By: Gracie Sala Rogelio Rojas Wilfredo Ramirez How Dark were the Dark Ages?

 Peasants and Serfs lived as the lowest echelon of society in Europe in the Middle Ages.  They were extremely important to the Feudal system that existed during that time.  Serfs lived with Manorailism  They had to pay high taxes, either in the form of money, or the goods they produced.  Most Peasants and Serfs were farmers or craftsmen.

The Peasants worked for a local Lord, the ruler of the Manor and their protector. They normally worked as either a Farmer or a Craftsman The Peasants would stay on the manor because war was everywhere and the Manor Lord and Vassals offered protection. The Farmers would work in a sharecropping system. The Craftsman would pay the Manor Lord for the “right to use” his land with his crafts.

 Serfs were bound to the Manor.  If a new Lord or Vassal took control of the Manor, the Serfs worked for them now.  They were NOT slaves- they could not be bought or sold  Serfs did most of the same work as the Peasants, they often had to pay larger taxes though.  Serfs could not leave the manor without permission- Peasants could. They had fewer possessions than Peasants  Serfs were mainly found in Western Europe.

Most Peasants ate balanced meals Most Peasants lived a balanced lifestyle, with their protection from the never- ending wars provided by the Local Lords. During the early Middle ages, in the Byzantine Empire the Peasants lived good lives, rarely hungry.

 Most Serfs, especially in Western Europe, lived harsh lives. They worked hard and had to pay the most taxes to the Vassal.  Their quality of life was poor.  They were not allowed to leave the Manor Grounds without permission.  They could buy their freedom, but they never had any other place to go.

 The peasantry was never reduced to serfdom like in Western Europe.  In the early middle ages the Peasants did pay large taxes, especially in rural areas, but in general their lives were better than their Western Counterparts.  Towards the end of the Middle Ages the quality of life in the Byzantine Empire slowly declined.

Clothing in late Middle Ages Clothing in early Middle Ages Painting by Bruegel

 For peasants and commoners, the Dark Ages were a very dark time indeed. They had very harsh work for very low pay. The money they do make is taken by the local Lords as taxation.