▁volume ▁of ▁alco hol ▁consumption ▁inspired ▁a ▁vit icult ure ▁revolution ▁of ▁progress . ▁This ▁protection ▁from ▁fam ine ▁allowed ▁Europe ' s ▁population ▁to ▁increase , ▁despite ▁the ▁fam ine ▁in ▁ 1 3 1 5 ▁that ▁killed ▁ 1 . 5 ▁million ▁people . ▁This ▁increased ▁population ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁new ▁towns ▁and ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁industrial ▁and ▁economic ▁activity ▁during ▁the ▁period . ▁They ▁also ▁established ▁trade ▁and ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁production ▁of ▁alco hol . ▁Food ▁production ▁also ▁increased ▁during ▁this ▁time ▁as ▁new ▁ways ▁of ▁far ming ▁were ▁introduced , ▁including ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁heav ier ▁p low , ▁horses ▁instead ▁of ▁ox en , ▁and ▁a ▁three - field ▁system ▁that ▁allowed ▁the ▁cultiv ation ▁of ▁a ▁greater ▁variety ▁of ▁cro ps ▁than ▁the ▁earlier ▁two - field ▁system — not ably ▁leg umes , ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁which ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁de ple tion ▁of ▁important ▁nit ro gen ▁from ▁the ▁soil . ▁ ▁The ▁rise ▁of ▁ch ival ry ▁House hold ▁heavy ▁caval ry ▁( kn ights ) ▁became ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁century ▁across ▁Europe , ▁and ▁tournament s ▁were ▁invent ed . ▁Although ▁the ▁heavy ▁capital ▁invest ment ▁in ▁horse ▁and ▁arm or ▁was ▁a ▁bar rier ▁to ▁entry , ▁kn ighth ood ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁for ▁ser fs ▁to ▁ear n ▁their ▁freedom . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Cl un y ▁mon ks ▁promoted ▁eth ical ▁war fare