Serfdom in Medieval England

Name: Serfdom in Medieval England
Price: 210 AUD
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ISBN: 9781526172976

Theory and Practice 1200 to 1500

Mark Bailey

$210

Hardback

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English

Manchester University Press
01 December 2025

British & Irish history; Medieval history; Social & cultural history; Economic history; Legal history

Series: Manchester Medieval Studies

Serfdom was a coercive relationship between a landowner and peasant, which was widespread across medieval and early modern Europe. It features prominently in major historical debates, such as the origins of capitalism and the divergent pathways of western and eastern Europe to modernity. Scholars have paid particular attention to English serfdom, which is usually portrayed as highly oppressive and a major cause of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381.

This comprehensive survey draws on a vast scholarship and new research to show how, in reality, English serfdom was weak, casting new light on the nature of its society and economy when the Black Death struck in 1348-1349. The pandemic now assumes a central role in the rapid decline of serfdom, as illustrated in a case study of the estate of one of England's harshest landowners, St Albans abbey.

By: Mark Bailey
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 674g
ISBN: 9781526172976
ISBN 10: 1526172976
Series: Manchester Medieval Studies
Pages: 456
Publication Date: 01 December 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Mark Bailey is Professor of Later Medieval History at the University of East Anglia.

Reviews for Serfdom in Medieval England: Theory and Practice 1200 to 1500

'A book of outstanding quality that achieves a massive advance in our knowledge and understanding of serfdom...Bailey not only provides the best available account of serfdom in the round, he also addresses and successfully resolves the fierce disputes that have raged over its character and significance from the earliest accounts to the present day...as close to a definitive history of later medieval [English] serfdom as is possible to write'. Professor John Hatcher, University of Cambridge -- .