The medieval city of Europe: what it was and how we imagine it

A characteristic feature of the Middle Ages was the growth of cities. This is primarily due to the division of society into social groups and the development of crafts. A typical medieval city in Western Europe was a small by modern standards, located near the monastery, fortress or castle. An obligatory condition for the construction of a new settlement was the presence of a reservoir - a river or a lake. Middle Ages itself covers a very significant period of time: from the fifth century (early Middle Ages) to the fifteenth (the Renaissance). Many cities of the 5-15 centuries were real fortresses, surrounded by a wide rampart and fortification wall, which allowed to keep the defenses during the siege, since wars for this period of time were not uncommon.

The European medieval city was a place unsafe, life in it was quite difficult. If the high walls and the active army saved the ruinous forays of foreign troops, then the stone fortifications were powerless against diseases. Frequent outbreaks that erupt in medieval Europe, thousands carried away the lives of ordinary citizens. One plague epidemic could inflict incomparable damage to the city. We can note the following reasons for the rapid spread of plague among the population of Europe 5-15 centuries. First, the state of medicine of those times did not allow to fight with a single focus of the disease. As a result, the "black death" spread first among residents of one settlement, then went far beyond its limits, acquiring the nature of an epidemic, and sometimes pandemics. Secondly, despite the small number of residents, the population density in such cities was quite high. Boredom of people could not be better promoted the spread of infection, quickly transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person. Thirdly, by the standards of modern people the medieval city was a collection of garbage, household waste and animal excrement. Unsanitary conditions, as is known, contribute to the birth of many dangerous diseases carried by rats and other small rodents.

However, in the birth and expansion of cities there were also positive features. Thus, most of them arose on the lands of large feudal lords or kings. People living in a vassal territory subject to vassal could farm and trade, while earning a significant income. Vassal was also profitable prosperity of "his" city, since the bulk of income he could receive from the taxes of citizens.

Description of the medieval city

Most cities of Western Europe 5-15 centuries numbered from 4 to 10 thousand inhabitants. The city with a population of up to 4 thousand inhabitants was considered average. The largest medieval city could hardly count 80 thousand inhabitants. Megacities of those times were considered Milan, Florence, Paris. Mostly they were inhabited by small merchants, artisans, soldiers, there was a local city nobility. A characteristic feature of European cities of the 12th century was the opening of universities in them and the emergence of students as a separate social class. The first such institutions were opened in the major centers of that time - Oxford, Paris, Cambridge. Their appearance had a significant impact on the development of individual countries and Europe as a whole.

Today, the medieval city seems to us a dismal and dangerous place, where even at the height of the day it was possible to witness a robbery or murder. However, there is something romantic in the narrow streets of ancient European cities. How else to explain the increased interest of tourists and travelers to such ancient cities as Sarten (Italy), Cologne (Germany), Marseille (France). They allow you to plunge into history, to distract from the hustle and bustle of modern "stone jungle", to make a short, long journey to the past.