Indebted Abbots: The Impact of Lordly Demand on the Late Medieval Rural Economy in Northeast Scotland

Abstract Scottish historiography often describes late medieval Scotland as experiencing socio-economic stagnation while at the same time witnessing a shift from feudal to post-feudal lordship. This paper reevaluates that interpretation through a case study of the Abbey of Arbroath’s estate management in northeast Scotland in the late 15 th and early 16 th centuries. Drawing on previously underused cartularies and leases, the study demonstrates that rising lordly demand for cash – particularly the need to meet papal financial requirements – triggered active estate management, increased leasing, and partial commercialisation. Contrary to the narrative of stagnation, rents and land values improved earlier than assumed, and rural commercialisation was underway in the 15 th century. The continued collection of labour and in-kind dues nevertheless shows the persistence of feudal economic structures, which were shaped and limited by lordly demand. This bottom-up, regional perspective calls for a revision of conventional assumptions, arguing that late medieval Scotland’s feudal economy was more dynamic, adaptive, and commercially engaged than previously recognised.