Many Europeans are probably descended from medieval peasants, but we know remarkably little about the lives of the peasantry. Often derided and misunderstood, this four-part documentary tells the story of these people at the bottom of the social scale from the early Middle Ages onwards.

The turbulent history of the people that work the land, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day. Episode 2: Around the year 1000 an economic boom comes to Europe as peasants enter the market economy. But in the 14th century famine, war, and plague put an end to economic growth and it is not long before the great peasant uprisings begin.

The turbulent history of the people that work the land, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day. Episode 3: In the 17th century, peasants began to learn how to read and write, much to the displeasure of their masters.

The turbulent history of the people that work the land, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day. Final episode: In the 19th century, the industrial revolution turned the peasant world upside down. The old village communities were dispersed and the agrarian population plummeted with the rural exodus.