Peasants and Landlords in Late Medieval England

by E.B. Fryde

For much of the Middle Ages the life of the rural peasant was one of restrictions, poverty, ogrous landlords, great discontent and unrest. In the later period, 14th century onwards, landlords began to lease much of their land, serfdom declined and peasants enjoyed a greater freedom of movement and employment, leading to the disruption of settlement patterns and population relocation. This book contains a selection of quite detailed studies, for example the Great Revolt of 1381 and its social and economic background, sheep and the wool industry in the Cotswolds, the Estates of the Bishops of Worcester c.1395-1436. These studies combine in elucidating the more general picture of relations between landlords/landowners and peasants in this period.

371 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996