Skip to main content

Anglo-Saxon Kings Were Mostly Veggie But Peasants Treated Them To Huge Barbecues, New Study Argues

 

palm beach personal chef


Print Friendly and PDF

Very few people in England ate large amounts of meat before the Vikings settled, and there is no evidence that elites ate more meat than other people, a major new bioarchaeological study suggests. Its sister study also argues that peasants occasionally hosted lavish meat feasts for their rulers. The findings overturn major assumptions about early medieval English history.

  • 'You are what you eat' isotopic analysis of over 2,000 skeletons by far the largest of its kind.
  • Early medieval diets were far more similar across social groups than previously thought.
  • Peasants didn't give kings food as exploitative tax, they hosted feasts suggesting they were granted more respect than previously assumed.
  • Surviving food lists are supplies for special feasts not blueprints for everyday elite diets.
  • Some feasts served up an estimated 1kg of meat and 4,000 Calories in total, per person.

Picture medieval England and royal feasts involving copious amounts of meat immediately spring to mind. Historians have long assumed that royals and nobles ate far more meat than the rest of the population and that free peasants were forced to hand over food to sustain their rulers throughout the year in an exploitative system known as feorm or food-rent.

But a pair of Cambridge co-authored studies published today in the journal Anglo-Saxon England present a very different picture, one which could transform our understanding of early medieval kingship and society.

While completing a PhD at the University of Cambridge, bioarchaeologist Sam Leggett gave a presentation which intrigued historian Tom Lambert (Sidney Sussex College). Now at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Leggett had analysed chemical signatures of diets preserved in the bones of 2,023 people buried in England from the 5th - 11th centuries. She then cross-referenced these isotopic findings with evidence for social status such as grave goods, body position and grave orientation. Leggett's research revealed no correlation between social status and high protein diets.

That surprised Tom Lambert because so many medieval texts and historical studies suggest that Anglo-Saxon elites did eat large quantities of meat. The pair started to work together to find out what was really going on.

They began by deciphering a food list compiled during the reign of King Ine of Wessex (c. 688-726) to estimate how much food it records and what its calorie content might have been. They estimated that the supplies amounted to 1.24 million kcal, over half of which came from animal protein. The list included 300 bread rolls so the researchers worked on the basis that one bun was served to each diner to calculate overall portions. Each guest would have received 4,140 kcal from 500g of mutton; 500g of beef; another 500g of salmon, eel and poultry; plus cheese, honey and ale.

The researchers studied ten other comparable food lists from southern England and discovered a remarkably similar pattern: a modest amount of bread, a huge amount of meat, a decent but not excessive quantity of ale, and no mention of vegetables (although some probably were served).

Lambert says: "The scale and proportions of these food lists strongly suggests that they were provisions for occasional grand feasts, and not general food supplies sustaining royal households on a daily basis. These were not blueprints for everyday elite diets as historians have assumed."

"I've been to plenty of barbecues where friends have cooked ludicrous amounts of meat so we shouldn't be too surprised. The guests probably ate the best bits and then leftovers might have been stewed up for later."

Leggett says: "I've found no evidence of people eating anything like this much animal protein on a regular basis. If they were, we would find isotopic evidence of excess protein and signs of diseases like gout from the bones. But we're just not finding that."

"The isotopic evidence suggests that diets in this period were much more similar across social groups than we've been led to believe. We should imagine a wide range of people livening up bread with small quantities of meat and cheese, or eating pottages of leeks and whole grains with a little meat thrown in."

The researchers believe that even royals would have eaten a cereal-based diet and that these occasional feasts would have been a treat for them too.

Peasants feeding kings

These feasts would have been lavish outdoor events at which whole oxen were roasted in huge pits, examples of which have been excavated in East Anglia.

Lambert says: "Historians generally assume that medieval feasts were exclusively for elites. But these food lists show that even if you allow for huge appetites, 300 or more people must have attended. That means that a lot of ordinary farmers must have been there, and this has big political implications."

Kings in this period - including Rædwald, the early seventh-century East Anglian king perhaps buried at Sutton Hoo - are thought to have received renders of food, known in Old English as feorm or food-rent, from the free peasants of their kingdoms. It is often assumed that these were the primary source of food for royal households and that kings' own lands played a minor supporting role at best. As kingdoms expanded, it has also been assumed that food-rent was redirected by royal grants to sustain a broader elite, making them even more influential over time.

But Lambert studied the use of the word feorm in different contexts, including aristocratic wills, and concludes that the term referred to a single feast and not this primitive form of tax. This is significant because food-rent required no personal involvement from a king or lord, and no show of respect to the peasants who were duty-bound to provide it. When kings and lords attended communal feasts in person, however, the dynamics would have been very different.

Lambert says: "We're looking at kings travelling to massive barbecues hosted by free peasants, people who owned their own farms and sometimes slaves to work on them. You could compare it to a modern presidential campaign dinner in the US. This was a crucial form of political engagement."

This rethinking could have far-reaching implications for medieval studies and English political history more generally. Food renders have informed theories about the beginnings of English kingship and land-based patronage politics, and are central to ongoing debates about what led to the subjection of England's once-free peasantry.

Leggett and Lambert are now eagerly awaiting the publication of isotopic data from the Winchester Mortuary Chests which are thought to contain the remains of Egbert, Canute and other Anglo-Saxon royals. These results should provide unprecedented insights into the period's most elite eating habits.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Cambridge. Original written by Thomas Almeroth-Williams. The original text of this story is licensed under a Creative Commons LicenseNote: Content may be edited for style and length.

ScienceDaily


private chefs and event catering

Palm Beach + Boca Raton + Fort Lauderdale + Miami Beach
info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)
561-285-7466

south florida catering and personal chefs

Popular posts from this blog

Kids Cooking Class - Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami

YaDa Chef's cooking school JUST for kids! Teaching children of all ages that cooking can be creative, full of discovery, and a lot of fun!  YaDa Chef provides hands-on cooking classes allowing kid's imaginations to run wild and free while discovering new science, math, reading, health and social skills. YaDa Chef offers a unique culinary experience offering cooking classes to children in an environment that encourages discover and creativity.  Each class is a new experience.  Themes chosen, either our one of YaDa Chef's chefs, by the child or parent assist in sharpening skills and taking the mystery out of the kitchen.  Removing the fear of the unknown while incorporating subject matter which ties into each theme. Our highly qualified chefs, in coordination of nutritional experts carry out a mission to provide an interactive learning experience giving children the opportunity to develop a life-long love of the culinary arts. Each class is designed to fa...

Braised Lettuce (Laitues Braises): A Take On Julia Child’s Recipe

You can use almost any lettuce, such as chicory, or frisee, or Boston Bib if you are busing large heads, cut them in half. We made these pescartarian because of the shrimp stock, but vegan is easy with vegetable stock, or if serving with beef, a  beef stock and bacon. Braised lettuce is a delicious garnish for poultry, white meats such as veal or pork, or steamed white fish. It can be the main accompanied by a warm sweet potato salad. Serves 4 4 heads Romaine lettuce hearts  4 thick slices of bacon (if making not vegetarian or vegan), cut into lardon strips 1 small onion , diced 2 carrots, diced 1 tablespoon/15g plus 1/2 tablespoon/7 butter divided  1 teaspoon/5ml olive oil 1/2 cup/125ml shrimp or seafood stock (see notes above) 1/2 cup/125ml cup white wine or dry white vermouth bouquet garni: 1 parsley branch, 1 branch of thyme,1  bay leaf tied to a cheesecloth ½ tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon parsley Trim stems of lettuce and ...

Do you Remember Herman? Sourdough Starter and Recipe

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Amish friendship bread, as well as an interchangeable starter referred to as Herman (the name varies), became a popular exchange among friends who shared the starter as well as recipes. Herman Starter Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 5 days Yield: 4 cups 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup warm water 2 packages (2 1/4 teaspoons each) active dry yeast 2 cups each: milk, flour 1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the warm water. Sprinkle yeast over mixture; set aside until doubled in volume, about 10 minutes. 2. Combine milk, flour, remaining sugar and yeast mixture in a plastic or glass container. (Do not use metal.) Stir with a wooden spoon; cover loosely. Set aside at room temperature, at least 8 hours. 3. Stir mixture once a day for three days. On the fourth day, measure out 1 cup of Herman for baking; measure 1 additional cup to give to a friend as a gift. To replenish starter: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk and 1...

Eat Your Vegetables - They Are Good For You

There's no question that eating three to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily will improve your health. But more and more experts are saying healthy eat ing is not only about how many servings you eat. It's about the variety you pick, too. Eat a diet of solely white foods, and you'll miss key nutrients your body needs—even if your palette includes cauliflower, onions, and mushrooms. Adding a multivitamin doesn't cut it either. "People will say, 'I'm taking a multivitamin, so I don't really need to eat these,' " says Karin Hosenfeld, RD, LD, a dietitian in private practice in Dallas, but she says scientists don't know whether whole foods may offer undiscovered benefits that vitamins don't. "We do know for sure that if you don't eat your fruits and vegetables, you're not getting your fiber, and that's [helping keep] your blood sugar down." Every one of your meals doesn't have to be multicolored...

White Fish Gravlax Recipe

White Fish Gravlax Serves 4 Here is a great starter, light lunch or a fantastic item for your holiday buffet.  If you have problems with gluten substitute the wheat bread for a flax or millet bread or leave it out entirely and eat on some mixed greens.   Gravlax 5 ounces/145 grams white fish, bass, snapper-I used tilapia (sushi grade) 2 tablespoons/34g coarse salt 2 tablespoons/25g caster sugar 1 tablespoon/7g of ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon/2g ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon/2g ground cloves 8-10 pieces of fresh dill fronds Mustard Butter 2 Tablespoons/28g of unsalted butter, softened 2 Tablespoons/28g of dijon mustard. Salad 1 handful of watercress dressed with simple vinaigrette Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream Mix salt, sugar, black pepper, allspice, and ground cloves.  Liberally sprinkle on both  sides of the fish.  Lay half of the dill in a glass container.  Place the fish on top  and cover with rest o...

Pitted vs Unpitted Olives — Which Are Better?

Q. Are there any differences in flavor or texture among pitted and unpitted brine-cured  olives? A. To evaluate any differences between pitted and unpitted olives, we gathered both green and black brine-cured olives from deli sections at supermarkets, as well as olives packed in plastic and glass containers. After tasting many samples, it became clear that the pitted olives suffered on two counts: they tasted saltier and their flesh was mushier. They also lacked the complex, fruity flavors of the unpitted kind. Here's why: Before being packed for sale, fresh-picked olives are soaked in brine for periods of up to a year to remove bitterness and develop flavor. Once pitted, the olives are returned to the brine for packing, which can penetrate the inside of the olive and turn it mushy and pasty, as well as increase the absorption of salt. That saltier taste can mask subtler flavors. If you have the time, it makes sense to buy unpitted olives and pit them yourself...

New England Iced Tea Recipe

While growing up in Massachusetts, my family spent summers at our cottage. These cocktails for the adults were a regional variation on Long Island iced tea, and they always showed up at clambakes on the beach. —Ann Liebergen, Brookfield, Wisconsin Ingredients 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ounce vodka 1 ounce light rum 1 ounce gin 1 ounce Triple Sec 1 ounce lime juice 1 ounce tequila 1 to 1-1/2 cups ice cubes 2 ounces cranberry juice Lemon slice, optional Directions In a mixing glass or tumbler, combine the sugar, vodka, rum, gin, Triple Sec, lime juice and tequila; stir until sugar is dissolved. Place ice in a highball glass; pour in the sugar mixture. Top with cranberry juice. Garnish with lemon if desired.  private chefs and event catering Palm Beach + Boca Raton + Fort Lauderdale + Miami Beach info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232) 561-285-7466 www.yadachef.com south florida catering and personal chefs

Jacques Pepin's Flatbread Recipe

I saw Chef Pepin make this on one of his shows, and thought, that is almost like the bread I used to make when I lived on the Beach in St. Augustine Florida and I had no yeast. I called it a cheat pizza dough, and I added tons of granulated garlic. Serves 6 1 1⁄2 cups/188g regular all purpose flour 1 cup/250ml water 1⁄4 teaspoon/2ml baking powder 1⁄4 teaspoon/2ml salt 2 tablespoons/30ml olive oil 2 tablespoons/30ml water Dump everything (except the 2 tablespoons water) into a bowl and "stir it into a gooey stuff" as Jacques says. The dough will indeed be very wet, gooey, sticky. Stir in any optional ingredients. Heat a non-stick 10" / 25.4 cm skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into the pan and then pour in the dough. Spread into one flat layer with a spoon or spatula. (A little oil on the spoon or spatula helps keep the dough from sticking to it.) Add remaining  water around the outside of the dough where it meets the pan; the o...

What Is That White String in Chicken Tenders? Plus, Is It Safe to Eat and How to Easily Remove It

  Chicken strips, chicken tenders, chicken fingers—whatever you call them, they are one of the most popular foods eaten in American households. Anyone who has ever prepared chicken at home has seen that white, string-like piece hanging from the chicken tender portion of the breast. So, what is it? Read on to find out, plus learn what, if anything, you should do about it. Chicken is  one of the healthiest protein choices  you can make when deciding  what to cook for dinner . And  chicken breast  boasts great flavor with minimal internal fat, making it  low in calories and still high in protein . But if you have not worked with chicken a lot, you might notice while prepping that there is a white stringy thing in the chicken breast. And you may wonder if you should remove it or if it is safe to eat. Related:  Are Chicken Thighs Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say What is that white string in the chicken breast and is it ok to eat? The white s...

Our Blog Has Moved

 We are in the process of migrating our blog to our updated website, yadachef.com , using WordPress. For new, as well as past, blog posts visit:  https://yadachef.com/blog/ .