What was social, economic and political life like in the Middle Ages?

That's a very complex question to answer simply. the majority of people lin the middle ages lived in the country, and lived by farming. gor rhe majority, farmland was rented from the local lord of the manor. farm land was either enclosed (people living in independent individualf farms) or it was the open field system (with peasants farming individual strips of open fields, working in cooperation with eqch other). in England for example both systems flourished in different parte of the country. Some peasants were free and some were serfs (villein was the more usual term in England). Serfs had certain restrictions on what they could do, they could not leave the manor without the lord's permission for instance. generally though, whether you were serf or free mattered less than how much land you held. A rich serf was a more important person in the village than a poor free man. the whole family would be involved in the running of the farm, with men doing most of the ploughing, digging etc, and women taking care of the poultry and the dairy, doing the butter and cheesemaking, brewing beer, taking care of livestock etc. the whole family would join in to bring in the family harvest, and the harvest of the lord of the manor.

about 20 percent of the population lived in towns, these were busy centres of trade and commerce, with many merchants, shops, worskshops etc. most tradesmen and craftsmen belonged to one of the guilds, whichset standards of workmandhip, trading pracitcrd, prices etc. they also looked after the welfare of guild members, providing pensions, sick pay, schools for the children, widows pensions etc. generally the ehole family would be involved in the running of a business, and widows often continued to run businesses after their husbands died. the town council was made up of guild masters, of whom one would be elected mayor.

The church was an important part of medieval life. most peiple went to Mass on sundays, and the more devout went on weekdays as well. the priest would hear confessions, visit the sick, distribute alms, give last rites to the dying etc. the priethood was open to people of all ranke, even a peasant boy might become a priest. monasteries cared for the sick and the old in their infirmaries, and educated children in their schools. monks and nuns copied out books, and in the early medieval era were the main producers of books (later there were commercial workshops producing books as demand for them grew). there were many church holidays which were celebrated throughout the year, with Christmas being the longest, lasting from Christmas day until Epiphany (6th january). People of all classes enjoyed going on pilgrimages to visit various saints shrines, for the good of their souls, and it was also an adventure.

The majority of people lived in the country and lived by agriculture. Most people were peasants who rented land from the lord of the manor, in return for labour service on the lord's own farm (demesne) or rent in cash or in produce. Most farming was on the open field system, where villagers farmed strips of land, some having more strips than others (the better off peasants tended to have a higher social status in the village), and using the three field crop rotation system, where one field grew wheat or barley etc, one peas and beans, one one lay fallow. Sheep were the most valuable animals, since they provided meat, wool (the wool trade was very important in England in the middle ages), milk (cheese was made from sheep's milk more often than cow's milk in those days), and fat, which was used in making soap etc. Men did most of the field work, women took care of the poultry and the dairy, made butter and cheese, preserved food for winter, brewed the ale, spun wool and flax into thread etc. the whole family helped bring in the harvest. Children usually began to help their parents when they were about seven years old. Various officials ran a medieval village,chosen from among the villagers themselves, with the head man being the Reeve, who was in

charge of the village finances.

Towns were very much smaller than they are now, and only about 20 percent of the population lived in towns, but they were busy centres of trade and commerce, with craftsmen and tradesmen and merchants of all kinds. Most tradesmen and craftsmen belonged to guilds, which set standards for craftsmanship and prices, oversaw the employment and treatment of apprentices and journeymen, and provided members with benefits like sick pay and pensions. Members of the most important guilds might become city aldermen, and would elect one of their number to be Mayor. Businesses were very often family affiars, with wives and children participating in the family trade, whatever it might be, and widows often ran businesses after their husbands died.

In town and country, the church was at the centre of community life. Everyone went to Mass on Sundays, and the year revolved around the holidays of the church, of which there were many. Christmas, which lasted thirteen days, from Christmas Day until Epiphany (January 6th) was the longest, other important holidays included Candlemass, Easter, Whitsun, St John's Eve (Midsummer) Lammas (August), Michaelmas (September) and All Saints Day (1st November). Wakes Day, a moveable feast in honour of the local parish saint, was different in different parishes. The church or cathedral was often also used for secular purposes, as it was usually the biggest local building. Churches might be used for meetings of the Manor Court, or a cathedral might be used for guild meetings. Churchyards were often used for parties and pageants. Monasteries provided education to children, especially those who were going into the church (even a peasant boy could become a priest), and care for the sick and the old, and gave alms to the poor. They also provided employment, since a lot of land was owned by monasteries, so tenant farmers might work for a monastery rather than a secular lord, and monasteries also employed many servants.

The feudal system, with serfs, sort of like a class system based around farming and village life.

There are many, many books written on these subjects. Ask your local librarian for suggestions.

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