Bordars meaning

Bordars definitions

Bordars: Understanding Their Role in Medieval Society

During the medieval period, bordars were a significant social class that played a crucial role in the agricultural system of the time. Bordars were essentially smallholders who lived on the manors of wealthy landowners and worked the land in exchange for a portion of the harvest.

The Life of a Bordar

Bordars typically lived in small cottages on the outskirts of the manor, often near the edge of the fields they worked. They were responsible for cultivating the land, tending to livestock, and performing various other agricultural tasks as required by the landowner. In return for their labor, bordars were allowed to keep a portion of the crops they grew, which they could use to feed themselves and their families.

Relationship with the Landowner

While bordars were not enslaved, they were still considered part of the manor's workforce and were subject to the authority of the landowner. This meant that bordars had limited autonomy and were expected to follow the directives of the lord or lady of the manor. However, they also had certain rights and privileges, such as the right to cultivate their own plots of land and the freedom to marry whom they chose.

Decline of the Bordar Class

As the medieval period progressed and feudalism began to give way to a more centralized form of governance, the role of bordars in society began to diminish. The rise of market economies and the enclosure movement led to many bordars losing their land and becoming landless laborers, while others found work in emerging industries such as textile manufacturing or mining.

Despite their decline, bordars were an integral part of medieval society, providing essential labor and contributing to the agricultural productivity of the time. Their role may have evolved over the centuries, but the legacy of the bordar class remains an important chapter in the history of feudalism and the Middle Ages.

Bordars Examples

1. The bordars worked in the fields all day long.
2. The bordars lived on the outskirts of the village.
3. The bordars paid rent to the lord of the manor.
4. The bordars were skilled craftsmen.
5. The bordars tended to the livestock on the farm.
6. The bordars helped with the harvest in the fall.
7. The bordars baked bread for the village.
8. The bordars repaired the fences around the property.
9. The bordars gathered firewood for the winter.
10. The bordars were responsible for maintaining the tools on the farm.

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