Social issues that arise in The Ramsay Scallop include the decline of the feudal system, the importance of religious beliefs, and the role of women in the society. In feudal times peasants lived in walled towns like Thornham under the protection of powerful barons who lived in nearby fortresses like Ramsay Castle. Barons, knights, and conscripted soldiers protected these peasants, especially when they were engaged in farm labor outside the walls. Viking invasions were common, and barons were often at war with each other over territory.

Christian knights and armies from European nations conducted Crusades against the Muslims of North Africa in an attempt to recapture the Holy Land from the "infidels." The Crusades ended in a stalemate, but the cost of engaging in a Holy War was staggering, not only in resources but in manpower.

While armies clashed in North Africa and mercenaries fought for...