WELCOME THEWARLORDS HOMEPAGE

Life in the Middle Ages was harsh, uncertain, and often dangerous. For safety and for defense, people formed small communities around a central lord or master. Most people lived on a manor, which consisted of the castle, the church, the village, and the surrounding farm land. These manors were isolated, with occasional visits from peddlers, pilgrims on their way to the Crusades, or soldiers from other fiefdoms. The king awarded land grants or "fiefs" to his most important nobles, his barons, and his bishops, in return for their contribution of soldiers for the king's armies. The lowest of society were the peasants, also called "serfs" or "villeins." In exchange for living and working on his land, known as the "demesne," the lord offered his peasants protection. Peasants worked the land and produced the goods that the lord and his manor needed. This exchange was not without hardship for the serfs. They were heavily taxed and were required to relinquish much of what they harvested. The peasants did not even "belong to" themselves, according to medieval law. The lords, in close association with the church, assumed the roles of judges in carrying out the laws of the manor. Women, whether they were nobles or peasants, held a difficult position in society. They were largely confined to household tasks such as cooking, baking bread, sewing, weaving, and spinning. They also hunted for food and fought in battles, learning to use weapons to defend their homes and castles. Some medieval women held other occupations. Most medieval homes were cold, damp, and dark. Many peasant families ate, slept, and spent time together in very small quarters, rarely more than one or two rooms. The houses had thatched roofs and were easily destroyed. Church leaders such as bishops and archbishops sat on the king's council and played leading roles in government. The village priest tended to the sick and, if he was able, taught Latin and the Bible to the youth of the village. As the populations of medieval towns and cities increased, hygienic conditions worsened, leading to a vast array of health problems. Medical knowledge was limited. People believed, for example, that disease was spread by bad odors. It was also assumed that diseases of the body resulted from sins of the soul. An act of waris a matter of life and death, a road to safety or ruin.

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