Editing Middle Ages (section)

=== Society and economy ===
Society throughout Europe was disturbed by the dislocations caused by the Black Death. Lands that had been marginally productive were abandoned as the survivors could acquire more fertile areas.<ref name=Epstein184>Epstein ''Economic and Social History'' pp. 184–185</ref> Although [[serfdom]] declined in Western Europe, it became more common in Eastern Europe, as landlords imposed it on those of their tenants who had previously been free.<ref name=Epstein246>Epstein ''Economic and Social History'' pp. 246–247</ref> Most peasants in Western Europe changed the work they had previously owed to their landlords into cash rents.<ref name=Keen234 /> The percentage of serfs among the peasantry declined from a high of 90 to closer to 50 percent by the end of the period.<ref name=Singman8 /> Landlords also became more conscious of common interests with other landholders and joined to extort their governments' privileges. Partly at the urging of landlords, governments attempted to legislate a return to the economic conditions that existed before the Black Death.<ref name=Keen234>Keen ''Pelican History of Medieval Europe'' pp. 234–237</ref> Non-clergy became increasingly literate, and urban populations began to imitate the nobility's interest in chivalry.<ref name=Vale346>Vale "Civilization of Courts and Cities" ''Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe'' pp. 346–349</ref>

Jewish communities were [[Edict of Expulsion|expelled from England]] in 1290 and from [[History of the Jews in France#The Great Exile of 1306|France in 1306]]. Although some were allowed back into France, most were not. Many Jews emigrated eastwards, [[History of the Jews in Poland#Early history: 966–1385|settling in Poland]] and Hungary.<ref name=Jews192>Loyn "Jews" ''Middle Ages'' p. 192</ref> The Jews were expelled from [[Alhambra Decree|Spain in 1492]], and dispersed to Turkey, France, Italy, and Holland.<ref name=Jews191 /> The [[History of banking#Medieval Europe|rise of banking]] in Italy during the 13th century continued throughout the 14th century, fuelled partly by the increasing warfare of the period and the needs of the papacy to move money between kingdoms. Many banking firms loaned money to royalty at great risk, as some were bankrupted when kings defaulted on their loans.<ref name=Keen237>Keen ''Pelican History of Medieval Europe'' pp. 237–239</ref>{{efn-ua|As happened with the [[Bardi family|Bardi]] and [[Peruzzi]] firms in the 1340s when King [[Edward III of England]] repudiated their loans to him.<ref name=Keen237 />}}