Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages
Social Change in England c.1200–1520

Revised in 1998, this book explores the realities of medieval English society.

Christopher Dyer (Author)

9780521272155, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 9 March 1989

356 pages
21.5 x 13.8 x 2.4 cm, 0.485 kg

"Christopher Dyer has written a cogent textbook that provides an excellent survey of standards of living in the later middle ages." James M. Rosenheim, Albion

Between 1200 and 1520 medieval English society went through a series of upheavals: this was an age of war, pestilence and rebellion. This book explores the realities of life of the people who lived through those stirring times. It looks in turn at aristocrats, peasants, townsmen, wage-earners and paupers, and examines how they obtained their incomes and how they spent them. This revised edition (1998) includes a substantial new concluding chapter and an updated bibliography.

List of illustrations
List of tables
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Weights, measures and places
Introduction
1. Late medieval society
2. Aristocratic incomes
3. The aristocracy as consumers
4. Aristocratic expenditure: making ends meet
5. Peasant living standards: modelling the peasant economy
6. Peasants as consumers
7. Urban standard of living
8. The wage-earners
9. Poverty and charity
10. The weather and standards of living
Conclusion
Medieval living standards - postscript
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Social & cultural history [HBTB]