Page 237 - Western Civilization A Brief History, Volume I To 1715 9th - Jackson J. Spielvogel

New agricultural practices that increased the food supply helped spur a commercial and urban revival that, accompanied by a rising population, created new dynamic elements in a formerly static society.
Townspeople themselves were often great enthusiasts for their new way of life. In the twelfth century, William Fitz-Stephen spoke of London as one of the noble cities of the world: “It is happy in the healthiness of its air, in the Christian religion, in the strength of its defenses, the nature of its site, the honor of its citizens, the modesty of its women; pleasant in sports; fruitful of noble men.” To Fitz- Stephen, London offered myriad opportunities and pleasures. Fairs and markets were held regularly, and “practically anything that man may need is brought daily not only into special places but even into the open squares.” Any man, according to Fitz-Stephen, “if he is healthy and not a good-for-nothing, may earn his living expenses and esteem according to his station.” Then, too, there were the happy inhabitants of the city: Where else has one “ever met such a wonderful show of people this side or the other side of the sea”? Sporting events and leisure activities were available in every season of the year: “In Easter holidays they fight battles on water.” In summer, “the youths are exercised in leaping, dancing, shooting, wrestling, casting the stone; the maidens dance as long as they can well see.” In winter, “when the great fen, or moor, which waters the walls of the city on the north side, is frozen, many young men play upon the ice; some, striding as wide as they may, do slide swiftly.”1 To Fitz-Stephen, “every convenience for human pleasure is known to be at hand” in London. One would hardly know from his cheerful description that medieval cities were overcrowded, smelled terrible from rotting garbage and raw sewage, and faced the constant challenges of epidemics and fires.
By the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, both the urban centers and the urban population of Europe were experiencing a dramatic expansion. New forms of cultural and intellectual expression also arose in this new urban world. Although European society in the High Middle Ages remained overwhelmingly agricultural, the growth of trade and cities along with the development of a money economy and new commercial practices and institutions constituted a veritable commercial revolution that affected most of Europe.
Land and People in the High Middle Ages
Q FOCUS QUESTIONS: What new agricultural practices arose in the High Middle Ages? What roles did peasants and aristocrats play in the civilization of the High Middle Ages?
In the early Middle Ages, Europe was a sparsely popu- lated expanse dotted with villages of farmers and war- riors and covered with forests, which provided building and heating materials and food in the form of game. The climate began to improve around 700 after centu- ries of wetter and colder conditions, but natural disas- ters remained a threat. Drought or too much rain could mean bad harvests, famine, and dietary deficiencies that made people susceptible to a wide range of dis- eases. Life expectancy remained low.
The period from 1000 to 1300 witnessed continued improvement in climate as a small rise in temperature made for longer and better growing seasons. At the same time, Europe experienced a dramatic increase in population, from 38.5 to 73.5 million people (see Table 9.1). This was physically evident in the growth
TABLE 9.1 Population Estimates (in millions), 1000 and 1340
AREA 1000 1340
Mediterranean
Greece and Balkans 5 6
Italy Iberia Total
5 10
7 9 17 25
Western and Central Europe
France and Low Countries 6 19
British Isles 2 5 Germany and Scandinavia 4 11.5
Total 12 35.5
Eastern Europe
Russia 6 8
Poland 2 3 Hungary 1.5 2
Total 9.5 13
Grand Total 38.5 73.5
SOURCE: J. C. Russell, The Control of Late Ancient and Medieval Population (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1985), p. 36. Demographic specialists caution that these are merely estimates. Some figures, especially those for eastern Europe, could be radically revised by new research.
Land and People in the High Middle Ages 199
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