770 - 1330
Medieval Europe formed clear social classes and a Christian culture.
Early Middle Ages
The Town
The settlement has developed into a small town, centering in the market place and the church. Within the town walls, both, vegetables and live stock are being cultivated and traded. Thus, townsmen can provide for themselves on the one hand, and on the other, new trading goods are reaching the town. Besides the river, a public well supplies water.
Houses
The houses are built from stone, their roofs covered with wooden shingles, and the windows covered with wood or cloth. However, the windows of rich citizens and patricians, as well as church windows are made from glass, already.
The 'Baker's Gibbet'
Life in town is regulated strictly. The so-called 'baker’s gibbet' is being implicated when a loaf of bread does not conform to regulated volume, weight, and ingredients.
The River
At the river banks the first port facilities are developing, for example, moorings for trade ships.
Agriculture
At the river banks the first port facilities are developing, for example, moorings for trade ships.
Most labor is physically demanding, for example the work of the char burner.
The Lord of the Castle
The territory and the forest are property of the lord, who has raised a fortress on the hill towering over the town. Short of a small share, peasants have to turn over their harvest, and are obliged to additional work, for example, as servants. With the ownership of the forests, the lord has the lone right to hunt. Being the judge, he can inflict punishments for any crimes, even with the punishment of death.
Next to the agriculture, the lord also gains proceeds from ore mining on his premises (mostly silver), and tariffs duty for traffic on the river.
