it out to peasants or vassals, who either paid a high rent, surrendered crops, or did services in return. The baron then put forward protection in case of an attack. The system failed for a lack of the baron's stable mindset, the ability for people to rise socially, and meager security for peasants. First, for the feudal system to work, the baron needed wisdom and no greed. While some barons possessed those qualities and set rent at a reasonable rate, most lusted after money and were uncaring.

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

Have you ever felt that you were not treated well even after all the hard work that you’ve done? Peasants and serfs in medieval times definitely did. Working every day except Sunday, paying high taxes and farming all of their own food for little to no pay was grueling work, and the peasants were certainly not excited about it. The peasant class were workers in medieval times who worked on fields, created all of their own possessions, and fed themselves. Serfs, who are apart of the peasant class, were men, women, and children who were bound to their lord’s land and spent their time working for the lord and providing for them.

Landowners called lords built castles. They gave land to followers called knights. In return, the lords called on their knights to defend them in battle. People called serfs or peasants actually farmed the land. Serfs were not much better off than slaves.

When most people think of the Middle Ages or medieval times, they think of grand castles, fearless knights, menacing kings, dashing lords, elegant ladies, and the acclaimed act of chivalry. However, there is a lot more to this prominent age than most people may think. According to the document, Feudalism and the Manorialism by Onondaga Central School Community, the manorial system of the time by which vassals pledged their loyalty and military support to their lords in return for this land is truly one to rave about! The lords who owned land split it and gave portions of land to the vassals. In return, these vassals had to pledge for their lords and offer help to them in times of need.

The number of slaves that worked on the land declined in the High Middle Ages. The slaves that remained would live with the wealthier peasant families, or the lords. The peasants who were more rural in Western Europe were known as serfs. The distinction between the serfs and slaves have not always been clear.

Peasants and serfs were the poor people of the Middle Ages. They did not have many rights and if they lived in the manor the lord could tax whatever he wanted. Peasants lived a pretty hard life, they wake up early eat a small breakfast and they go to the fields all day. They would get home with very little to eat and there is nearly no bathing. They lived in small huts that usually had one or two rooms.

Serfs had difficult, demanding lives in the MIddle Ages. First, they had horrible rags as clothes. Could you imagine!!!!! They probably looked like dishonored people and they were. The boys would wear dress like robes while the were doing there work/job. Also, serfs worked for the lord. They had to ask the lord to get married and if their child could have a differet job then them.

The people of the Medieval Ages were split into social classes, under the Feudal System, which at the top was the king, followed by his lords and barons, and then the peasants. The king lived in his castle with other members of royalty and wealth, and he assigned lords or barons to control parts of the kingdom. The castle was then surrounded by the villages and farms, where the peasants lived and did their work. As many could tell, this Feudal System was separated by the wealth of the individual, and

Serfs played a major role in a medieval manor. Serfs did most of the work in this time period. In the beginning of the 1100’s, serfs were used for farming and they were able to farm more land, because there was an increase in improved farming tools (Cels 8). 90% of the population of serfs, participated in farming, the other 10% would produce goods or perform other types of labor (Hunt 18). If you were a serf, you had many requirements and expectations. Serfs had to work

This feudal system had multiple ranks consisting of the King, the Crown, the Church, Barons, Knights, Freeman and Serfs. So what was it life like for serfs in the middle ages? Serfs were at the very bottom of the feudal system and they were subject to the Barons that controlled them. These serfs were effectively slaves, as they were not allowed to run away.

A noble, or lord, was in control of his manor. The manor was the heart of feudal economy (Ellis and Esler 222). A manor often consisted of the castle, a church, a village, and