The Life of the People

1. The Life of the People 14th and 15th century Europe

2. 14th c. Europe • 14th c. Europe was marked by much destruction • Plague, Hundred Years’ War • Led to frustration: crime, revolts • The parish church and marriage remained center of family life

3. Marriage Practices • Because peasants were illiterate (couldn’t read or write), little was known about their marriage practices • Historians believe that marriage was an important part of peasant life for economic reasons • Women were often pregnant on wedding day to assure the marriage would produce kids (kids helped make family money) • Marriages were commonly arranged if property was involved • Couple would be from the same village • Lord would be paid for the loss of the worker

4. Marriage Practices, cont. • Age • Women were young when they married (12-20 yrs) • Men were older (mid-late 20s); needed to prove their earning ability • Poor peasants: mid-late 20s

5. Prostitution • Prostitution rose with men marrying later • Brothels (houses of prostitution) became popular and common. • Legalized and policed by governments

6. Economic Factors • People married for economic factors rather than love • Economic factors determined whom and when you married • Men had to wait for their fathers to die to inherit property

7. Children and the Family Structure • Later marriage determined how many children a couple had • Emotional bonds would form in families with the support of the church • Divorce did not exist • Validity of marriage was crucial • Must have a witness • Annulments granted in rare cases

8. Parish Life • Parish: Your community church • The land and the parish was important in Medieval Europe • Priest blessed the fields/harvest • Guilds: Union of skilled workers in the parish • Offered job opportunities other than farming • Guilds tough to get into: required skill and was highly political

9. Parish Life, Cont. • Socialization • Criminal hangings • Animal blood sports • Drunkenness • Church members took control of maintaining the church buildings and social functions

10. Frustration Leads to Revolts • Noble (lord) abuses of peasants were common • Nobles wanted to maintain lavish lifestyle even if no money to do so • Fur Collar Crime: Nobles robbed and harassed the peasants • Stories like Robin Hood became popular during this time • The economic and social frustrations of the peasants would lead them to revolt against the nobles and social structure

11. Peasant Revolts • Peasants Revolts throughout Europe • Peasants were overly taxed to pay for Hundred Years’ War • Flanders, France, England • Jacquerie rebellion in France • Race Relations • To escape economic troubles, many Europeans migrated to new areas • Ethnic tensions rose in these areas as laws were not equally applied to all people; economic competition, etc.

12. Vernacular Literature • A variety of languages and dialects were spoken throughout Europe • Official documents and church services, however, might be provided in Latin • Many people did not understand Latin • Vernacular: language of the people • Authors like Dante, Chaucer, and Villion wrote in the vernacular and commented on Church/social/economic frustrations in their stories • Historians believe there was an increase in literacy of the laypeople (commoners) in the late 14th century • We have more written records • Society is shifting from oral traditions