Polish And English Peasants In The Late Medieval And Early Modern Periods: A Comparative View

Abstract

This chapter compares some selected aspects of the life of Polish and English peasants at the turn of the Middle Ages and the early modern period. These include: social structure, legal position, size of holdings, overall economic situation, and diet. English peasants in the late Middle Ages were divided into several categories based on property right and personal freedom. The social and legal status of Polish and English peasants did not differ very much. All Polish peasants had the right to appeal to state courts and, at least theoretically, were guaranteed legal protection and the help of a solicitor. In England there was a great diversity in the size of peasant holdings. Looking at the problem of the size of holdings in England in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, it can be seen that the number and importance of self-sufficient holdings increased at that time. Keywords: early modern period; economic situation; English peasants; legal position; Middle Ages; Polish peasants; size of holdings; social structure