Seigneurial Power Research Articles

Villein rents in thirteenth–century England: an analysis of the Hundred Rolls of 1279–1280

What factors played the principal role in determining the level of villein rents in thirteenth–century England? Historians have assumed three factors: economic and demographic forces, seigneurial power, and custom. This analysis of the Hundred Rolls of 1279–80 for Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire indicates that community custom was the most important factor. It is only on ecclesiastical estates in Huntingdonshire that seigneurial power had a decisive influence in imposing heavy labour services on villeins. Furthermore, since villeins were protected by custom, the level of their rents was usually lower than that of competitive freehold rents, which reflected market forces.

Saint-Denis, Les Guise Et Paris Sous La Ligue, 1588-1590

The royal abbey of Saint-Denis, where Henri IV was converted in July 1593, is the necropolis of the kings of France. Nevertheless, during the Ligue, a Catholic extremist movement, the monks of the abbey did not always support the king’s cause. In fact, until the cardinal of Guise’s murder, the abbey was held by the Lorraine family. But this state murder, which angered so many townspeople and corporation authorities, did not really move the monks. What is the meaning of the changing behavior of these monks, neither royalist nor guisard? This essay intends to provide an understanding of the reasons for commitment or noncommitment during the civil wars. Corporate identity, more than affinities or clientage links, explains the attitude of this clergy, which stood by its seigneurial power, highly symbolic treasure of sacred objects, and cleric ideal.

Les idées politiques paysannes : étude comparée des cahiers de doléances (1576-1789)

Les doléances rédigées pour servir à la réflexion des députés des États généraux constituent un corpus qui se prête admirablement à une analyse quantitative des motivations politiques. Pour les États de 1576, nous avons comparé les textes écrits dans les bailliages de Chartres et de Troyes et tiré des conclusions quant aux grandes tendances de l'opinion paysanne. Nous voulons renouveler l'expérience dans la même circonscription chartraine mais à deux siècles de distance, en mettant côte à côte les matériaux élaborés au temps des guerres de Religion et ceux fabriqués à la veille de la Révolution.