Life and leisure of citizens in medieval Europe. Burgers


In the life of the urban lower classes, the features of peasant life and customs were preserved. Another thing – the life of rich burghers. The burghers increasingly preferred comfort and luxury, but did not show them off. Their houses they furnished with solid furniture. The life of a rich burgher hardly differed from the nobility.

Energetic, business burghers are accustomed to appreciate the time, which they defined no longer according to the sun, like peasants, but by the clock at the town hall. If the peasant had only to know what was going on in his village, the burgher kept in touch with the foreign merchants and knew what was happening in the world. He was more interested in politics than the peasant, on which his welfare depended, and at times his life.

The townspeople knew not only how to work, but also to spend their leisure time. They went to the knight tournaments, made pilgrimages to Christian shrines, attended performances on holidays, sports competitions. In town halls, banquets and dancing evenings were often organized for honored guests and families of the city council.

It is surprising that the tastes of medieval towns have striking contrasts. To their favorite shows were performances of jugglers – medieval vagrant artists, and terrible public executions, which the whole family watched. The nerves of a medieval man were strong, he got used to the sight of blood and death from childhood.


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Life and leisure of citizens in medieval Europe. Burgers