The structure of society in medieval Vecht and Venen. A causal analysis of a comparison of the structure of society in De Ronde Venen and on the old land along the southern course of the river Vecht (953-1528)

Abstract

In this thesis a causal analysis is made of a comparison of the structure of society in De Ronde Venen and on the old land along the southern course of the river Vecht over the period 953-1528. The structure of society is identified by looking at the distribution among the different groups in society of the property of land and of the instruments with which income from surplus from land could be collected. These two regions shared many similarities in the period of research, f.e.; they are situated merely 15 kilometres from each other, in both regions the bishop of Utrecht was the main landlord and in both regions chapters and ministeriales played an important role. However, in the course of the 600 years studied, structurally different relationships between the groups in society developed in De Ronde Venen and along the river Vecht. The main difference the thesis comes across is that in De Ronde Venen peasants were landholders, enjoyed personal freedom and influence on local administration, while the relationships on the old land along the southern course of the river Vecht throughout the period continued to be characterized by lords owning land and instruments to control surplus-extraction while peasants (until the thirteenth century as mancipia and subsequently as tenants) had no access to this kind of ownership. This thesis aims at finding an explanation for the differences and similarities found in the comparison. In part 1 the concepts and methodology used are accounted for. In part 2 the scattered and scarce data on the distribution of the property of land and of income from surplus-extraction from land in both regions is comprised. In part 3 data are compared, followed by an explanation for the discovered similarities and differences. In dealing with these regions for the period 953-1528 the thesis attends to subjects such as the Great Reclamations, the cope system, the possible existence of a classical form of the manorial system on the manors along the river Vecht, the dissolution of the manorial system, the introduction of the lease system, the erection of castles and the struggle between the counts of Holland and the bishops of Utrecht.