The rest of the story at the link below.
STORY (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101206/od_nm/us_britain_medieval)
Well we do know Arthur and his nights of the roundtable were very merry. Proven fact
LOL…Where do you get these videos. That’s it you are banned from youtube for a month.
Medieval times span about a 1000 year period, so I’d expect that to contain many happy stories and many grim stories. I feel prosperity is a bigger picture than income alone. I’d also look at opportunities, social mobility, security and the amount of free time. Then there is the society as a whole, what it produces as a culture.
Hunter-gatherer societes had very few possessions and not much security, but tons of free time and a healthy diet. Early farmers could save for the future, but stored food was mainly grain, and especially in summer there was less free time. The classical cities produced many great works, but used a lot of slave labour.The rest of Europe was constantly raided by the Romans, so I doubt they felt prosperous. Serfs enjoyed protection, but lacked social mobility.
I think those who had a good lord, who asked a fair rent, did okay when the harvest was good. Unfreedom does have its benefits. Someone who owns you or your labour also depends on you, his people are his fortune and he is best off investing in them. At least enough for them to stay alive and healthy enough to work and reproduce. The downside is that his interest lies in keeping you dependent. When people are more free, they can rise very high but also sink very low. Or they may be suffering but their children go to school and have opportunities.