Was there any freedom in the middle ages?

Answer 1

The question of freedom during the Middle Ages is very complicated. It depends on what period within the time we are dealing with, and the location.

Slavery, for example, was common in Eastern Europe, but not as common in the West.

Particularly in the West, there were serfs, who were not slaves, and in some ways were free. For them, freedom consisted of the right to decide what to plant in their family fields, what to do with their possessions, and so on. Freedom did not, however, mean they could leave the manor where they lived and move somewhere else. They were bound to the manor, and had to live their lives there. They also had to share in the common work of the other people of the manor. One big advantage the serfs on the manors had was that they had the security of having a guaranteed job and place to live. They had security in times of distress.

The workers who lived in the towns were more free than the serfs on the manors, but were also at greater risk economically. If they lost their incomes, no one looked out for them.

The members of the aristocracy were rather free, but they owed allegiance to their superiors. If they were called to service, they had no option but to obey. They also were limited by rights and customs in ways we might find odd. For example, if they wanted to change the way their manors were operated, they did not have the right to move the serfs off the land.

The same sort of thing applied to wealthy professionals, though in a sense, they were freer than their aristocratic counterparts, because they did not have feudal obligations.

Even the monarchs were bound by custom and the feudal contracts they had with their vassals.

Everyone had obligations to the Church, as well. These were not as complicated, but did require attention. Nearly everyone had a tithe to provide, almost like a tax to the Church.

Of course, there were those who were almost wholly independent, such as minstrels, actors, and so on. They were more free to move about than other people, but were also without any specific protections, because they had no lords or masters to protect them.

Answer 2

Most medieval freemen were independent farmers. They had less security than the serfs who lived on manors, because the lords were required to provide protections to the serfs, but not to the freemen. Also, freemen could be called to war, typically as archers (history is rather unclear on whether serfs were used in combat). Aside from that, they farmed, which was not easy in those days, just as it has never been easy for independent farmers since.

Answer 3

Tragically, the Dark Ages were dark for what we now call Democracy as well. There may have been Religious prejudices, as Democracy- originated by the Greeks , may have been held to be a ( Pagan) concept. In the days of Kings, Knights, and Empires- and all sorts of social problems among the lower classes- peasants, serfs, etc- there was, as far as is known, not even any Theoretical reasoning- as would be today for something akin to Suspended Animation of Gravity screens- along the lines of government by popular consensus. A sort of palliative myth was the ( Citizen King) like Wenceslaus who was noted for charitable deeds towards the commoners, but this, is as we know something of a propagandized myth. Yet the Middle Ages were among the most Christian of times!