Life in the Late Middle Ages
More Farming & New Methods
-Warmer climate, farming in regions
previously too cold to grow crops.
• The Heavy Plow
• The Horse Collar
• The Three-Field System
– 2 out of 3 fields used…why?
Innovations increased food production
• Heavier plow needed
for the rich deep soil
of the Western River
Valley area
• Horse collar
• Twice as much land could be plowed in a day
using a horse rather than oxen
The horse played a vital role
• Three Field System
• More land is available for
planting increasing the
production of food
• Peasants have a
healthier diet and a
longer life span
• One field will lay fallow or
not planted
• Fallow field allows the
ground to retain and
renew its nutrients
• More Food leads to population growth.
• The Bourgeoisie is created.
• Trade Increased
• Trade Unions are created
• Town Fairs and Tournaments
Results of the increase in food production in
Western Europe
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A surplus of food to trade
An increase in the population
The rise of towns
Decline in feudalism
Medieval Walled Towns
The town was called a burgh.
The town dwellers were know as burghers
Merchant Guilds, such as the Hanseatic League also
controlled towns & trade routes
Guilds
• An association of
people who worked in
the same occupation.
• Merchants formed the
first guilds
• Merchant guilds
controlled all the trade
in a town
Medieval Guild Halls
• Guild members erected guild
halls where they met to make
rules and arrange the details
of their businesses
• Members of the merchant
guild controlled all the trade
in their town.
• Example: Only a member of
the local merchants guild
could sell Flemish wool in
their town
Craft Guilds
• Skilled artisans also
banned together to
create craft guilds
• Both husbands and
wives worked in the
family business
• Craft guilds also
trained new workers
Since most people could
not read, craftsmen used
signs to advertise their
specialty
Baker
Barber
Cobbler - Shoemaker
Tailor
How the Guild functions
• Each guild had their own standards of
quality dealing with the size, weight, and
price of an item
• Guild members who sold substandard
goods could be punished by the guild
• Each guild had a monopoly or exclusive
control of their product
Neck violin for feuding women
Bakers Baptism for selling under
weight bread
Training new workers
• Apprentice – person learning a craft, who also
lives with the master craftsman.
• Parents usually paid a fee to the master to train
their child
• An apprenticeship lasted for 3 to 12 years,
without pay except for room and board
• Apprentices were not rapidly promoted
Journeyman
• After the period of apprenticeship you
became a journeyman
• A journeyman is paid a daily wage
• A journeyman can become a master if
his “masterpiece” meets guild
standards
• If accepted, he can train apprentices,
hire journeyman, and open a shop
• As time went on, it became
increasingly difficult to become a
master.
Medieval Walled Towns
By 1200, towns were growing in population and gaining liberties.
Towns were independent of the feudal system.
Women’s roles change during the High Middle Ages
• The idea of romantic love
placed women on a
pedestal to be worshipped
• In the Early Middle Ages
many Queens participated
in ruling their kingdoms
• In the Late Middle Ages
Queens did not play a large
role in ruling kingdoms
• During the High Middle
Ages the role of women was
limited to the home and
convent
Marriage in the High Middle Ages
• Girls from noble families
usually married around age 16
to men in their 30’s – 50’s
• Young men could not marry
until had property of their own
• Girls had little choice of a
husband
• Women had their greatest
power and independence while
their husbands were away
fighting.
15th century clothing of the nobility
Medieval Fairs - Chartres
• Peasants came to sell their goods to the towns people
during the local fairs.
• The great fairs provided customers with goods such
as cloth, fur, iron, dyes, honey, oil, butter, fruit, wine,
etc. Some goods were from far away places.
• No longer was everything produced on the manor
• Fairs also provide entertainment.
The Moral of the Story
• Life becomes much safer and pleasant in
the Late Middle Ages.
• More food exists and with increased trade
and guilds there is less poverty and
starvation.