Life and Death in Medieval Times Summary

Life in a medieval castle Life on a medieval manor

• The Normans lived in castles; first motte and bailey, then stone e.g. Trim Castle. Lord of the manor
• The castle was the home of the lord and his family as well as a defensive fortress. • Medieval villages and the surrounding lands were called manors.
• The lord and lady of the castle lived in the keep. So too did the servants, pages, squires and also the • Each manor belonged to a lord. The lord of the manor lived like
chaplain (priest). the lord of a castle but he was not as rich.
• The main room in the keep was the great hall. • The lord built a manor house or grange from stone.
The Lord • Lord’s pastimes – hunting and hawking.
• The lord in a castle spent most of his days carrying out his duties. • He kept the best land on the manor for himself – demesne.
• He gave orders to the soldiers.
• Collected rents and taxes from the peasants. Peasants
• Held court to settle disputes and decided punishments for criminals. • 2 types of peasant -serf
The Lady - freeman
• Ladies of a medieval castle lived quiet lives and their main job was to produce heirs. • Serfs belonged to the lord. They had to get his permission to
• They spent lots of time in the solar (the room that got the most sun). Here they taught their marry or leave.
daughters to spin, weave, do needlework such as embroidery, and used herbs to treat illness. • Serfs had to work for free three days a week on the lords
• Ladies of the castle cared for children sent by other nobles to castle -> fosterage. demesne.
• They were responsible for ordering food for the kitchens and salting of food to preserve it. • Their system of agriculture was called open field farming.
• Ladies also gave orders to the servants. • Peasants got a one acre, narrow strip of land.
• Crop rotation was practiced. One field was left fallow every year.
• Banquets were often held. Lord and lady sat at a high table raised on a dais. Seeds were sown by hand – broadcast method.
• Musicians called minstrels entertained from the gallery. • Land was ploughed using oxen.
• A large open fire as well as tapestries on the wall warmed the room. • Crops were harvested using a sickle and scythe.
• Guests ate with knives (no forks) and a form of stale bread called trenchers as plates. They ate beef, • A separate field was kept for grazing animals called the
pork, pheasant and cakes made from almond paste. Commons.
Knights • They had to pay a tax to the church – tithe.
 A knight is a soldier on horseback. Many knights lived in the castle. • Their clothes were made from wool or hemp. Women wore
 They followed a strict code of conduct called chivalry. scarves called wimples.
 Knights jousted during the winter months to keep fit. • Their houses were made of wattle and daub. They were simple
 It took up to 15 years to train to become a knight. one room cottages with thatched roofs that were shared with
 Page: Age 7. Went to the castle of a lord for the next 7 years. He would learn good manners, how to the animals.
read and write and serve at tables at banquets. • Peasants ate food that they grew so if their crops failed they had
 Squire: Age 14. He would learn to ride horses and use weapons. no food.
 Knight: Age 21. If he was suitable he was made a knight in a ceremony called a dubbing → spent the • Peasants ate thick soup – pottage.
night before in a vigil of prayer. • Peasants could hunt rabbits but might be punished by the lord
 On the day of ceremony he went to confession and had a haircut. He wore a white tunic (purity), a for poaching.
red robe (blood) and a black jacket (death). • Everyone drank cider, beer and wine. Even children drank beer
for breakfast.
Life in a medieval town Life in a medieval monastery
• In the middle ages towns were small, crowded and smelly. • In Medieval times people were very religious.
• Guards called sentries watched for enemies from the top of the town walls. • Monks lived in monasteries.
• Taxes called tolls were charged on goods as they passed through the gates. • Nuns lived in convents.
• Most medieval houses were built of wood (only the church and other important buildings were made • There were many different religious orders e.g. the Benedictines
of stone). and the Augustinians.
• Cooking and heat was obtained from an open fire. • To become a monk or a nun you first had to become a novice.
• There was a curfew bell at sunset. • You had to learn the Rule of St Benedict and help with work
• Rubbish was thrown on streets → contamination→ disease. around the monastery or convent.
• In large towns you could get a take-away like hot thrushes and hot sheep’s foot. • If the abbot or abbess was satisfied with your progress then you
• Some food sellers cheated. Many added sand to their loaves of bread. could become a monk/nun.
• Markets were held at least once a week. Fairs were held once or twice a year. • Monks and nuns took 3 vows:
Craftsmen 1. Poverty
 Many craftsmen and traders lived in medieval towns: butchers, bakers, carpenters, masons, fullers. 2. Obedience
 Each trade was under the control of a guild, who set down rules for the trade, e.g. Prices were fixed 3. Chastity
to stop underselling, workshops had to close on Sundays and feast days. • The life of the monk and the nun was organised around prayer
 Craftsmen paid a yearly fee to the guild. This money was used to pay for the care of sick colleagues. and work.
 In order to be a member of a guild, young men had to serve as an apprentice to a master craftsman. • Friars like the Dominicans and Franciscans wandered from place
This required up to 7 years of training. A master fed and clothed the apprentice in exchange for hard to place preaching and helping the sick and poor.
work and obedience.
 After this training an apprentice became a journeyman. This meant he was free to do a day’s work for
pay for anyone. They often travelled town to town working for different masters.
 To become a master the journeyman had to produce a masterpiece to show the guild.
 If the other master craftsmen of the town considered the work to be of an excellent standard than
the journeyman could open his own shop, an action reserved for masters only.
Crime and punishment Death in medieval times
• During the Middle Ages the king and local lords made the laws. • The Black Death was caused by fleas that lived on rats and killed
• In most cases the local community or village enforced the law. 30-60% of Europe's population.
• Hue and cry meant that if a person saw a crime being committed, they could cry out for help from • It started in Asia.
other people, e.g. the parish constable. • Victims had large ulcers or pustules.
• At night a watchman was paid to patrol the streets, but no one was meant to be out after curfew. • Dead bodies had a grey/black appearance.
• Criminals were tried in local or manor courts. • The average life expectancy was 35.
• They also used trial by ordeal and trial by combat. Other causes of death
• Coroners were appointed to investigate suspicious deaths.  Medieval executions included beheading and impalement
• Minor crimes were usually dealt with by fines, flogging or public humiliation, e.g. the stocks.  Dying in battle like Richard III
• Major crimes such as murder and treason were punished severely, e.g. execution.  Poor treatment from a barber surgeon
• Women were punished for scolds (gossip), sex work and witchcraft.  Jousting e.g. King Henry II of France
 The Crusades