Middle Ages Sustainability
Medieval French manuscript representing the three classes of medieval society
The Clergy, Knights, and Peasants.
This was a system based on Feudalism and Manorialism (Le livres dou Sante, 13th century)
Coutesy Wkimedia Commons
Author unknown Accessed 12 May 2017
Introduction – Middle Ages Sustainability
Sustainability is a concept that has existed long before it became a popular buzzword in the modern world. In fact, practices of sustainability can be traced back to the European Middle Ages, a period that lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. During this time, people lived more closely connected to the natural world, and their survival depended on their ability to sustain resources for the long term.
The Middle Ages were a time of great upheaval and change in Europe, marked by wars, famines, and plagues. Despite these challenges, medieval society developed a number of sustainable practices that helped people adapt to their environment and ensure their survival. These practices were rooted in a deep knowledge of the natural world and a respect for the balance of ecosystems.
One of the most important aspects of sustainability in the Middle Ages was agriculture. Medieval farmers relied on traditional methods of farming that emphasized the importance of preserving the land for future generations. Crop rotation, for example, was a common practice that allowed farmers to maintain soil fertility by planting different crops in the same field each year. This helped prevent the depletion of nutrients in the soil and ensured a reliable food supply.
Medieval farmers also practiced organic farming methods, using natural fertilizers such as animal manure and compost to enrich the soil. They understood the importance of biodiversity in agriculture, planting a variety of crops to protect against crop failure and pests. This diversity also helped maintain healthy ecosystems by providing habitats for a wide range of plant and animal species.
In addition to sustainable farming practices, medieval society also developed a number of other sustainable technologies. Water management was a key concern in a world where access to clean water was often scarce. Medieval engineers built intricate irrigation systems to bring water to their fields, using aqueducts, canals, and water wheels to harness the power of rivers and streams. These systems not only helped farmers irrigate their crops, but also provided water for drinking and sanitation.
Forestry was another important aspect of sustainability in the Middle Ages. Wood was a vital resource for building materials, fuel, and heating, but medieval society recognized the importance of managing forests responsibly. Forest laws were enacted to protect trees and wildlife, ensuring that forests were not overexploited. The concept of sustainable forestry was rooted in the belief that forests were a common good that should be managed for the benefit of all.
Sustainability was also evident in the way medieval society approached waste management. Recycling and reusing materials was common practice, with items such as glass, metal, and cloth being collected, repaired, and repurposed rather than discarded. Waste was often used as a valuable resource, with organic waste being composted to fertilize crops and animal manure being used as fuel.
The concept of sustainability in the Middle Ages was not just limited to environmental practices, but also extended to social and economic aspects of society. Guilds, for example, were associations of craftsmen and tradesmen that regulated their industries and ensured fair wages and working conditions. These organizations promoted sustainability by encouraging local production, reducing waste, and supporting small-scale, artisanal businesses.
Overall, sustainability was a fundamental aspect of medieval society, rooted in a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of humans and the natural world. While the challenges faced by medieval society were different from those of the modern world, the principles of sustainability that they developed are still relevant today. By learning from the practices of the past, we can continue to build a more sustainable future for ourselves and for future generations.
Economic domain
By 1300 Britain had an integrated rural economy with about 1500 market towns, 10 million sheep and an annual production of about 40,000 sacks of wool (p. 37) The Black Death produced a shortage of labour and therefore a rise in wages an general standard of living although somewhat eroded by the war with France. This new empowerment of the peasants was tackled by legislation in 1349 and 1351 to kep wages down and prevent labour moving to the highest bidder. In 1363 sumptuary laws attempted to maintain class distinctions through the enforcement of dress codes, one of many factors leading to the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 which involved various sectors of society hampered by perceived unnecessary regulation but triggered by a Poll Tax.Food
In general it is likely the diet, like the standard of living in general, was an improvement of that in Roman times. In 1066 the staples were bread made from wheat, or from rye in wetter regions while barley was used in brewing. Periods of meat fasting encouraged fishing and the construction of weirs. The cinq ports sent out herring fleets.Environmental domain
Climate
A Middle Age warm period from 900-1200, the Medieval Warm Period, resulted in vibrant agricultural sector and the growing of grapes in the south, this being followed by the Little Ice Age which lasted from approximately 1300 to 1850 and, combined with famine and disease ended a Middle Age period of prosperity.Urbanization
Population
The population of England in 1050 was about 2.5 million (p. 21) increasing to about 2.7 million in 1041 and 6 million in 1300 just before the Black Death. By far the majority of people (c. 90%) still lived on the land. In 1066 London was by far the largest town in the country with a population of about 15,000, the nearest second-tier towns numbering 5,000-10,000. 1100 c.1.5-2 million expanding to 5.4 to 7.2 million in 1300, then with the Black Death and economic decline reducing to about 3.5 to 4 million by the late 1300s.[10]Land & landscape
In general villages were part of the manorial estate and consisted of a church and housing surrounded by strip farms beyond which was common land used for grazing and woodland. Population increase prior to te Great Plague in 1348 and its demand for increased land use led to the draining of marsh and fen. Mounds, humps and furrows across the English landscape are th eremains of ancient deserted medieval village (DMV), the crofts and tofts, many of which date to the period of the Plague.Forestry, agriculture, horticulture
Through the period 600-800 cereal farming increased but production remained the same until its rapid resurgence in the period 1500-1750. Farms averaged about 30 acres but by 1500 this had grown to about 300 acres. Poor harvests in 1314 were followed by we t weather and years of cattle and sheep disease from 1319-1321 leading to widespread starvation and genera ldeath rate of about 15% in the years leading up to the Great Plague of 1348.Animals & plants
Water, energy, materials, food, biodiversity & ecologyEcosystem services
Social domain
Life expectancy was about 35 years for men and 25 for women, many dying in childbirth.Social organization
From 800-1000 the hierarchical organization of society included a slave class amounting to about 10% of the population as victims of war. The Doomesday Book records that between 1066 and 1086 4,500 Anglo-Saxon aristocrats were replaced by about 180 Norman barons. Below thee in the social heurarchy were about 1400 landowners, mostly, Norman and below these about 6,000, mainly Anglo-Saxon, sub-tenants. The keeping of records improved greatly through the 12-13th centuries giving a picture of the role of crafts and industries mostly as employees of the Lord of the Manor and including smiths, carpenters, tilers, masons. From 1280-1340 there is the more general addition of surnames based on trade, to the former single-word name,, partly in response to the need for distinguishing people in record systems. Country life centred around the manorial estate which had its own law courts. Law 1160-1216 royal Common Law arose. Education & learning Literature Medicinal literature included Bald’s Leechbok (c. 900-925) and Lacnunga (c. 1010) written in Old English and containing a mix of charms and herbal remedies, also translations of Dioscorides’s Materia Medica dating from c. 1000. science & technology WagesProperty
In Britain women could own and deal in property. Finance & taxation Coinage Labour Commerce & trade Major resources Mining & manufacture Some iron and coal mining. Engineering & construction Motte and bailey and ringwork castles were eventually replaced as, from the 12th century, society became more integrated and stone buildings became much more common. Norman architecture remained evident in the magnificent churches and cathedrals. Transport & communicationRenaissance
The Renaissance was not only period of intellectual re-birth it was also a time of economic development as, from 1460-1550 an underground mining boom was needed to provide for the needs of the age: iron for military and farming equipment, silver and gold for coins. Based in Central Europe smelting and refining techniques were improved along with the machinery of mining – its pumps, water-wheels, and crushers. However the initial surge in activity in Europe stalled with the discovery and importation of metals from the New World. Key points COMMENTARY & Sustainability AnalysisMEDIEVAL PERIOD
Early Middle Ages - 400-1000
High Middle Ages - 1000-1300
Late Middle Ages - 1300-1500
BRITISH MONARCHS
SAXON - 802-1066
DANE (Viking) = D
Egbert - 802-839 - Wessex
Æthelwulf - 839-856
Æthelbald - 856-860
Æthelbert - 860-866
Æthelred I - 866-871
Alfred-the-Great - 871-899
Edward the Elder - 899-924
Athelstan - 924-939
Ælfweard - 924
Edmund I the Elder - 939-946
Eadred - 946-955
Eadwig the All Fair - 955-959
Edgar I - the Peaceful - 959-975
Edward the Martyr - 975-978
Æthelred II - Unready - 978-1013
Sweyn I Forkbeard - 1013-1014D
Æthelred II Unready - 1014-1016
Edmund Ironside - 1016
Canute the Great 1016-1035 - D
Harold Harefoot - 1035-1040 - D
Harthacanute - 1040-1042 - D
Edward t'e Confessor 1042-1066
Harold II - 1066
Edgar Ætheling - 1066
NORMAN - 1066-1154
William I - 1066-1087
William II - 1087-1100
Henry I – 1100-1135
Stephen of Blois – 1135-1154
PLANTAGENET - 1154-1485
Henry II – 1154-1189
Richard I Lionheart – 1189-1199
John Lackland – 1199-1216
Henry III – 1216-1272
Edw' I Longshanks – 1272-1307
Edw' II of Carnarvon - 1307-1327
Edward III – 1327-1377
Richard II – 1377-1399
Henry IV – 1399-1413
Henry V – 1413-1422
Henry VI – 1422-1461
Edward IV - 1461-1483
Edward V - 1483
Richard III - 1483-1485
TUDOR - 1485-1603
Henry VII – 1485-1505
Henry VIII – 1509-1547
Edward VI – 1547-1553
Lady Jane Grey/Dudley – 1553
Mary I/Mary Tudor – 1553-1558
Elizabeth I – 1558-1603
STUART - 1603-1714
James I – 1603-1625
Charles I - 1625-1649
Civil War – 1642-1651
Commonwealth - 1649-1653
Protectorate – 1653-1659
Charles II – 1660-1685
James II (VII Scotl'd) -1685-1688
Mary & William - 1688-1694
William of Orange – 1694-1702
Anne – 1702-1714
HANOVER - 1714-1901
George 1 – 1714-1727
George II – 1727-1760
George III – 1760-1820
George IV – 1820-1830
William IV – 1830-1837
Victoria – 1837-1901
SAXE-COB' GOTHA 1901-1910
Edward VII - 1901-1910
WINDSOR – 1910->
George V – 1910-1936
Edward VIII – 1936
George VI – 1936-1952
Elizabeth II – 1953->
UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIONS
Bologna – 1088
Oxford – c. 1096
Salamanca - 1134
Paris – 1160
Cambridge – 1209
Padua – 1222
Naples – 1224
Siena – 1240
Montpelier - 1289
Lisbon – 1290
Coimbra – 1290
Madrid - 1293
Rome – 1303
Perugia – 1308
Florence – 1321
Pisa – 1343
Prague – 1348
Vienna - 1365
St Andrews - 1410
Glasgow – 1451
Aberdeen - 1495
