After the conquest of Livonia in the Middle Ages, Estonians and Latvians lost their independent farmer status, becoming more and more dependent on their German overlords both legally and economically. They lost their freedom to move completely at the end of the 18th century and could be sold into serfdom. It was the agrarian reforms of the 19th century that finally improved their social condition.
Labour duties and crop levies left the rural population with only a meagre livelihood. As a result of wars, epidemics, bad harvests and growing debt, farmers and farm workers became increasingly dependent on their manorial lords. In their everyday and festive cultures different regions developed different forms and customs.
Under Swedish rule, the duties of the farmers were regulated by law. Under Russian rule in the 18th century, they were de facto subject to the arbitrary rule of their feudal lords. But the peasant ordinances from 1816 to 1819 liberated the farmers, though they remained without land ownership.
After the agrarian reforms of 1849 and 1856, Estonian and Latvian peasant property was created. Very soon, farms successfully competed economically with large estates.
Illustration:
A page from the "Wackenbuch" (account book) of Altenwoga in Livonia, 1822
Livonian knighthood, Herder Institute, collection of documents
A "Wackenbuch" (account book) was a register of the peasants' duties of work for and taxes to be paid to their landlord. Both lord and peasant were bound by it. However, in the second half of the 18th century these duties were constantly increased and the standards of the "Wackenbücher" (account books) flouted. The Estonian and Latvian farms had therefore often to depend on employing additional farmhands and maidservants in order to be able to provide the feudal services.