Session: #343

Content:

Monastic houses became one of the leading institutions in northern Europe throughout the medieval period. The successful ones, female and male monasteries alike, became well-staffed with both religious and lay members who provided a broad range of social services to their local communities. In them, it was possible to gain education or training as a student or a novice, or even live a comfortable life as a corrodian or temporary lay worker. Some of the monastic houses took care of the sick, the poor, and the elderly, besides providing shelter for occasional travellers and pilgrims. Likewise, monastic houses played an important role in gardening and ran large farms in order to provide their inhabitants with subsistence, ranging from medicines to food. Their miscellaneous manufacturing similarly required ample natural resources.

This session will be associated with MERC, since it deals with matters concerning the diverse ways the medieval monastic settlements in northern Europe synchronized with their environment while faithfully keeping their dedication to their diverse orders. The aim is to discuss the role of the landscape in everyday monastic life and the associated land-use in the long run. The discussion includes the diverse ways the religious houses responded to periods of prosperity and hardship, such as caused by the Plague, famines due to volcanic eruptions, or the cooling climate in the Little Ice Age. With contributions from archaeology, natural sciences, and environmental studies, the session is likely to provide innovative insights into current debates about human/nature coexistence due to epidemies such as Covid-19 or climate change.

Session: #343

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