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Rapid Population Growth in Medieval Europe

Evidence shows that the population of medieval Europe rose steadily from the
Tenth century until the Black Death of the mid-fourteenth century and then recovered to regain its former peak by 1500 (McEvedy and Jones, 1978). This demographic upswing in European societies was sustained by an increase in the rate of return of manual labor, increase in long distance trade flows, and urbanization.
The period between the Eleventh and Thirteenth century is known as the Population Boom and Expansion period in Medieval Europe. Reasons for this population growth include an improving climate known as the Medieval warm period which allowed longer and more productive growing seasons; the end of barbarian raids by Vikings, Magyars and Saracens resulting in political stability; advancements in medieval technology which allowed more land to be farmed; and the rise of Feudalism, which also brought increased social stability and thus more mobility. Land was plentiful and labor to clear and work the land was scarce, urban centers began to emerge and attracted serfs with the promise of freedom. As new regions were settled, population naturally increased.
The survival of a large population, if not accompanied by a proportional increase in productivity per capita, may pull a civilization under (Lopez 1976, p.36). The most important resource necessary for an increase in population is food. During the tenth century, most societies were sedentary. Food came from agriculture and thus, in order to maintain an increase in population, there had to be a parallel increase in the production of food. In the early years there was still enough free land that increases in population could be sustained by simply increasing the areas of land dedicated to agriculture. As time went by however, cities became more densely populated and it was necessary to find another way to increase food production.
Early...