Baltalar ve Yasalar: Orta Çağ Avrupası’nda Orman Tahribatı ve Önlemeye Yönelik Çıkarılan Yasalar

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1, 1 - 19, 30.06.2025

Tolgahan Karaimamoğlu

https://doi.org/10.38000/juhis.1515681

Öz

Orta Çağ süresince Avrupa periferinde birçok değişim ve dönüşüm meydana gelmiştir. Doğa da bu süreçten payına düşeni fazlasıyla almıştır. Nitekim Avrupa’nın geniş ormanlık alanları Orta Çağ’ın başından sonuna kadar tarımsal faaliyet ve yerleşim yeri açmak, yakacak ve ham madde temin etmek gibi temel bazı sebeplerden dolayı ciddi şekilde tahrip edilmiştir. Nüfusun dramatik ölçüde arttığı özellikle on ile on ikinci yüzyıllar arasında Avrupa’nın ekolojik düzeni baltalı ellerle değiştirilmeye başlanmıştır. Öyle ki insanlık tarihinin büyük felaketlerinden olan Kara Ölüm olmasaydı Avrupa’nın çölleşeceği söylenmiştir. Orta Çağ’ın başından itibaren kendi ekonomik ve sosyal alanlarını korumakta kararlı olan bazı krallar bu durumun önüne geçmek için belli düzenlemeler oluşturmaya çalışmışlardır. Avrupa’da orman tahribatının derinden hissedildiği Fransa ve İngiltere’de krallar bu konuda yasalar çıkartmıştır. Bu yasalara uymayanlara para ya da ölüme varan ağır cezalar getirmişlerdir. Özellikle Normanların İngiltere’de yönetimi ellerine geçirdikten sonra ormanları kendi çıkarları doğrultusunda korumak için kurumsallaşma adımlarına başladıkları anlaşılmaktadır. Ormanların korunmasına yönelik İngiltere’de girişilen sert uygulamalar büyük bir hoşnutsuzluğa neden olmuş ve bu durum Magna Carta hükümlerine kadar yansımıştır. Bu çalışma Orta Çağ Avrupası’nda meydana gelen orman tahribatının ana nedenlerine ve bu tahribatın önüne geçmek için krallar tarafından oluşturulan yasalara odaklanmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Orta Çağ Avrupası , İngiltere , Yasalar , Nüfus , Hristiyanlık

Axes and Laws: Deforestation in Medieval Europe and Laws Enacted for Prevention

Öz

Many changes and transformations occurred in the European periphery during the Middle Ages. Nature has also had its share of this process. Large forest areas of Europe were seriously destroyed from the beginning to the end of the Middle Ages for basic reasons such as agricultural activities, opening settlements, and supplying fuel and raw materials. Especially between the tenth and twelfth centuries, when the population increased dramatically, the ecological order of Europe began to be changed by axe-wielding hands. So much so that it has even been said that Europe would have become a desert if it had not been for the Black Death, one of the greatest disasters in human history. Since the beginning of the Middle Ages, some kings determined to protect their economic and social areas and tried to create certain regulations to prevent this situation. Kings passed laws on the subject in France and England, where forest destruction was deeply felt in Europe. They imposed heavy penalties, up to fines or death, on those who did not comply with these laws. It is understood that especially after the Normans took over the administration in England, they started institutionalization steps to protect the forests in their interests. The harsh practices implemented in England to safeguard forests caused great dissatisfaction, which was reflected in the provisions of the Magna Carta. This study focuses on the main causes of forest destruction in Medieval Europe and the laws created by the kings to prevent this destruction.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Medieval Europe , England , Laws , Population , Christianity

Kaynakça

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