What criteria are used to determine the popularity of Medieval European rulers?

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One might say that evidence is skewed towards those classes that really mattered. Who cares what the peasants think as long as they do not rise up into rebellion.

Some chroniclers may actually write down some words about the general mood in the population re. a king. There is also surviving political commentary outside of chronicles, e.g. (for the Holy Roman Empire) several works by Walther von der Vogelweide.

Last not least some events may give you evidence re. a monarch's popularity. If there is a string of imposters after a monarchs death (as happened e.g. after the death of Roman emperor Nero 68 AD) then it probably means that said monarch was popular, at least in some circles.

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