Social Life During The Middle Ages

The medieval manor in the twelfth century was the domain of the lord and his occupants. The cultivable land suitable for farming was divided into a demesne, where the yields went to the lord, and a larger portion which went to the peasants. All the peasants worked in a group, they cooperated together to cultivate the crops. They all shared great harvests, as well as devastating disasters.. Land secured for farming was divided into strips held by individuals or families which were scattered throughout the manor, known as the open field system. In areas where soil quality permits high yields of crops, the cultivable land was divided into three lands. Each year, two of the fields are seeded and cultivated while the third lay empty to replenish its nutrition. Animal fertilizers such as chicken, sheep, and cattle manure, were very valuable and worked very well. Organic compost was also used as fertilizers. This whole system was efficient, and it helped the peasants cultivate the crops needed by the medieval manor.

Women played a significant role in the agricultural life of medieval society. They shared the back-breaking work of their husbands with the labor in the fields during harvest time. Lords of great estates commonly hired female laborers to tend gardens, shear sheep, and do common household chores, such as baking, cleaning, and laundry. Farm wives contributed to the family income by selling crops they grew in their house or garden. Women also played a huge role in the manufacturing of ale for the community market. Brewing was hard and dangerous work, it required carrying 12 gallons vats of hot liquid. 5 percent of women who died lost their lives in brewing accidents, falling into vats of boiling liquid. Women might have held considerable power within the family unit because they do the housework and contribute to their husband’s farm labors sometimes.

The Christian Religion had the greatest impact on the people of the medieval ages, it was predominant in virtually every aspect of their lives. The local church was the center of religious practices, where participation was a public and social duty. The important events of a Christian life mostly took place in or around the church. Many children got baptized in the church within hours of birth. Many wanted to be buried near the church next to the holy place at the end of their lives. A good wife tapped the sign of a cross on a loaf of bread before cutting it, before planting, the village priest sprinkled the fields with water to represent life and refreshment. One central principle of a medieval person's beliefs, was that after the end of their lives, they will be either rewarded or punished based on their actions in the living years. The worldview of medieval society at the time was that the Christian Religion was a social duty, it was taken very seriously, not one hour at church once a week, but rather every day.

The nobility strongly influenced all aspects of medieval culture, such as politics, religion, education, economics and art. The nobility continued to hold real social and political power in Europe down to the 19th century. The noblemen raised troops and commanded them on the battlefield. He made the political decisions that affected those around him, and he protected the citizens in times of attack. The social function of the noblemen, as churchmen described it, was to use the professional fighting skills to protect the citizens, the weak and the poor, and the churches by arms. Its characteristics as a class was to fight and protect, and they were encouraged to display chivalric values.

Medieval Monasteries were spiritual institutions which filled the social needs of the feudal nobility. The monasteries provided the noble children with a very honorable life and opportunities for good careers. Some men did become monks there, but most who became monks were given s child-oblates by their parents. Monasteries usually had lots of land to grow and sell their own crops. Monasteries were also big education centers, containing monks with knowledge to teach.