From bondage to freedom: serfdom and its decline in medieval England

Serfdom was a generic form of social relations which was widespread across Europe and Asia in the last millennium, although its exact nature varied from place to place. English serfdom peaked in the 12th and 13th centuries, then dissolved over the next century with the arrival of the Black Death, whereas it was reimposed in Russia: consequently, England took its first tentative steps to liberal modernity, while Russia was still enserfed in the 19th century. This course looks at all aspects of English serfdom and considers the causes of its decline.