When talking about Magna Carta, we note that commoners or peasants of the Middle Ages over time they benefited from it, but what was life like for these people until then? What were the living conditions of those who were not kings, noble or religious?
General Conditions of the Peasantry
The life of peasants in the Middle Ages was in stark contrast to that of the privileged classes such as the nobility and the clergy. Broadly speaking, peasants could be divided into two large groups: the free peasants and servantsThe former had a degree of freedom to make decisions about their lives, while the serfs were bound to the feudal lord and their fate depended on his consent. Most peasants worked the land and lived in villages tied to a feudal lord, to whom they owed not only their labor but also a portion of their harvests in the form of taxes such as the tithe. Although social differences existed between free peasants and serfs, both groups shared a life of intense labor and extremely humble living conditions that distinguished them from the privileged. Free peasants owned land, albeit limited, and had more autonomy. Serfs, on the other hand, were subjected to a form of near-slavery, with no freedom to move, marry, or change occupations. Their status was inherited from parents to children. Peasant life was also shaped by religion and the weather. The peasants looked to the sky both in a spiritual sense, hoping for divine protection, and in a practical sense, since the work in the fields depended on the agricultural calendar, governed by the seasons.
Their houses
The farmers People in the Middle Ages led difficult and often short lives. They lived very humbly in single-room huts with earthen floors. These structures, generally made of materials like mud and straw, were extremely rudimentary. The walls could be made of wood and mud, or in wealthier areas, of roughly hewn stone. The roof was covered with straw or reeds. Inside these houses, there was little furniture: wooden benches, straw cots, and a few earthenware pots or wooden jugs. Some didn’t even have chimneys, creating a cold and unhealthy environment, especially in winter. Families slept together in the same space to conserve body heat.
Meals
The peasants’ diet was very basic and sometimes insufficient to cover their nutritional needs. The main sources of food were cerealsGrains such as rye, millet, and oats were used to make bread. In addition, peasants ate vegetables from small gardens and products like eggs and milk, though only when these were available. carne Meat was a luxury to which very few peasants had access. It was usually reserved for special occasions such as weddings, religious festivals, or the slaughter of a pig. Instead of meat, the peasantry obtained protein from legumes such as peas, broad beans, and lentils. Bread, which represented about 70% of their diet, was often of low quality. It was made from poor grains, and in some cases, herbs or tree bark were added to increase its volume. Peasants also drank some homemade beer, especially on important occasions.
Life expectancy
Living more than 40 years was a rarity among medieval peasants.The harsh working conditions, lack of adequate nutrition, and appalling hygiene resulted in a very low life expectancy. Infectious diseases were common, exacerbated by a lack of medical knowledge and the use of rudimentary remedies that, in many cases, worsened the situation. One of the factors that most influenced the low life expectancy was the lack of hygienePersonal hygiene was very limited, restricted only to visible parts of the body, such as the hands and face. The proliferation of parasites, such as lice and fleas, was a constant problem. Peasants did not consider the lack of hygiene a problem, and instead of bathing, they tried to deal with the parasites in rudimentary ways, such as hiding in barrels to eliminate light and air. Diseases that today would be considered minor, such as respiratory infections or poorly healed wounds, were a death sentence in the Middle Ages. Doctors were few and their knowledge was completely inadequate for treating serious illnesses.
Work in the field
Peasant work during the Middle Ages was arduous and constant. The workday began at dawn and ended at sunset. Peasant families, including women and children, participated in the tasks of the fields. hombres They were responsible for the heavier tasks, such as plowing the land, harvesting or cutting down trees. On the other hand, the of They helped with farm work, in addition to domestic chores and childcare. The tools used were extremely rudimentary, which reduced the productivity of agricultural labor. Some examples of the tools used included wooden plows and sickles for harvesting. This low level of technology contributed to the constant difficulties in achieving sufficient harvests.
Taxes and obligations
Not only did peasants have to work hard on their land, but they also owed huge amounts of taxes to the feudal lords and the Church, which resulted in a significant reduction in the fruits of their labor. Apart from delivering crops, they also had to do free work for the feudal lord, such as working on his private lands:
- Tithe: tax that represented one tenth of production.
- Corvéa: compulsory work that peasants had to do on the lord’s lands.
Leisure and festivities
Although the life of the peasants was very hard, there were moments for the leisure primarily during religious festivals. These occasions were one of the few moments of relaxation, when peasants tried to emulate the grand banquets of the nobility, albeit adapted to their economic means. These celebrations, such as weddings or patron saint festivals, were true social events that included music, dancing, and, in some cases, rudimentary theatrical performances. For the peasants, these festivities were also a way to strengthen their community ties and share their reality with others who lived under the same harsh conditions. Despite the hardships and extremely harsh living conditions, Medieval peasants managed to remain the pillar of feudal society, driven by the need to survive and with hope for a better future that, in many cases, never came.