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Life in a Medieval Village (Medieval Life) Paperback – Illustrated, July 12, 2016

by Frances Gies (Author), Joseph Gies (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 436 ratings
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Medieval history comes alive in Joseph and Frances Gies’s classic bestseller on life in medieval villages

This new reissue of Life in a Medieval Village, by respected historians Joseph and Frances Gies, paints a lively, convincing portrait of rural people at work and at play in the Middle Ages. Focusing on the village of Elton, in the English East Midlands, the Gieses detail the agricultural advances that made communal living possible, explain what domestic life was like for serf and lord alike, and describe the central role of the church in maintaining social harmony. Though the main focus is on Elton, c. 1300, the Gieses supply enlightening historical context on the origin, development, and decline of the European village, itself an invention of the Middle Ages.

Meticulously researched, Life in a Medieval Village is a remarkable account that illustrates the captivating world of the Middle Ages and demonstrates what it was like to live during a fascinating—and often misunderstood—era.

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Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Medieval Life
  2. Print length
    288 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Harper Perennial
  5. Publication date
    July 12, 2016
  6. Dimensions
    0.8 x 5.2 x 7.7 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0062415662
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0062415660
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Reissued for the first time in decades, Frances and Joseph Gies’s classic bestseller on life in medieval villages

In Life in a Medieval Village, acclaimed historians Frances and Joseph Gies reveal what life was actually like in the Middle Ages. Focusing on the village of Elton, in the English East Midlands, the Gieses detail the agricultural advances that made communal living possible and the social and economic divisions that separated lord from serf that made life so difficult for so many. Life in a Medieval Village takes modern readers through every aspect of day-to-day life, describing the villagers’ diet (centered around a bland stew called pottage lacking in nutrients), how they harvested crops, and the central role of the church in maintaining social harmony. We learn the clothes villagers wore, their (sometimes lacking) standards of personal hygiene, and the bizarre treatments they devised for a variety of medical maladies. But it wasn’t all bad: the medieval village was one of the first functional modern societies, and its surprisingly advanced legal system and code of conduct helped lay the groundwork for contemporary civilization.

Though the main focus is on Elton, circa 1300, the Gieses supply general historical context for the origin, development, and decline of the European village. Meticulously researched and vividly told, Life in a Medieval Village illustrates the captivating world of the Middle Ages and demonstrates what life was like during a fascinating—and often misunderstood—era.

About the Author

Frances (1915–2013) and Joseph (1916–2006) Gies were the world’s bestselling historians of medieval Europe. Together and separately, they wrote more than twenty books, which col-lectively have sold more than a million copies. They lived in Michigan.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; Illustrated edition (July 12, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062415662
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062415660
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.8 x 5.2 x 7.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 436 ratings

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  1. Joseph Gies

    Joseph Gies

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
436 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

S. Werkema
5.0 out of 5 stars Readable and Absorbing
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2017
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The most amazing thing about this book is that the authors have turned a huge database of concrete facts into a readable, absorbing saga that makes the village of Elton seem almost alive these many centuries later. I wouldn't have predicted that extended discussions of farming techniques, stewards' responsibilities, or manorial court cases would interest me, but I was wrong. The Gieses weave all sorts of tidbits about actual people in with the other data, creating an easy-to-visualize picture of a time and place long gone. The book includes understandable explanations for archaic concepts, plus frequent doses of dry humor. I enjoyed every page of Life in a Medieval Village.
10 people found this helpful
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Dinogirl7
4.0 out of 5 stars Medieval Life Made Startlingly Familiar
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2016
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I thought I knew all their was to know about medieval peasants, but had barely scratched the surface. Make no mistake, the Gieses are clear that life was nasty, brutish and full of toil for peasants in the middle ages, but there was quite a bit more to their lives than grinding out a living. Villages were complex systems with carefully maintained responsibilities and officer selected both from above and within. Anyone who thinks that medieval peasants were mindless serfs who did their lord's bidding while Robin Hood-type figures scampered freely through the forest is in for a surprise. A medieval village more closely resembled a modern office than a sloshing pool of ignorant labor. Every job, relationship, piece of property and just about every aspect of life were all accounted for in a system of rights, identities and obligations. The authors do a wonderful job of leveraging the source material, focusing on the town of Elton, its history and inhabitants. Some of its long lists of fines and fees might become a bit tedious for the average reader, though I found this fascinating. Antiquated terms like "woolsilver" (money paid for sheep shearing) and "leirwite" (a fine for fornication!) always peak my interest. Reading the proceedings of the Lord's court, you'll get a much better sense of where his responsibilities began and ended, and what rights he had relative to everyone else. You'll also learn why, if you were a woman in the thirteenth century, you had little chance of being burned as a witch, but were quite likely to be hauled into court for brewing lousy beer. A detailed, but still readable, visit to medieval England, which was more diverse and complicated than I ever imagined.
27 people found this helpful
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Brian Woodruff
5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2020
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Don't expect an "easy read" from this book. Not that it's a bad thing. The subject matter is outlined in painstaking detail, to the point that one will be repeatedly consulting the glossary, and thank goodness for it. Written by historians and anthropologists, this book is a wonderful account of what life must have been like for those who think they they were born in the wrong century.
4 people found this helpful
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Jarrod H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, interesting, useful
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2023
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I bought this to add to my collection of research books for fantasy writing and this book has been incredibly helpful. I was able to put myself in the heart of the village. Excellent work.
2 people found this helpful
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Mimbral
5.0 out of 5 stars Indepth look at a medieval village
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2022
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This book went into detail on life in a medieval village - just what I was looking for to be honest. It was interesting to read how things were done and how easily a village could unravel. The author dives into details and though a bit dated the book stands the test of time.
2 people found this helpful
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Anonymous
3.0 out of 5 stars Describes the life of happiness and joy for everyone
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2017
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Not what I was looking for. Describes the life of happiness and joy for everyone. Did not talk about issues and hardships. 1066 discussion was too brief for such a major impact. Oh well pablum book for skimmers. Oh and the doomsday book was just another tax roll...omgosh...trrue but the importance. Smh.
One person found this helpful
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howard rynders
4.0 out of 5 stars Extremely well done. Very good.
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2021
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Very interesting and informative.
However,the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because it was more than a little bit dry.
One person found this helpful
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Amanda
5.0 out of 5 stars Eat, Love, Pray & Die in a Village
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2018
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i adore these sorts of books. I’ve read all three ( Castle, Village, Town). This is more readable than the castle one. Great if you are studying medieval history and want to get a “feel” for the social makeup of a place. There is an enormous amount of research in these books. You want to keep these ones as reference, as you just know you will want the information again. I enjoyed this, and I know it does not sound like a book you would “enjoy” as it seems to be a textbook. But I did.
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book on Medieval life.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
The research that has gone into this book is quite amazing. Full of information and well written. I enjoyed it and learn a lot from it. Only down side was the quality of the cover and paper was disappointing. Was going to give it as a gift but felt it looked to cheap. So kept it and read it myself.
One person found this helpful
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Janice Leonard
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Information
Reviewed in Australia on April 28, 2021
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This book is filled with so much information for anyone interested in medieval history
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42 elks
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book
Reviewed in Germany on October 12, 2014
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neither a dry, aloof, pseudo-academic recital of facts (which is so often accompanied by a patronising attitude towards its subjects and readers) nor a populistic simplification of romanticized sound bites (patronising on a different level), this book touches on all aspects of medieval village life by examining and quoting contemporary records and literature in exactly the right specificity.
generations of villagers come to life through their sues and counter sues, property claims, court records etc as archived for the village of elton - intelligently flanked by definition of terms and supporting evidence placing the lives of the villagers within a broader historical context.
2 people found this helpful
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keith
4.0 out of 5 stars Very informative
Reviewed in Canada on November 13, 2022
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If you are interested I how people lived back in the day..this book is for you.
Can be a bit dry in places but overall takes you back into the middle age village daily life
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Annabel
4.0 out of 5 stars Light, yet comprehensive Social History of the rural structure during the Middle Age in Britain.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Light but comprehensive Social History on villages in the Middle Age.
More focused on the top level: how various entities, social classes etc relate to one another than Domestic History of every day life of its inhabitant.
The different chapters include how land was distributed, the role of the Lord, how houses were build, how marriages were made, the working roles across classes, the role of the church and parish and how justice was enforced at various levels.
10 people found this helpful
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