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Estimating Medieval Economies
Dealing with Limits
These are Non-machine Agricultural Limits. While the best estates in medieval England were getting 83% of yield limit, estates in southern Europe were getting 91%. Other some places in Europe were getting yields as low as 0%. There is considerable evidence that the mini ice age in Eurasia was the result of Krakatoa erupting and releasing sulphur dioxide into the upper atmosphere. This introduction of aerosol particles reflects considerable light away from the earth; Droughts and heavy rain seasons in Eastern Europe as well as plunging temperatures decimated the human civilization. It is recommended that a regional sample be applied to a region when seeking to determine a limit. For example, the Principality of Wallachia beyond Hungary experienced droughts in the summer resulting in one growing season compared to the two crop season agriculture elsewhere. By comparison, advances in machine agriculture provide for 80 bushels of wheat per acre in 1950's New Zealand.
Produce____________________Notes________________________________Output
Ewes, Grazing_________________180 days @ 1 sheep/3 acres___________1/4 gallon milk/day, 2&1/2 lb Wool /year
Ewes, Fodderfed_______________All year @ 12lb mix bushel/day_______1/4 gallon milk/day, 14lb Wool /year
Cows, Grazing_________________8 months_____________________________140 gallons per season
Cows, Fodderfed_______________All year @ 50lb mix bushel / day_____20lb milk/day
Pigs, 32 weeks fodderfed______870&1/2lb grainmeal, 1040lb sweet potato_____200lb liveweight
Pigs, 20 weeks fodderfed______500lb grainmeal_____________________100lb liveweight
Bees, Skephive________________straw rope hive__________________Northern Europe: 10lb honey, 1lb wax
Bees, Boxhive_________________wooden box hive___________________N.E.: 30lb honey, 5lb wax, Australia: 800lb honey, 100lb wax
Fuel, Wood____________________10,000lb/person/year____________________20,000lb/ac re
Fuel, Peatmoss__________28,500lb/person/year__________________________3,584lb/acr e @ 15'deep
Hens______________freerange@20/acre_____________________________180 eggs/year/hen
Fish______________9 months/year, 1 cran =4 firkin_______________1 cran/day, 37&1/2 gallons of fish
Salt_________________36 gallons of seawater=9lb salt____________1/4 lb per 1 gallon, 1 firkin=200lb salt
Wheat, fallowground______________________________________________36 bushels
Wheat, stubbleground______stubble growth @60% Fallowgrowth_______19 bushels
Barley, fallowground_____________________________________________28 bushels
Oats, fallowground_______________________________________________24 bushels
Rye, fallowground___________ergot:1/10lb/acre(marsh conditions)___30 bushels
Maize, fallowground_______________________________________________32 bushels
Millet, fallowground______________________________________________30 bushels
Rice______________________________________________________________40 bushels
Linseed_____________produced for flax_____________________________14 bushels
Tomato____________________________________________________________600 bushels
Hay________________________________________________________________5 ton/acre
Turnip____________________________________________________________25 ton/acre
Rape______________________________________________________________5 ton/acre
Sugarcane_________________________________________________________20 ton/acre
Tea_______________________________________________________________1240lb/ac re
Grapes________________10 row vineyard acre______________________2&1/2 ton/acre
Secondary Produce________________________________Notes
Mead_____________________________________________honey(lb)/5=mead(gallons)
WinePost Ferment Red, Pre Ferment White__________85lb-90lb/5 gallons
Ale______________________________________________strong: 20lb grain/gallon, weak: 12lb grain/gallon
Bread____________________________________________73 loaves/50lb bushel
Flour____________________________________________0.72 x grain(lb)=flour(lb)
Cheese___________________________________________milk(gallons)x10.31=milk(l b)x(5/43.25)=cheese(lb)
Linen____________________________________________700lb flax=448lb linen (64% cottage industry)
Preserved Sausage________________________________50lb Meat, 5lb Salt=40lb Sausage
note-----------Bushel=50lb grain, 213lb chaff-------------------------
Livestock----------------------------------------Notes
Sheep____________________________________________50% liveweight=77lb
Pigs_____________________________________________70%liveweight (200lb/100lb)=140lb, 70lb
Red Deer_________________________________________70% liveweight=220lb
Oxen_____________________________________________50% liveweight=1000lb
Container Size--------------Volume
Pin_________________________4&1/2 gallons
Firkin______________________9 gallons
Anker_______________________10 gallons
Kilderkin___________________18 gallons
Half Hogshead_______________27 gallons
Barrel______________________36 gallons
Tierce______________________42 gallons
Hogshead____________________54 gallons
Puncheon____________________72 gallons
Pipe________________________92 gallons
Butt________________________108 gallons
Tun_________________________216 gallons
Cistern_____________________252 gallons
Wallesgrave Manor, Scarsdale
...the manor of Wallesgrave with all its appurtenances and sixty acres...
Description
This is a Knight's Estate. It supports a Knight, His Warhorse, Family, five servants, and Livestock. It is a sixty acre estate functioning on a three field rotation. Each field is then defined as 19&1/2 acres. This leaves some 1&1/2 acres upon which the manor house, Barn, Servants Residence and Vegetable gardens are located. It does however provide for little else. Such a Knight might be considered little more than a Peasant Farmer by wealthier European Knights with their multiple villa estates.
Calculating the Produce of an Estate
Three fields in rotation (3x19&1/2 acres)
A field of Barley, Oats & Rye (3x6&1/2 acres)
 6&1/2 acres of Barley @ 63%=6.5x28 bushelsx0.63=114&2/3 bushels: 5733lb barley grain, 24422lb barley chaff.
 6&1/2 acres of Oats @ 63%=6.5x24 bushelsx0.63=98&1/4 bushels: 4914lb oats grain, 20933lb oats chaff.
 6&1/2 acres of Rye @ 63%=6.5x30 bushelsx0.63=122&3/4 bushels: 6142&1/2lb rye grain, 26167lb rye chaff.
Seed to the next sewing: Barley(325lb), Oats(325lb), Rye(325lb)
Grain available: Barley(5408lb), Oats(4589lb), Rye(5817lb)
Chaff available: Barley chaff(24422lb), Oat chaff(20933lb), Rye chaff(26167lb)
A Sheep Herd on the rest (2x19&1/2 acres)
39 acres/3=13 sheep x 0.63=8 sheep (7 ewes & 1 ram)
8 sheep @ 2&1/2lb=20lb wool
7 ewes @ 180 days per year @ 1/4 gallons milk=315 gallons. 315lbx10.31x(5/43.25)=375lb cheese
2 sheep (4 year old sheep) slaughtered each year for meat @ 77lbx 2=154lb mutton sausage
2 sheep (slaughtered) providing 2 leather hides
Sheep product available: Wool(20lb), Cheese(375lb), Mutton Sausage(154lb), Leather Hides(2)
The Manor on a remaining 1&1/2 acres
A Manor house and buildings (1/2 acre)
A Vegetable Garden & Grounds (1 acre)
1/2 acre vegetable garden of Turnip x 25 ton/acre @ 63%=7.875 ton
1/2 acre running 10 chickens free-range (9 hens & cock)=9 @ 180 eggs/year=1620 eggs/year
(3) Pigs on vegetable scraps, some chaff, and grain
The Bits and Pieces of an Estate
Fuel from woodlot beyond the estate boundaries
The estate requires some 150,000lb firewood/year. 7&1/2 acres per year x 100 years to achieve regrowth=750 acres of forest
Thatch for roofing
11&2/3 tons of Rye thatch is available
Feeding the Warhorse and draft animals</li>
3x50lbx52weeksx7days=54,600lb (207 bushels of oats/ grain & chaff)
Ryebread (Black bread)
5817lb/50lb=116.34 bushels x 73 loaves/bushel=8492 loaves
Weak Ale
5408lb/12lb=450 gallons (2 Tuns (216 gallonsx2) of weak ale)
WALLESGRAVE MANOR
D&D 3rd Ed.
THE ESTATE VALUE
LARGE WOODEN HOUSE, THATCHROOF 500000cp
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA ACRES
FARMLAND 60
SUPPORTING WOODLOT 750
TOTAL AREA 810 ACRES
ANNUAL PRODUCE QTY VALUE
BARREL (D&D), WEAK ALE 7 8640cp
WOOL, CLOTH 20lb 8000cp
CHEESE, EWESMILK 375lb 7500cp
MUTTON SAUSAGE 154lb 5240cp
SHEEP HIDE 2
RYEGRAIN 5817lb 5817cp
FODDER 54600lb 27300cp
THATCH 11 tons
OTHER LIVESTOCK QTY VALUE
PIGS 5 1500cp
SHEEP 6 1200cp
CHICKENS 10 20cp
OXEN 2 3000cp
WARHORSE, LIGHT 1 15000cp
FUEL FROM THE WOODLOT QTY VALUE
FIREWOOD 150000lb7500cp
TOTAL ESTATE VALUE= 563417cp
5634gp
Bishop Swinfield's Vineyard, Ledbury
...Ledbury which yielded Bishop Swinfield seven Tuns of white wine...
Description
This is a Vineyard owned by Bishop Swinfield that has the capacity to yield seven tuns of white wine. At 2d./gallon this is a potential income of 12 Pounds, 2s., 8d before servants wages and support.
Defining a Vineyard
We know the produce is seven tuns of white wine.
Tun=216 gallons, 7x216 gallons=1512 gallons
1512/5=302.4
302.4 x 85lb=25704lb white wine grapes
A ten row vineyard-acre yields 2&1/2 ton of grape
Assuming 83% yield
(25704/83) x 100=30,968lb
30968/2240=13.825 ton
13.825/2.5=5&1/2 acres
This is a 6&1/2 acre vineyard with 1/2 acre for a winery and servants living off a vegetable garden
SWINFIELD VINYARD
A BISHOP’S VINYARD
THE VINEYARD VALUE
SMALL WOODEN HOUSE, THATCHROOF 100,000cp
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA ACRES
VINYARD 7
TOTAL AREA 7 ACRES
ANNUAL PRODUCE QTY VALUE
BARREL (D&D), WINE 24 25296cp
TOTAL ESTATE VALUE= 125296cp
1252gp
A Tenant Farm, Ombersley
...nineteen and a half acres, mostly wheat, but also rye, oats, and vetch...
Description
This is a tenant farm of 19&1/2 acres, mainly wheat, rye, oats, vetch. The farmer also has some twenty geese, five pigs, a cock with four hens, two oxen, and a cow. There are also three cart loads of firewood that represent access to a woodlot beyond the limits of the tenant farm.
Defining a Tennant Farm
Three fields in rotation (3x6 acres)
Wheat on fallow ground
6 acres of Wheat @ 63%=6x36 bushelsx0.63=136 bushels: 6800lb grain, 28968lb chaff.
Grain available: Wheat (6800lb)
Chaff available: Wheat chaff (28968lb)
Rye, Oats, and Vetch on stubble ground
2 acres of Oats @ 63%=2x14.4 bushelsx0.63= 18 bushels: 900lb oats grain, 3834lb oats chaff.
• 2 acres of Rye @ 63%=2x 18 bushelsx0.63= 22&1/2 bushels: 1125lb rye grain, 4792lb rye chaff.
• 2 acres of Hay @ 63%=2x5 tonsx0.63= 6.3 ton of Hay.
Seed to the next sewing: Wheat(300lb), Oats(100lb), Rye(100lb)
Grain available: Rye(1125lb), Oats(900lb)
Chaff available: Rye chaff(4792lb), Oat chaff(3834lb), Hay(6.3 ton)
The Farm house on a remaining 1&1/2 acres
A farm house and buildings (1/2 acre)
A Vegetable Garden & Grounds (1 acre)
o 1/2 acre vegetable garden of Turnip x 25 ton/acre @ 63%=7.875 ton
o 1/2 acre running 5 chickens free-range(4 hens & cock)=4 @ 180 eggs/year=720 eggs/year
o (5) pigs on vegetable scraps, some chaff, and grain
OMBERSLY ESTATE FARM
A TENNANT’S FARM
THE TENNANT FARM VALUE
SMALL WOODEN HOUSE, THATCHROOF 100000cp
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA ACRES
FARMLAND 19&1/2
TOTAL AREA 19.5 ACRES
ANNUAL PRODUCE QTY VALUE
RYEGRAIN 1125lb 1125cp
FODDER 18846lb 9423cp
CHEESE, DAIRY 23lb 460cp
THATCH 2 tons
OTHER LIVESTOCK QTY VALUE
PIGS 5 1500cp
GEESE 20
CHICKENS 5 10cp
OXEN 2 3000cp
COW 1 1000cp
FUEL FROM THE WOODLOT QTY VALUE
FIREWOOD 3360lb 186cp
TOTAL ESTATE VALUE= 116636cp
1166gp
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While realisim of this nature is probably not a good thing for the game (and to the OPs credit, it was posted as Off Topic), there is a great deal we can learn about medieval life by playing D&D. Remember when the game rules contained phrases like "take some time to go to your libray and learn more about _______________________"? Ahh those were the days...
Back on topic, you can really increase the versimlitude of your game by educating yourself on the real-world history and cultures that most closely approximate those of your game world. Small details will creep into your game when you least expect it, making your world seem like a functioning place, even if you do not know or track the number of tuns per acre Lord Highwater's vineyard produces.
One book I highly reccommend reading is The Medieval Village by G.G. Coulton. It is a detailed analysis of the western feudal system and how it evolved over time, focusing on the manor, serfs and the like.
Now it's time to play 'Ask Me If I Care'!
So, do I care about mediaeval agriculture?
Answer:
** spoiler omitted **Somebody has a lot of time on their hands...
Bringing me down like a trip to the Wizards' forum. I know you're Chaotic Neutral and all but for the love of whatever insane god you sacrifice to please don't resuscitate that line about too much time on hands. Dingo posted that for those of us who might care to see it, and some of us do. Let's have some intra-geek fraternity and understanding and not down peer's best attempts to share trivial knowledge. Trivial knowledge is what most of us excel at and enjoy during leisure time.
If you don't want to learn a particular lesson about medieval agriculture, you can always just turn to the channel, rather than Elvising the widescreen with a 38 snub nose.
More trivial knowledge:
Ink comes from incaustum (latin--to sting). Wasps would nest in trees and the trees' natural defenses would create a substance that became the ink folks penned with in the year 1000 AD.
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Now it's time to play 'Ask Me If I Care'!
...
Somebody has a lot of time on their hands...
Bringing me down like a trip to the Wizards' forum. I know you're Chaotic Neutral and all but for the love of whatever insane god you sacrifice to please don't resuscitate that line about too much time on hands.
Total threadjacking...
I don't know. I was going to say something similar about a certain thread on bodily produced electricity... ;-)
Senior Software Developer
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A quick google shows the apparent source is a post by yellowdingo on the Wizards forums.
When reposting stuff written by other people, it's good to credit the source.
Contributor
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I read the original post with interest and was seriously disheartened by people's responses.
I have a plan in the works to run a generation spanning campaign that includes elements of estate management and I was delighted to see this, and surprised it was in the OT area.
So thanks for the info, and ignore those who seem to have more time and energy for being snarky than for generating something that might be useful.
Craig Shackleton,
The Rambling Scribe
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Contributor
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A quick google shows the apparent source is a post by yellowdingo on the Wizards forums.
When reposting stuff written by other people, it's good to credit the source.
Except that YellowDingo is the OP's handle here as well... presumably the same person. If not, it kinda implies credit if not source.
Craig Shackleton,
The Rambling Scribe
EDIT: I do see on WotC's boards there is a bibliography included.
Total threadjacking...
I don't know. I was going to say something similar about a certain thread on bodily produced electricity... ;-)
Well then just wait till you see the mechanical specs of compost toilets I'll be posting later! I think my section on minding your nitrate levels is simply breathtaking.
I was surprised to see it in the off-topic area too, but perhaps it needs more correlation to the game mechanics themselves, with a bit of explanations too. (Example: I know ergot is when the rye grains rot and produce a toxin that causes hallucinations and death in larger amounts - it's also the subject of a book called "Bread of Dreams" that postulates that the "possessions" that took place in Salem, Mass. were caused by infected grain. Good read. Most people don't know what ergot is.)
Perhaps breaking down the crops into percentages and might give a better way for a DM to determine what crops a farm field might have at a particular time. Or livestock. Or how a farm's output will change depending on weather and location, as well as the type of crops grown. Not everybody has a wheatfield, maybe they have rye because they live in a colder area, maybe rice because they live in a wet area, maybe corn because they're in a dry area...
Yes, I am interested in medieval agriculture. Little details make the game more believable.
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Bringing me down like a trip to the Wizards' forum. I know you're Chaotic Neutral and all but for the love of whatever insane god you sacrifice to please don't resuscitate that line about too much time on hands. Dingo posted that for those of us who might care to see it, and some of us do. Let's have some intra-geek fraternity and understanding and not down peer's best attempts to share trivial knowledge. Trivial knowledge is what most of us excel at and enjoy during leisure time.
Yeah. Sorry 'bout that. When I'm in a bad mood, I have the nasty quality of being an absolute bastard to everyone else. (See: 'Rehab is Hard' thread.)
That, and numbers make my head hurt.
Yeah. Sorry 'bout that. When I'm in a bad mood, I have the nasty quality of being an absolute bastard to everyone else. (See: 'Rehab is Hard' thread.)
It's a teensy thing and completely alright, Mr. Shiny. Almost everyone rains on parades, myself certainly included. At least we're emotionally aware enough that we can look and see what we've done and apologize for it this world of righteous turn-n-burners.
I've got a molar that's been ringing like a schoolbell for days. Three hours 'til the dentist man brings the pain. Come tomorrow I'll be needing you to return the favor and stop me from jumping people's $#!^ because I'm not going to be a happy gamer.
I saw this show on History Channel about sucky medieval jobs.
They had "bog iron collector," "charcoal maker," and "fishwife."
It's the coolest thing I've ever seen.
I love that stuff.
"Fishwife" is a job? I always assumed that was just the term for the wife of the fisherman. So what, is it the fishwife's job to clean the catch once the fisherman brings it in? Details?!
I gots mines last Saturday at the dentist.
But they gave me painkillers.
I didn't post hardly ever, just napped a lot.Ooooooh!!!! Medieval Dentistry!!!!!!
Lots of napping, eh? Well at least I'll have the weekend for it.
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Contributor
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"Fishwife" is a job? I always assumed that was just the term for the wife of the fisherman. So what, is it the fishwife's job to clean the catch once the fisherman brings it in? Details?!
I don't know the particulars of 'fishwife' but 'wife' used to just mean 'woman.' Not sure when the meaning became more specifically 'woman married to X.'
Craig Shackleton
The Rambling Scribe
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She had to tote around the fish and sell them in the square. They had to be somewhat surly and snarky, the job of hawking wares somewhat entails that, but they had to be careful. They could be put in the dunking chair for "being a scold."
So there's a fine line between snarky salesperson gogetter and the dunking chair.
(Example: I know ergot is when the rye grains rot and produce a toxin that causes hallucinations and death in larger amounts - it's also the subject of a book called "Bread of Dreams" that postulates that the "possessions" that took place in Salem, Mass. were caused by infected grain. Good read. Most people don't know what ergot is.)
I seem to recall that ergot's actually a fungus that grows on the rye, not the rotting rye itself (unless I'm misremembering, which happens more and more as the years go by), but in any event your book recommendation is a good one that I'd like to second.
I also was interested in the estate calcs; my players always want to know how many acres they can claim, and what kind of revenues they can expect, and how many livestock can be kept, etc. Good stuff.
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I included Ergot because My Campaign likes to estimate how much ergot the Black Eagle Barony Produced (Bargle the Infamous liked to poison village wells in our campaign-where else was he going to get a halucinagenic poison).
If you want real money the Estate of marilenev (Karameikos) is worth 30,000,000 gp income to Lady magda's purse after salt tax, church tithe, 50% to peasants, civil works (maintaining paved roads, tools, wages for a thousand servants.
90% of the Kingdom's agricultural produce.
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After reading all that, the only thing I can think of is:
"Man, I could trade in this +1 longsword for a massive, staffed estate capable of supporting my family for generations to come. Why the hell am I bothering with all this adventuring crap?"
Because peasants and serfs are not allowed to own land, be mercenaries, possess arms...So you need to use that +1 long sword to slaughter the local Baron and sieze his lands (or steal his five thousand sheep). That way you get have your cake and eat it.
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She had to tote around the fish and sell them in the square. They had to be somewhat surly and snarky, the job of hawking wares somewhat entails that, but they had to be careful. They could be put in the dunking chair for "being a scold."
So there's a fine line between snarky salesperson gogetter and the dunking chair.Its called having a mouth. "Silence you old Witch! I dont care if your son died in the castle seige of fifty-nine."
Sea salt is worth more than fishes. Just goes to show you that they were wasting time selling smelly fish when they could have pulled 1400lb Salt per 64 gallon Barrel (D&D 3rd edition standard) per month rather than risk the open waves for fish. Its worth more than it's weight in copper.
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While realisim of this nature is probably not a good thing for the game...
Probably right, it gives DM's sick ideas like ditching the existing treasure tables and paying out in timber, barrels of hogsfeet, black pudding sausages, stolen sheep...
"Magic swords? Never heard of them...try this fifty pound cheese wheel."
yellowdingo, have you read "Salt" by Mark Kurlansky? It's quite an incredible read - most people wonder why I have a book totally devoted to salt on my cookbook shelf, and can't imagine how it could ever be interesting, but it's terribly fascinating to realize how vitally important salt is.
Good read, highly recommended!
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While realisim of this nature is probably not a good thing for the game...Probably right, it gives DM's sick ideas like ditching the existing treasure tables and paying out in timber, barrels of hogsfeet, black pudding sausages, stolen sheep...
"Magic swords? Never heard of them...try this fifty pound cheese wheel."
Watch out--it might attract cheeseweasels.
While realisim of this nature is probably not a good thing for the game...Probably right, it gives DM's sick ideas like ditching the existing treasure tables and paying out in timber, barrels of hogsfeet, black pudding sausages, stolen sheep...
"Magic swords? Never heard of them...try this fifty pound cheese wheel."
~Evil, Wicked, Vile laughter fading into a mad cackle~ Oh, what a fabulous idea! My players would so hate me for that!!!
Have any of you ever seen the fake trailer they made for Spinal Tap? Guys rolling those five foot tall wheels of cheese down the hill. Imagine disgruntled PCs having to roll one of those 200 pounders out of town.
"Thanks again, brave heroes."
"...yeah. Sure."
See what I mean?
Quick as a whip u b u b.
~grins~ It does not help that I am taking a brain break from "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William L. Shirer (A very good book, but it is a tough read) and am now reading Leo Frankowski's "The Cross-Time Engineer" about a 20th century Electrical Engineer tossed into 13 th century medeival Poland right before the Mongol invasion.
and am now reading Leo Frankowski's "The Cross-Time Engineer" about a 20th century Electrical Engineer tossed into 13 th century medeival Poland right before the Mongol invasion.
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court... but what a compelling premise!! How are you liking it thus far?
and am now reading Leo Frankowski's "The Cross-Time Engineer" about a 20th century Electrical Engineer tossed into 13 th century medeival Poland right before the Mongol invasion.Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court... but what a compelling premise!! How are you liking it thus far?
~grins~ Oh, I love the series. I have re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-read those books many a time. This is actually the 3rd set that I have bought. The first set somehow got lost, the second set became a casualty of the pre-divorce crap, and I was very happy to have found another copy of the set. It is a very good series.
Watch out--it might attract cheeseweasels.While realisim of this nature is probably not a good thing for the game...Probably right, it gives DM's sick ideas like ditching the existing treasure tables and paying out in timber, barrels of hogsfeet, black pudding sausages, stolen sheep...
"Magic swords? Never heard of them...try this fifty pound cheese wheel."
CHEESEWEASLE?!?! Who are you calling a cheeseweasle? ~Pounces at you, my razor sharp, silver claws aiming right for your chest~ DIE, vile were-poodle!!!
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Medieval France
Geographical Area: 212,821 square miles
Total population: 1,933,333
Paris: 290,000
Other urban: 193,333
Rural: 1,450,000
Agricultural land: 106,410 square miles
Grain: 2 loaves of bread per day per person (at 72 loaves per 50lb grain) this equates to 10.138 50lb bushels per person per year (506.9 lb grain per person per year). (1,933,333 x 506.9 = 980,006,497.7lb grain)
Dairy: ¼ lb per person per day (0.25 x 365 x 1,933,333 =176,416,636.25lb)
Meat: 1/2lb per person per day (0.5 x 365 x 1,933,333 =352,833,272.5lb)
Poultry: 1 egg per person per day (365 x 1,933,333 =705,666,545 eggs)
Vegetables: 1 lb per person per day (365 x 1,933,333 =705,666,545lb)
Wine: 1/8th gallon per person per day (1/8 x 365 x 1,933,333 = 88,208,818.125 gallons)
Clothing: 6 pounds wool-cloth (6 x 1,933,333=11,599,998lb)
Firewood: 10,000lb per person per year. ((20,000lb acre/2) x 1,933,333 =19,333,330,000lb)
Footwear: 1lb leather per person (6 x 1,933,333=1,933,333lb)
Oxen: 9 acres of oats to maintain an oxen per 5 people-family (1,933,333/5=386,667 oxen)
Annual Requirements also means land use. To support a single person there are land requirements.
Sheep supporting the individual require 9 acres each to graze as a secondary field crop
That is 36 acres for a single persons four sheep (3 ewes)
Grain for flour requires an acre
Firewood is a ½ acre per person per year and considering regrowth is at about 50 year it is 25 woodlot-acres per person
Vegetables and hens for eggs is a ¼ acre per person
The farmers oxen requires 9 acres of oats
Subsistence farming in fourteenth century France means a farm of 196.5 acres per farming family and 125 Woodlot Acres for firewood/fuel support. Subsistence farming is not going to support any urban population what-so-ever and had there been no cities France would have well supported an agrarian culture.
To support the twenty percent in urban population, you look at farming families having a sixth mouth to feed. They must produce 4.5 ton of extra firewood per year (increasing the woodlot to 150 acres). They require another 37.5 acres of farm bringing it to 234 acres per farming family (worked by that family).
Such a situation still doesn’t want to support a medieval society top heavy with 20% non-agriculture or pay crushing taxes to an Aristocracy of 3.4% (such as the Italian Sextary where farmers got 1/6th of what they produced). Corruption and failures such as war and plague in the system is going to cause starvation and anarchy. The Shortage of 5,000 square miles means some need for the import of food. 82,056 people are unsupported. If we assume an even spread, that is 12,308 starving people for Paris alone.
We know that the productivity rate in 14th Century France for its better estates is 91% of yield limit, other regions as low as 29%. For Vineyards Bee Pollination adds 20%-50% to yields. So the farm yield range for a non-bee enhanced estate is going to be 0% - 71%. The Average for all agriculture in France at this time is going to be 35.5%
Average Productivity: 35.5%
Firewood: In this case the city of Paris clears 29,000 acres (At 20,000lb timber per acre) of forest for firewood per year. (19,333,330,000/(20,000))/640acres= 1510.42 square miles per year of felled forest. Paris alone requires the clearing of 226.53 square miles of forest per year to support its fuel needs. Mostly this is going to be woodlots but much of it is open forest clearing. At a regrowth rate of fifty years, we require a support forest of 75,520.82 square miles (existing forest, mountains, fens, and no-mans-land: 106,410 square miles).
Wine: We are looking at 88,208,818.125 gallons of Wine.
Grapes> 10 row vineyard acre = 2&1/2 ton/acre.
Wine> (Post Ferment Red, Pre Ferment White) 85lb-90lb per 5 gallons
What is needed to produce the minimum wine volume is found by:
88,208,818.125 gallon/5=1,037,751 grape-units/ 85lb = 207,550 acres /35.5%x100%=584,649 acres/640 acres=913.5 square miles
Grain: We need 980,006,497.7lb grain. This is supported by 1/3 of the farm (three field rotation).
Barley, fallow-ground> 28 bushels per acre
(28/100%)x35.5% x 50lb = 497lb per acre
(980,006,497.7/497lb)/640=3,081 square miles
x3 field rotation = 9,243 square miles
Wool: 11,599,998lb Wool for Clothing, blankets.
Ewes, Grazing> 180 days @ 1 sheep/3 acres 2&1/2 lb Wool /year.
We estimate the sheep-herd by 11,599,998lb / 2.5lb=4,640,000 /35.5% x 100%=13,070,420 sheep x 3 acres= 39,211,261 acres /640 acres = 61,267.6 square miles.
Dairy: We are looking for 176,416,636.25lb cheese.
Ewes, grazing> 1/4 gallon milk/day
We have (13,070,420 sheep/6) x 5= 10,892,017 ewes x .25 gallon per day x 180 days per year =490,140,750 gallons.
Cheese> milk(gallons)x10.31=milk(lb)x(5/43.25)=cheese(lb)
=584,202,443lb cheese (surplus cheese=407,785,807lb cheese)
Meat: Now 352,833,272.5lb meat is needed.
Sheep> 50% live-weight=77lb
13,070,420 /4=25% herd (4year old)=3,276,605 sheep x 77lb=251,605,585lb
352,833,272.7lb-251,605,585lb=101,227,687.7lb Surplus
Oxen: 386,667 oxen each supported by 50lb mix per day.
Oats, fallow-ground> 24 bushels per acre
35.5% x 24=8.52 bushels
22 acres per oxen per year x 386,667=8,506,674 acres/640 acres=
13,292 square miles
x 3 field rotation = 39,876 square miles
Leather: 1,933,333lb Leather for footwear. We find this in the 13,070,420 x 3lb sheep hides (39,211,260lb-1,933,333lb=37,277,927lb)/ 3lb=12,425,976 surplus sheep hides
Vegetables: 705,666,545lb/2240lb=315,029.7 ton vegetable
Turnip> 25 ton/acre
((25 ton per acre/100%)x35.5%)=8.875 ton per acre
315,029.7/ 8.875=35,496.3 acres /640 acres =55.463 square miles
X 3 field rotation = 66.389 square miles
Poultry: Finally 705,666,545 eggs are needed per year.
Hens> freerange@20/acre 180 eggs/year/hen
705,666,545/180=3,920,370 hens/20 per acre=196,018.5 acres/640 acres= 306.3 square miles.
Considering the ongoing burning of Firewood there is a smoke haze over France that has to do with the 8.63 million tons of Firewood burned each year.
The Death toll for Paris should be around 1,000 people per month (600 children) from hunger alone. Any further unsupported growth in rural population is going to be eaten by urban centres. So we can assume that every year about 82 thousand starving rural populace travel to the cities for hope of support. Eventually Paris will have a monthly death toll of four thousand (60% children) from hunger alone. Pollution, Disease, plague, National Bankruptcy and collapse of the Estate management structures (resulting from the slaughter of the Templar Knights at the staggering rate of 1 every hour all day every day for about a decade, over-taxation of Farmers) will create even more chaos.
There is going to be cannibalism and worse.
With increasing numbers in Paris, it was only a matter of time before total collapse. plague was meaningless and over-rated. The collapse of the agriculture economy in France killed a thousand times more.
France has dropped to a productivity of 35.5% that right there is going to destroy agriculture support. At a certain point it becomes impossible for a farmer to support others. they harvest grain at an acre per day (something that needs to be done in a week or so) so a single farmer is limited to 7-10 acres in harvestable grain vs physical labour. At 300lb of grain return per acre at this time people can only work so much. For a family and the tax share that acre is feeding them necessary grain for fifteen days...x7-10 and you have 105-150 days of grain. That means you need to farm as a farming family up to 40 acres of grain so you need labourers.
Agriculturally speaking you want to be above 50% yeild productivity, or your kingdom will begin a slide into famine and economic bankruptcy.
PS: My grandmother mixed charcoal into her farm soil and apparently that alone can take 0%-7% yield lands prior to sowing grain seed at a bushel per acre and make them yield at 400% above but it costs a lot more in timber (about a four tons per acre) thats an extra acre of woodlot per two grain acres just to maximize your yields.
Charcoal SoilMix
+50% to your agriculture yield productivity
extra Timber use so a ten grain acre farm needs a support woodlot of 5 acres for charcoaling + 2.5 acres to support the family, 7.5 acres Plus timber tax of 2.5 so ten acres per year, thats at a regrowth rate of 50 years so 500 acres woodlot per farming family just to feed cities.
Bibliography
What Books were used as sources
“Encyclopaedia Britannica”
“The English" by Christopher Hibbert
"The Farmers Handbook" by the Dept. of Agriculture (N.S.W.)
Created by Yellowdingo, 2006
To me, the best balance between gaming and the hard core world of medieval economics is covered in this book, which I like a lot and use only when I have to!
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yellowdingo, have you read "Salt" by Mark Kurlansky? It's quite an incredible read - most people wonder why I have a book totally devoted to salt on my cookbook shelf, and can't imagine how it could ever be interesting, but it's terribly fascinating to realize how vitally important salt is.
Good read, highly recommended!
Salt: Is that an Australian Novel i know the name but am unfamiliar with the read.
Nice book, but i prefered to do it myself that way i learn and enjoy the discovery.
Rock on!!! May the ewes never become barren and the fields lie fallow during appropriate crop-rotations.....
Have you calculated the impact that a slain dragon that goes down in a field would have on the local fertilizer production? I mean, when that thing starts to rot, I think at least 47 carts of horse manure need not be imported from the neighboring manor, thus freeing the serfs to produce.....(oh wait, no one slays dragons in your campaign...)
Okay, sorry--just having some fun at your expense. Whatever floats your boat!!!
(Example: I know ergot is when the rye grains rot and produce a toxin that causes hallucinations and death in larger amounts - it's also the subject of a book called "Bread of Dreams" that postulates that the "possessions" that took place in Salem, Mass. were caused by infected grain. Good read. Most people don't know what ergot is.)I seem to recall that ergot's actually a fungus that grows on the rye, not the rotting rye itself (unless I'm misremembering, which happens more and more as the years go by), but in any event your book recommendation is a good one that I'd like to second.
I read an article in Fortean Times last year by a researcher who said that something to remember about medieaval Europe was that not only rye but nearly every crop had fungal parasites of varying degrees of toxicity. Also frequently (especially in cold countries) alcohol was more plentiful and safer to drink than clean water. Children were raised drinking ale instead of water and adults often graduated to stronger stuff, especially after distillation was invented. This means that everyone (particularly the wealthy ruling classes) were constantly tipsy, if not downright drunk. He ended by saying that if we keep this in mind, the political history of Europe makes alot more sense...
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A 3rd Edition Price List
Commodity.................................Value
Salt, 1,400lb Barrel......................7,002gp
Firewood, 20,000lb.........................10gp
Grain/Wheat, 50lb..........................5sp
Meat, 77lb Mutton.........................462sp
Meat, 140lb Pig............................84gp
Meat, 1000lb Oxen.........................600gp
Feed, 213lb bushel
(un-threshed Wheat bushel)..................1gp
Ale, Barrel................................146sp
Fine Wine, Barrel.........................2,690gp
Common Wine, Barrel.......................5,912cp
Cheese, 50lb wheel...........................10gp
Linen, 40lb cloth bolt......................160gp
Sheep........................................2sp
Pig..........................................3gp
Ox..........................................15gp
Chicken......................................2cp
Sausage, 45lb
(50lb meat, 5 lb salt).......................55gp
The Theft of the Bishop’s Livestock
An army of 300 starving peasants, led by a parish priest raided the Bishops Estate making off with 1,000 cattle and 300 sheep.
Value: Livestock (15,030gp)/ Slaughtered (613,860gp)
300 x 3=900 acres
1000 x 9=9000 acres
Total 990,000 acres base/35.5=43.75 square miles
Bishop Inago Thurngoad
Cleric Level 7
BISHOPS ESTATE
56 Square Miles, grazing
1000 cattle & 300 sheep @35.5% efficiency
Annual Produce
333 cattle for meat = 199,800gp
100 sheep for meat = 4,620gp
Total = 204,420gp
Servants Wages
100 Servants x 5gp/day
365 x 500gp = 182,500gp
Bishop’s Income
204,420gp-182,500gp = 21,920gp