Tag: agriculture

Your analysis of the feudal structure in the 7K is fascinating, but I am curious as to the agricultural economy of Terros, particularly in Essos. To feed a city the size of Volantis (well, 3-5 cities including colonies) you would need either a very productive agricultural structure or vast wealth to buy that food from elsewhere. The same is true of Braavos, and you can’t just rely on fishing to provide that! So: either these cities *also* have far more advanced agricultural systems than (1/2)

(2/2) Westeros seems to, or someone somewhere is producing an outrageous quantity of food. Given the geography of the Free Cities, I can’t help but think that a) the Disputed Lands were unquestionably very fertile and productive; b) Pentos’ lands were extremely valuable; c) Braavos’ coastline was more important than previously implied; and d) the banks of the Rhoyne were highly lucrative. What at your opinions? Thanks!

Excellent question! Yeah, the agricultural economy is absolutely fundamental to the broader political economy of Terros. 

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Volantis’ vast Rhoynish hinterland – Volon Therys, Valysar, and Selhorys, etc. -seems eminently capable of feeding the metropole through organization into latifundia. It seems that cold beet soup, i.e borscht, is a staple of the Volantene diet, and as any number of central and eastern european peasantries can tell you, you can feed a lot of serfs on borscht.

I’m somewhat skeptical as to how much food the Braavosi coastline can produce, but I imagine they produce some because you can’t rely entirely on imports from Westeros given the vagarities of sea transportation. 

I am also of the belief that the Disputed Lands are fertile.