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

2.  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.

3. 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.

4.  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.

5. 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.

6.  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.

7.  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.

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

9.  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.