A characteristic feature of the Middle Ages was the growth of cities. This is due, first of all, to the division of society into social groups and the development of crafts. A typical medieval city in Western Europe was a small settlement by modern standards, located near a monastery, fortress or castle. A prerequisite for the construction of a new settlement was the presence of a reservoir - a river or lake. The Middle Ages itself covers a very significant period of time: from the fifth century (early Middle Ages) to the fifteenth (Renaissance). Many cities of the 5-15 centuries were real fortresses, surrounded by a wide rampart and a fortress wall, which made it possible to hold the defense during the siege, since wars were not uncommon for this period of time.
The European medieval city was an unsafe place, life in it was rather difficult. If high walls and the army were saving from the devastating raids of foreign troops, then stone fortifications were powerless against diseases. Frequent epidemics that erupted in medieval Europe, claimed the lives of ordinary citizens in thousands. One plague epidemic could cause the city incomparable damage to anything. The following reasons can be noted for the rapid spread of plague among the population of Europe of the 5-15th centuries. Firstly, the state of medicine of those times did not allow to fight with a single focus of the disease. As a result, the "black death" spread first among the inhabitants of one settlement, then went far beyond it, acquiring the character of an epidemic, and sometimes a pandemic. Secondly, despite the small number of inhabitants, the population density in such cities was quite high. The crowding of people helped the spread of the infection, which is quickly transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one, as well as possible. Thirdly, by the standards of modern people, the medieval city was a collection of garbage, household waste and animal excrement. Unsanitary conditions, as you know, contributes to the emergence of many dangerous diseases carried by rats and other small rodents.
However, the birth and expansion of cities also had their positive features. So, most of them arose on the lands of large feudal lords or kings. People living in territory subject to the vassal could engage in farming and trade, while receiving significant income. Vassal was profitable for the prosperity of “his” city, since he could receive the bulk of his income from the taxes of citizens.
Description of the medieval city
Most cities of Western Europe 5-15 centuries totaled from 4 to 10 thousand inhabitants. A city with a population of up to 4 thousand inhabitants was considered average. The largest medieval city could hardly count 80 thousand inhabitants. Megapolises of those times were considered Milan, Florence, Paris. Mostly small merchants, artisans, warriors lived in them, there was a local city nobility. A characteristic feature of European cities of the 12th century was the opening of universities in them and the emergence of students as a separate social class. The first such institutions were opened in large centers of that time - Oxford, Paris, Cambridge. Their appearance had a significant impact on the development of individual countries and Europe as a whole.
Today, the medieval city seems to us a dull and dangerous place, where even at the height of the day you could witness a robbery or murder. However, there is something romantic in the narrow streets of ancient European cities. How else to explain the increased interest of tourists and travelers to such ancient cities as Sartin (Italy), Cologne (Germany), Marseille (France). They allow you to plunge into history, escape from the hustle and bustle of the modern "stone jungle", to make, albeit a short, journey into the past.