Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tonguez" data-source="post: 8639876" data-attributes="member: 1125">While this thread has concentrated on pilgrimage, the most common reason for travel was in fact war with regular musters of normal folk being led north to fight the Scots, or south to fight the French. Its estimated there were maybe 15,000 English troops at the Battle of Crecy (and that was just one battle in the Hundred Years War). We also see many mercenary ‘Free companies’ rising from the 11th century following the fall of feudalism, population increase and Muslim conquest of western mediterranean (Italy, Spain etc). The population increases meant that many younger sons of noble families were spare and pursued mercenary work to occupy their time.War also lead to displacement of farmers who were forced to flee the warzones to the city and subsequent rise of bourgeoisie (both merchants and mercenaries) free from the landbased nobility and instead working in a market economy. IMHO DnD adventure parties are mercenary companies of this type, the idea that PCs are peasants another anachronism.Also In England at least you have the meeting of Parliament and gathering of the House of Lords and their retinues. The Royal Court was also highly mobile (and still is)</blockquote>