Familia

Much of medieval life remains a mystery - and this is especially true of what went on behind closed doors. With few surviving personal accounts, what was domestic life really like for ordinary people in the Middle Ages? When did people get married, and for what reasons? Did everyone have children; how many, and why? Who were the breadwinners?

In Familia, Dr Catherine Rider visits a range of medieval families, from peasants working the land in rural England to Florence on the cusp of the renaissance, a place where one's life could be made or broken by in-fighting or plague. Examining the profound influence of the church and its teachings, as well as fundamental shifts in Europe's climate, population, landscape and economies, Rider explores how Middle Ages families were made, secured and prospered, and how they could break apart. With new evidence of blended families, women defying their expected roles and many people choosing to remain single, the Middle Ages set the foundations for contemporary family life - a far-cry from the traditional structure of popular imagination.

Familia is an illuminating history taking us into the privacy of the medieval household and showing that, whilst the medieval world can seem foreign, in reality people and their families were seeking the same things modern families do: stability, prosperity, safety and happiness.