Medieval Life
Classes of Medieval Society
Medieval life was dictated by strict social hierarchy consisting of three classes – serfs, nobility and clergy or those who work, those who fight and those who pray. The mentioned three classes of medieval society did not encompass the entire medieval population as some groups (Jews, disabled people, beggars, city population, etc.) were excluded from the feudal system that came to be predominant social and political organization by the end of the 10th century. In addition, the three classes of medieval society were not homogenous groups and were further hierarchically subdivided, most often according to wealth, possession and lifestyle.
Medieval Serfs
Serfs were on the bottom of medieval society and represented the majority of medieval population. They arose from freemen and small landowners who were forced to seek protection at powerful landlords due to political instability, frequent wars and invasions, famines and brigandage. In return for lord’s military protection, they were required to provide him service in the form of labor and pay certain fees and taxes. By accepting to become serfs, they also bound to serfdom their family members as well as their future heirs. Some medieval serfs were by origin coloni, half-free peasants who worked on Roman estates known as latifundias and paid a rent to the estate owners.
Life of Serfs in the Middle Ages
Life of serfs in the Middle Ages was hard. They spend most of their time working on the fields although some communities were engaged in non-agricultural activities including forestry, mining, fishing and crafting. Either way, medieval serfs had very little leisure time because they also had to make and repair various objects needed by themselves or/and their lord. They lived in modest wooden cottages initially consisting of only one room despite the fact than an average medieval serf family consisted of about 10 members.
Medieval Nobility
Nobility was the on the top of the medieval social hierarchy and it was further subdivided into three subgroups – high nobility, lesser nobility and knights. Medieval nobles emerged from barbarian military and tribal leaders who were rewarded for their accomplishments with the former Roman estates with the existing workforce – coloni and slaves.
Medieval Kings
Nobility was subdued to a king, originating from nobility himself. In an ideal feudal society, nobles held land directly from a monarch in return for their military service and homage but the feudal system in most parts of medieval Europe eventually evolved into a complex system known as subinfeudation in which every noble was someone’s vassal. Only the most powerful noble families held land directly from a king, while even the kings themselves were sometimes vassals of another king. Powerful noble families eventually established their authority over lesser nobility and became de facto independent rulers that could even became rivals to medieval kings. The status of nobility initially could have been earned through military achievements but the noble title eventually became hereditary.
Knights
Knights were an elite warrior class and could earn their title exclusively through military achievements but eventually, knights could become only male descendants of knighted men. Every knight had to go through a long training process (typically starting at age of 7 and ending at age of 21) before becoming a knight. They served kings or mighty nobles, while landless knights often joined military orders that were sometimes both religious and military such the Knights Templar, Teutonic Knights, Knights Hospitaller and Livonian Brothers of the Sword, to mentioned only few.
Medieval Castles
Nobility lived in castles and manors often built on strategic locations that facilitated both control over their territory and defense from an eventual siege. Medieval castles therefore included series of defensive features including watchtowers, massive surrounding walls known as enceinte, bastions, moats filled with water, turning or removable bridges as well as outer fortifications. Despite impressive exterior, medieval castles were cold and not particularly comfortable homes to their owners.
Life of Nobles in the Middle Ages
Medieval noblemen spent most of their time for running their estates and military training, while noble women took care for household and education of the girls. Sons of nobles were typically sent to another castle to be trained as knights. At least one descendant was usually sent to a monastery or other church institution. The nobles enjoyed hunting, dancing, tournaments and other social activities, while the banquets that were marked by gluttonous eating and drinking were the chief amusement for medieval nobility.
Medieval Clergy
Medieval clergy was virtually equal in social rank to nobility. The Church had a major influence on all classes of medieval society including the ruling classes both as spiritual authority and political power. High church officials often originated from powerful noble families and lived a life similar to that of high nobility as the medieval church gained a lot of wealth and land through donations of secular rulers in return for its political support and through donations of deeply religious individuals.
The Role of Church in the Middle Ages
Medieval church and its institutions were the centers of social life as well as centers of culture, art and education throughout the Middle Ages. Clergymen were often the only literate and educated individuals in virtually completely illiterate medieval society, while many monasteries throughout medieval Europe evolved into important art and cultural centers as monastic life typically also included book writing, copying and decoration.
Medieval Cities and Towns
The population in medieval cities and towns was excluded from the feudal social order. Unlike serfs, city population was personally free and was not engaged in agriculture but mostly in trade and craft. Many tradesmen, merchants and later bankers were wealthier than nobles but they were socially ranked below nobility. Unskilled laborers and servants worked for a wage for wealthier city residents and often did not live any better than serfs despite being personally free.
Medieval City Life
Medieval cities were surrounded by defensive walls and could have been entered only during the day. The streets were very narrow and dirty as garbage and bedpan content were literally thrown out of the windows. Due to extremely poor personal hygiene, low inflow of daylight and dirty streets medieval cities were often hit by contagious diseases, while the average life expectancy was about 35 years of age. Daily life in medieval cities was dominated by business, while the working day typically lasted from dusk to dawn. Like the rest of the medieval population, city residents were deeply religious and regularly went to church. Their chief amusement were bars and pubs, playing cards, dancing and public baths that were visited by both men and women as joined bathing was not considered indecent.
