How did lords cheat peasants

Lords could cheat peasants in various ways during the feudal era, often taking advantage of their power and the peasants’ dependence. Here are some common methods:

1. Excessive Taxes and Rents: Lords could demand more crops or money from peasants than was originally agreed upon, forcing them to give up a larger share of their harvest or earnings. Since peasants had little power, they often couldn’t refuse.
2. Unfair Labor Demands: Peasants were required to work on the lord’s land in addition to farming their own plots. Lords could increase these labor requirements unfairly, leaving peasants with little time to work on their own land, which harmed their ability to provide for their families.
3. Manipulating Weights and Measures: Some lords or their agents would use rigged scales or measures when taking the peasants’ crops as rent or taxes, making it seem like the peasants owed more than they actually did.
4. Arbitrary Fines and Fees: Lords could impose random fines for minor offenses or require peasants to pay fees for using the lord’s land, mills, or ovens. These fees were often unfairly high and could put peasants in further debt.
5. Land Seizures: If a peasant fell into debt, a lord might seize their land or force them into more servitude, trapping them in a cycle of poverty with no way to escape.

In these ways, lords could exploit their power to cheat peasants, who had little recourse or ability to challenge the injustice.

The feudal system was a way of organizing society that existed in Europe during the Middle Ages (around the 9th to 15th centuries). It was based on a hierarchy, with kings and nobles at the top and peasants at the bottom. Here’s how it worked:

1. King: At the top of the system was the king, who owned all the land in the country. The king couldn’t manage it all, so he divided it into large sections and gave pieces of it to nobles in exchange for loyalty and military support.
2. Nobles/Lords: These were wealthy landowners, like barons or dukes, who controlled large areas of land. In return for the land, they promised to support the king, especially by providing knights and soldiers.
3. Knights: Below the lords were the knights. They were warriors who served the nobles and protected their land. In return, knights were often given smaller pieces of land, called fiefs.
4. Peasants/Serfs: At the bottom were the peasants or serfs. They worked the land and produced food. In return, they were allowed to live on the land and received protection from the knights. However, they had to give a portion of their crops to the lord as rent.

In short, the feudal system was based on an exchange of land for loyalty, protection, and services, with everyone having a specific role in society.