Practices of Unfreedom in Northern France, 888-1121

The proposed project aims to fundamentally re-frame the social history of the thousands of unfree persons living in France during the central middle ages. It will do so by applying methods and frameworks from the growing field of the history of slavery and dependence, moving away from redundant narratives of a transformation from antique slavery to medieval serfdom. It will draw upon a wide range of documentary sources from four ecclesiastical provinces in Northern France (Tours, Rouen, Sens and Reims) to create a database of the practices and interactions between unfree dependents and their lords in the period AD 888 to AD 1121. Once completed, this database will allow for a detailed analysis of the social and economic roles played by practices of unfreedom in medieval society. The three key research themes of the project (The Imposition of Unfreedom; The Agency of the Unfree; The Historical Record of Unfreedom) will be explored in two peer-reviewed journal articles, one in French and the other in English. The researcher, Dr. Niall Silleabhin, will conduct the project over 24 months at the 'Centre dtudes suprieures de civilisation mdievale' (CESCM) in Poitiers, a vibrant, interdisciplinary centre for medieval studies. The research will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Martin Aurell, an internationally renowned expert on the power of medieval social lites. The projects training element, involving mentoring, digital training and participation in academic discussions and outreach, will allow the researcher to develop transferable skills in archival research, digital humanities techniques, research project management and multi-lingual scholarly communication. These skills, in addition to the strengthening of existing collaborative European networks, will significantly enhance the researchers career prospects, allowing him to become an international research leader in medieval social history.