The cause of medieval population-growth was mainly an increase in fertility, not a decline in mortality. After a long period of comparative stability and growing prosperity, women throughout Europe married at earlier ages and decided to have more children. The result was a medieval baby boom that began in the twelfth century and continued for many years.14 This medieval baby boom had important economic consequences. It changed the age-structure of the population. As long as it continued, a larger proportion were dependent children. Fewer were mature adults in the prime of their productive
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