Abstract
The introduction explores the relevant historiography of childhood, especially in the context of medieval history. Aries’ approach and legacy are explored, and appropriate sociological and archaeological approaches are drawn on. Müller stresses the importance of seeing young people as agents in their own right; and not merely as victims of circumstances. The particular context of medieval rural childhood is discussed, and the manorial sources used in this study are introduced. The main vehicle for allowing insights into medieval village childhoods are cases of orphans and underaged heirs who left sufficient traces in manorial sources to allow their analysis.
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Müller, M. (2019). Introduction. In: Childhood, Orphans and Underage Heirs in Medieval Rural England. Palgrave Studies in the History of Childhood. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03602-7_1
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