Why did the population of Europe increase dramatically over the period we call the High Middle Ages and how can the consequences of this increase be evaluated?

Why did the population of Europe increase dramatically over the period we call the High Middle Ages and how can the consequences of this increase be evaluated

Introduction

In the High Middle Ages (1000-1300 ) Europe experienced a dramatic size in the number of its residents . By 1300 , it is believed to have reached a population of about 100 ,000 million , in comparison to the EU 's of 377 ,000 in 2000 . This contrasts with the tentative estimate of about 25-30 million in the times of Charlemagne , a French King who ruled in

768-814 . This rise in population size was driven by a combination of factors related to politics , economics , social sphere , and scientific advances . In turn , this growth was also accompanied with further progress in many areas , as increased population was able to increase the economic output that in turn contributed to the development of religion art , and science , as well as political stability

Causes of Increase in Population

The High Middle Ages represented a dramatic change from the earlier period in the view of the common citizen . The heated feudal warfare had subsided , conquest drive had also waned . With the stabilisation of the political situation the loss of lives due to interstate wars and skirmishes plummeted , contributing to a rise in the population size . The barbarian raids that had plagued Europe before that also ceased , leading to increased politically stability . Human deaths quickly decreased which allowed the population to surge

Economic reasons were no less important than political factors . With rich supply of lands and relative scarcity of labor to cultivate them landlords were motivated to attract workforce by promises of economic well-being . A rapid expansion in the area of cultivated lands between the 11th and the 13th centuries gave peasants a chance to negotiate less onerous contracts with the landholding aristocracy ' that often replaced customary service with monetary compensation (Kishlansky Geary , O 'Brian 1999-2005 . Increasing economic independence of peasants that were now able to sell goods in the market helped many of them to improve their economic situation in developing money economy . An opportunity to earn both freedom and economic independence also loomed in newly emerging urban centers that attracted artisans and skilled workers . Settlement of new areas and creation of new centers naturally precipitated demographic explosion

Economic breakthroughs can be to a great extent attributed to advances in the contemporary science and technology . Around 1000 , for instance cotton was introduced into Europe via Spain that adopted this innovation from the Arab world . The use of cotton allowed the production of clothes and inexpensive . Improvements in health care following the revolutionary work of Avicenna (Abd Allah Ibn Sina ) were also an important factor that contributed to rise in population numbers . A new type of horse collar , the appearance of tidal and windmills improvements in agriculture and horticulture - all these inventions added to the population 's well-being and helped it to increase . With a three-field system , horse collars that allowed replacement of oxen with horses and a new...