Read a footnote in a history book that said only 12% of medieval peasants actually lived past 40

Found that stat buried in a random chapter about daily life in 14th century France and now I can't stop thinking about how different their timeline of life was compared to ours, has anyone else run across a random fact in a book that just stuck with you?

2 comments

2 Comments

janarivera1mo ago

Wait only 12% made it past 40? That's brutal, totally changes how you see their whole lives.

logan_young291mo ago

Makes paying taxes seem like a pretty good deal honestly.