Making a Living in the Middle Ages Book Review

The People of Britain, 850 – 1520 by Christopher Dyer

Mar 30, 2009

A wide-ranging survey of commercial life in Britain, from the Viking era, through to the sixteenth century.

Making a Living in the Middle Ages is an entertaining and readable look at what life was like for those who had to earn a living during the medieval era. Men and women, lords and peasants, knights and gentry are all included, with plenty of information on how the medieval economy operated.

The Economy in the Middle Ages

Part One of the book is divided into three sections; Living on the Land c850 – c1050, Crisis and New Directions c850 – c1050 and Conquest c1050 – c1100. The author examines how the early medieval economy operated and how far this economy depended on agriculture rather than trade, and then explores the effect the Viking invasions and later, the Norman Conquest, had on the established economy, including its coinage, trade and laws.

Dyer vividly describes how frightening and destabilising the Viking raids were and how the Vikings gradually integrated into society, making their mark by changing the names of already-established settlements.

Lords and Peasants in Medieval Times

Part Two, Expansion and Crisis, c1100 – c1350 explores the landholding classes and how they interacted with other classes, including peasants, townspeople and knights. There is a section on medieval peasants, which has plenty of information on how they lived, where they traded and what opportunities were available to them.

Using examples from original source material, Dyer shows how prices and land values changed throughout the period, with dramatic changes during times of crisis such as the Black Death. Following such natural disasters, those who remained could often find themselves more in demand by employers and able to command higher wages and better living conditions.

The Black Death and its Aftermath

Section Three offers a fascinating and authoritative look at how the British economy fared following the Black Death. Dyer shows how the disease affected the population, as it moved north through Britain’s towns and villages, wiping out whole communities and leaving severe problems for those who survived.

The author shows the frightening problems which these survivors had to overcome, matters such as how to dispose of the huge numbers of dead bodies, how to carry on with trades and industries with huge numbers of the workforce missing and how to help those left shocked and traumatised by what had occurred.

Summary

This is a highly enjoyable and educational look at the medieval economy and the author handles his subject matter in an authoritative yet entertaining way. He uses original source material to bring the subject to life, using interesting facts and figures to illustrate the constantly changing state of the economy in the Middle Ages.

At a time when interest in the economy is at its height, this is an interesting look at how Britain’s economy operated centuries ago which leaves the wondering how much things have really changed and progressed.

Publication Details

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