Ch 4: LIFE IN MEDIEVAL TOWNS
4.1 Introduction
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At the start of the middle ages most people lived in the country side
o Feudal manors
o Religious communities
Later, towns were growing up around castles and monasteries and long trade
routes
Almost all medieval towns were surrounded by thick stone walls for protection
o Unpaved streets
No garbage collection, so people threw their trash in the canals and ditches
o Very dirty and smelly
4.2 The Growth of Medieval Towns
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Towns began to grow dramatically
o One reason for their growth was improvements in agriculture
 Farmers were clearing forests and adopting better farming methods
 Surplus of crops to sell in town markets
o Another reason was trade
 Seaport towns like Venice and Genoa served as trading centers
with the east
 Venice was known for making glass
At the beginning, towns were generally part of the domain, the land controlled by
a ruler or lord, of a feudal lord
As towns grew wealthier, town dwellers began to resent the lord’s feudal rights
In some places, like France and Italy, violence broke out as towns struggled to
become independent
Many towns became independent by purchasing a royal charter, or written grant
of rights and privileges by a ruler or government to a community, class of people,
or organization
4.3 Guilds
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Both trade and production of goods were overseen by organizations called guilds,
which were organizations of people in the same craft or trade
o Merchant guild
o Craft guild
Guilds provided help and protection for the people doing a certain kind of work
o Controlled hours of work and set fair prices
o Punished members who cheated
o Used the money to take care of members and their families who were sick
and unable to work
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Starting around the age of 12, boys, and sometimes girls, became
apprentices, who are people who works for an expert in a trade or
craft in return for training
 Master agreed to house, feed, and train the apprentice
 At the end of 7 years, apprentices had to prove to the guild
that they had mastered their trade
o Produced a piece of work called “master piece”
 Often people became journeymen instead
o A person who has learned a particular trade or craft
but has not become an employer or master
4.4 Trade and Commerce
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What brought most people to towns was business and commerce, or the buying
and selling of goods
Most trade was in luxury goods towards the beginning, but by the end trade
became more common with everyday items such as food, clothing, and household
items
Most towns had a market, where food and local goods were bought and sold
o Great merchant fairs
 Goods at fair came from all over Europe
Merchant guilds came to dominate the business life of towns and cities
In Christian Europe, there was often prejudice against Jews who were descendants
of the ancient Hebrews, the founders of the religion of Judaism; also, any person
whose religion is Judaism
Most towns had Jewish communities
o Christians made it difficult for Jews to earn a living due to hostilities
o Jews became accountants, bankers, and moneylenders
4.5 Homes and Households
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Most of the houses were built out of wood and could be 4 stories high
Poor = one room, several families share a house, people worked where they lived
Wealthy = first level was the business, second level was where the family fathered
to eat and talk, and the third level was for slaves and apprentices
Rooms were smoky, dim, and old
o Source of heat was from the light
Half of the children died before they became adults
o Began preparing for the roles of an adult at age 7
Some boys and girls attended school, where they could read and write
o Most boys grew up to do the same thing has his father
o Most girls married young and were soon raising children of their own at
the age of 12
4.6. Disease and Medical Treatment
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Unhealthy living conditions in medieval towns led to the spread of many diseases
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o Leprosy- a skin and nerve disease that causes open sores on the body and
can lead to serious complications and death
Rats and fleas carried diseases
Common diseases that had no cure included measles, cholera, and scarlet fever
The most feared disease was bubonic plague, which was a deadly contagious
disease caused by bacteria and spread by fleas
When sickness struck, most people were treated in their own homes
Used herbs as medicine
4.7 Crime and Punishment
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Towns were noisy, crowded, and often unsafe
o Pickpockets and thieves were always on the lookout for travelers with
money in their pouches
 Had night watchmen
People accused of crimes were held in dirty, crowded jails
o Had to rely on friends and family to bring food or money
Accused had to pass a dangerous test to prove their innocence (trial by ordeal)
o Person who floated instead of drowning was considered guilty
In trial by combat, people had to fight for their innocent
Punishments were harsh
o Lesser crimes had lesser punishments
 Held in stocks or wooden jail cells
o Harsh crimes, people normally were murdered or burned to death
Soon, judges became part of the legal system through common law, which is a
body of rulings made by judges that become part of a nation’s legal system
4.8 Leisure and Entertainment
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Children played with toys such as wooden swords or hobbyhorses
o Played games like badminton or bowling
o Card games
Religious feasts and holidays
Animal baiting
o Dogs were set to torture innocent animals tied to a rope/ring
Fair days
o Jugglers, dancers, clowns, and minstrels, sing or recite poems to music
played on a harp or other instrument
 Costumes and dress-up
Performed mystery plays- a type of religious drama in the Middle Ages based on
stories of the Bible
o Noah’s Ark
Performed miracle plays which were a type of religious drama based on the
stories about saints
o Story of St. George who slew a dragon
Church eventually disapproved of the plays