Medieval Peasants and Their Recognition of the King

In medieval Europe, the average peasant often struggled to recognize their king if he were to walk up to them. This lack of recognition was due to a variety of factors that contributed to the limited interaction between the peasantry and their rulers. Let's dive deeper into these factors and explore the dynamics of medieval kingdoms.

Factors Contributing to Lack of Recognition

Limited Interaction

One major factor was the limited interaction between the peasantry and the nobility or royalty. Most peasants lived in rural areas and had minimal contact with the higher echelons of society. The kings would typically only appear in person during significant events such as royal visits, fairs, or battles, which were infrequent and often distant from the everyday lives of the peasants.

Lack of Portraits

Another factor was the lack of access to portraits or images of the king. While some wealthy families or those with access to royal courts might have seen paintings or sculptures of the king, these were not common in peasant households. Portraits were often commissioned for castles, churches, or wealthy private collectors rather than the general populace.

Physical Appearance and Disguise

Kings often wore elaborate clothing and crowns during formal occasions, which peasants might not recognize in more informal settings. Additionally, a king could travel incognito or without the trappings of royalty, further reducing the likelihood of recognition.

Local Focus and Concerns

Peasants were primarily concerned with their immediate surroundings and daily struggles such as farming and paying taxes. The distant figure of a king was often abstract and not a focal point of their daily lives. Local issues and concerns often dominated their attention and interactions.

Understanding Kingdom Sizes and Populations

The size of medieval European kingdoms varied widely. For example, Germany was one of the largest, while the typical Irish tuath was among the smallest. An tuath was a small Irish kingdom, and the typical one was less than a day’s walk wide. A good walker could start in Kingdom A, walk across Kingdom B, and end in Kingdom C in a single day.

According to rough calculations, the average population of an Irish tuath was about 5,000 to 20,000 people. At the beginning of the Early Middle Ages (circa AD 500), Europe likely had several hundred kingdoms and similar political entities. By the end of the Late Middle Ages (circa AD 1500), there were approximately 12 to 15 kings in Catholic Europe, outside of Ireland.

Kingdom Examples and Decline

In 1000 AD, there were about 3 to 6 small Christian kingdoms in northern Spain, and the Umayyad Caliphate ruled the rest of Spain. However, the Umayyad Caliphate soon fell apart, and by 1031, there were around 30 small Muslim taifas in Spain. The number of kingdoms fluctuated over time, but by 1290, there were only four Christian kingdoms and one Muslim one in Europe.

Other examples include Norway, where King Harald I Fairhair united the country, and a few of his descendants ruled small petty kingdoms. The number of kingdoms tended to decrease over time, particularly during the High and Late Middle Ages. In Catholic Europe (outside of Ireland and Wales), there were around 27 long-lasting kingdoms, such as Portugal, Galicia, Burgundy, and others, during the High and Late Middle Ages.

These examples illustrate the changing political landscape and the impact on the relationship between the peasantry and their rulers. In larger kingdoms, the chance of seeing their king was much lower, whereas in smaller kingdoms like Irish tuaths, peasants had a better chance of encountering their king.