Serfdom
Serfdom was a system of servitude prevalent in medieval Europe that emerged alongside feudalism, a socio-economic structure following the fall of the Roman Empire. Under this system, serfs were subsistence farmers who worked on land owned by local lords, and they were bound to the land, unable to leave without permission. In return for their labor, serfs provided a portion of their produce to their lords as rent and received protection, housing, and sustenance in return, although their rights were significantly limited compared to free individuals. Serfs could not own property and required their lord's consent for marriage or to take time off work.
The hierarchy among serfs included various levels, such as villeins, who worked within the lord's household, and half-villeins, who held a mix of responsibilities. As the Middle Ages progressed, economic changes and the growth of a trade-based economy led to a decline in serfdom. Events like the Black Plague reduced the labor force, allowing remaining laborers to negotiate better conditions. Resistance, exemplified by the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 in England, further contributed to the decline of serfdom. By the late 16th century, many European nations began to abolish serfdom, although it persisted in some areas, like Russia, until the 19th century.
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Serfdom
Serfdom refers to a condition of servitude in medieval Europe, usually in a feudal society, in which subsistence farmers known as serfs worked land that belonged to a local lord or landowner. Serfs were not allowed to leave their land without permission and were required to give much of what they produced to their lord as a form of rent. In exchange, the lord ensured that serfs were adequately housed, clothed, and safe from wars and raiding parties. Serfdom died out in Europe in response to societal unrest and economic pressure.
Background
Feudalism was a governmental and economical structure that rose after that fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century. When the Roman Empire controlled large portions of Europe, it functioned as a large, central, stabilizing power. After its fall, local warlords began to assert their own dominance over small swaths of land.
Some of these regional warlords were successful enough to establish themselves as kings. They controlled large portions of land, usually through military force. To support themselves, kings leased subsets of their territory to vassals. Vassals were high-ranking political figures who had sworn loyalty to the king. Vassals usually paid rent to the king and would fight for the kingdom in wartime. In Europe, these vassals often were minor lords, such as dukes, counts, or barons.
In many cases, the territories that vassals controlled were too much for them to manage on their own. In these circumstances, the vassals leased their territories to knights and other lower nobility. Knights controlled a small portion of land, paid rent to their lord, and fought with their lord in wartime. Vassals, knights, and other lower nobility did not work their own land. Instead, they allowed peasants to live on the land in exchange for vows of serfdom.
Feudalism declined when it became more profitable for the ruling class of Europe to move from a land-based economy to a trade-based economy. Both the Crusades and technological advancements opened new trading routes between the various European nations. Consequently, regional nobles' influence weakened until they were eventually replaced by centralized, national powers.
Overview
Serfdom began under the Roman Empire. The first serfs were most likely the children of Roman slaves. However, serfdom was not popular until the beginning of the Middle Ages. While serfs were not slaves, they had substantially fewer rights than other people.
Serfs were responsible for farming and maintaining a plot of land designated by their lord. Serfs did not own this land and were usually not allowed to own property of any kind. They lived on what they could grow and provide for themselves. The remainder was given to their lord as payment for living on that land. Serfs were not allowed to leave the estate, marry, or take days off without their lord's permission. They could be moved to a different area under the lord's control, without their consent, and be required to work that land instead. If land was leased or sold to another lord, the service of the local serfs was normally transferred with it.
To balance this, lords had a variety of responsibilities to their serfs. They were required to protect their serfs during wartime or from any raiding groups. Lords had to ensure that their serfs were adequately housed and fed. They could not require serfs to fight in their armies or work on Sundays or holy days.
All serfs were not equal in a feudal society. Some serfs were tasked only with farming. These serfs tended to be the poorest, living in huts with dirt floors and straw beds. They had the fewest rights among the local lord's subjects. Other serfs, called villeins, worked inside the local lord's home. They worked as cooks, maids, and general household servants. Villeins were allowed to rent small houses and had a quality of life closer to that of freemen. They were still required to pay their lord monthly rent and may still have been required to run a small farm to support their families. Some serfs, called half-villeins, were required to work in the lord's home in addition to owing the lord a set amount of produce. They were given fewer privileges than full villeins but still lived better than the average serf.
Toward the end of the Middle Ages, free peasant workers had begun to increase in number. By the end of the thirteenth century, many free peasants owned small amounts of land. As national and international trade began to grow, strictly feudal areas became economically weaker than those with healthy populations of free peasant workers. Over time, serfs became free laborers.
England was one of the first nations to formally abolish serfdom. The black plague had greatly reduced the number of available peasant laborers, giving those remaining increased bargaining power. They negotiated for significantly better treatment from the landowners.
The Peasants' Revolt of 1381 also expedited the process. Peasants throughout England marched on London, demanding that all workers be made free and that the institution of serfdom be abolished. They burned down buildings, destroyed the homes of government officials, and promised to continue attacking until their demands were met.
Although the revolt was defeated by King Richard II, it brought a great deal of attention to the serfs' demands. From that point forward, the use of serfdom in Britain began to decline. Fewer laborers willingly signed themselves into serfdom, and use of free workers rose dramatically. In 1571, Queen Elizabeth I officially freed all remaining serfs. Many nations, including France and Scotland, quickly followed suit. In Russia and a number of other European nations, serfdom lasted well into the nineteenth century.
Bibliography
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