Re: [OT] Bureau of Relocation

> Just quoting my historian friend, but she didn't seem to think the war
> had anything to do with "bored knights".  Her take on it was a cross
> between a population problem and inheritance.  Too many second third
> and fourth sons in a system where only the oldest inherits.  You ship
> some off to the church, the rest need to establish their own territory
> or end up being peasants.
>

There was no population problem.  The inheritance problem was typically
solved
by the monastic movement.  Boys became monks and girls became nuns.  The
huge
expense of out-fitting a knight typically prevented excess sons from
becoming
one in the first place.  There was a lot of petty warfare going on
between the
knights that was causing a lot of economic disruption.	Please note that
the
church got a tie (percentage) on everything produced, so they had a
vested
interest in reducing or eliminating this warfare.  Because not only did
increase the financial demands placed on the church (more destitute
peasants
and orphans) it also reduced the income the church was getting. 
Therefore the
church started punishing these knights by stating that their sins could
only
be forgiven if they went on a Crusade.	This meant that the most
troublesome
knights were disposed of...  It even applied to kings, such as English
Richard
the Lion Heart, etc..

IAS