Born Into Chains

Serfs were not slaves in name, but the difference could feel thin. They were bound to the land they worked, could not leave without their lord's permission, and owed a layered mix of rent, labor services, fees, and church tithes. Those burdens varied by place and period, but together they could leave families with little margin after a hard harvest. If the land was sold, the serfs' obligations usually went with it.

A serf's life expectancy was about 30 years. They ate mostly dark bread, porridge, and whatever vegetables grew nearby - meat only on saints' days. Most never traveled more than 25 miles from their birthplace, and most could not read the laws that ruled every hour of their lives. Children joined the workforce by age five or six, carrying water and feeding animals.