Peasants and Serfs

Serfs

-90% of population were peasants
-lived and worked on the manors
-peasants were free but they still had to follow the rules of their lord
-Peasants and lords were tied together by mutual rights and obligations
-Must work several days a week farming the lords land
-repaired bridges and fenced
-must ask permission from lord to marry
-Peasants had a hard life a barely lived to the age of 35
-granted protection from lords
-could not be forced off the land

-most peasants were serfs
-bound to the land
-slaves but could not be bought or sold
-had to make certain payments, either in money or food
-lords could tax them as heavily as they wanted and could make them work as hard as they wanted

Peasants