Our discussion

These were our tutorial discussion points on Monday:

1. What is the relationship between local land holding and organisation, and cross-continental trade routes and goods? How are both of these things related to arguments about early medieval economics? How do they each fit into Davis’ discussion?
2. (According to Davis) what is Pirenne’s thesis? What assumptions underlie Pirenne’s conclusion that Muslim conquests brought about an economic standstill in Western Europe?
3. What objections does Davis raise to Pirenne’s thesis? What does he argue instead?
4. What is an economy of no outlets? What is an economy of restricted outlets? Which does Davis think characterised early medieval Europe? Why?
5. Which came first: Charlemagne or feudalism? (According to Davis) how did Pirenne argue the two are related?
6. What are Pirenne’s assumptions about coins? What does Davis argue about coins? What might money be used for? How did this affect what kinds of money existed?
7. What is the manorial system? Is it the same as feudalism? [How] are the two related?
8. What is the difference between Demesne and Tributary land?
9. What kinds of wealth did abbeys have? What kinds of surpluses might their lands generate?
10. What social and economic pressures resulted in the formation of big estates?
11. What is a serf? What is a colona? What is a servi? What does Davis argue about these words?
12. What were the effects on local society of cultivation in open fields, or in “bosky” land? What explanations can you offer for why land might have been cultivated in one way or the other?