Where to begin with this? Let me try... /1 
1. Worked fewer hours? Perhaps, on average, but they were at the beck and call of their feudal overlords, whose requirements took precedence over their own.
They were also employed doing dangerous, arfduous work, with little support if they were injured.
They were also employed doing dangerous, arfduous work, with little support if they were injured.
2. Longer vacations? Oh yeah, massive amounts of feast days, etc, but those feast days - with all kinds of festivities and/or observances - took a hell of a lot of work - cooking, preparation, travel, etc.
Better be at church too. The lot of you.
Better be at church too. The lot of you.
3. Had more sex? Arguable. In many peasant dwellings families slept in extremely close proximity, separated by a sheet, if not all in the same bed.
Now they might have been cool with banging with the kids tucked in at the foot of the bed, but you?
Now they might have been cool with banging with the kids tucked in at the foot of the bed, but you?
Also, two more points:
1. You really going to feel like a little action after between ten and fourteen hours work in fields, regardless of your health?
2. Primitive birth control and a significantly raised instance of infant mortality are kind of libido killers.
1. You really going to feel like a little action after between ten and fourteen hours work in fields, regardless of your health?
2. Primitive birth control and a significantly raised instance of infant mortality are kind of libido killers.
4. Had a bigger house? Don't know where you're getting that from.
Anyway, peasant dwellings were often constructed with wattle & daub - literally consisting of shit.
There was no chimney, reeds on the floor and hell, it reeked - sometimes your animals joined you in there.
Anyway, peasant dwellings were often constructed with wattle & daub - literally consisting of shit.
There was no chimney, reeds on the floor and hell, it reeked - sometimes your animals joined you in there.
5. Had more testosterone? WTF?
Even so, having more 'T' means exactly nothing if your main concerns are continuance of food supply, protection from raiders, and the final destination of your soul.
You won't have time to lift, bro!
Even so, having more 'T' means exactly nothing if your main concerns are continuance of food supply, protection from raiders, and the final destination of your soul.
You won't have time to lift, bro!
6. Ate better food?
They were at the mercy of what they had - spoiled grain lead to ergot poisoning and similar, unrefrigerated meat carried parasites and disease.
The bread they made ground their teeth down, with grit from milling - medieval skulls bear this out!
They were at the mercy of what they had - spoiled grain lead to ergot poisoning and similar, unrefrigerated meat carried parasites and disease.
The bread they made ground their teeth down, with grit from milling - medieval skulls bear this out!
7. Paid less taxes?
Peasants often had to rent land in money, or kind (produce). They then often had to offer 10% of their produce to the church. That adds up to a considerable sum.
They were also often required to work without pay either on the land of their lord, or church.
Peasants often had to rent land in money, or kind (produce). They then often had to offer 10% of their produce to the church. That adds up to a considerable sum.
They were also often required to work without pay either on the land of their lord, or church.
Go find one of the tithe barns across England, usually adjacent to abbeys, and you'll see just how much these institutions skimmed off the peasantry.
8. Rarely saw their boss?
Perhaps, especially if they were crusading, or slaughtering their rival's peasants (fair game).
'Prima noctae' might be a myth, but your boss could do whatever he wanted, with little repercussion - including maiming and killing.
Perhaps, especially if they were crusading, or slaughtering their rival's peasants (fair game).
'Prima noctae' might be a myth, but your boss could do whatever he wanted, with little repercussion - including maiming and killing.
9. Okay, I'll give you 'crazy harvest festivals'. That they did.
10. Never heard of feminism?
Sorry to break it to you, but medieval European history is full of instances both of women having surprisingly advanced rights in certain areas, but also triumphing over patriarchal structures - there's a whole thread in that!
Sorry to break it to you, but medieval European history is full of instances both of women having surprisingly advanced rights in certain areas, but also triumphing over patriarchal structures - there's a whole thread in that!
Look, bro, @johnsolomonbain, I know the modern world makes your dingus pucker, and women terrify you, but you (and I) would last five minutes in the medieval period as a peasant, before you were begging to come home.
Go talk to academic historians.
This ain't it, m'lud. /FIN
Go talk to academic historians.
This ain't it, m'lud. /FIN
I don't have a SoundCloud, but I recently moved countries, and that's hideously expensive, so if you're feeling generous, you can kick me a buck or two on Ko-Fi...
...or don't, that's perfectly fine.
Enjoy your weekend. :)
ko-fi.com/mikestuchbery
...or don't, that's perfectly fine.
Enjoy your weekend. :)
ko-fi.com/mikestuchbery
