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Medieval Life

Medieval Life. What was life like for the people of England in Medieval times?.

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Medieval Life

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  1. Medieval Life What was life like for the people of England in Medieval times?

  2. The Black Death produced important social changes. English society was based upon the principle that there were three main classes of people, each with its own purpose to fulfil. These were the clergy, the nobility and the peasants – those who prayed, fought and worked.

  3. The peasants (free people who could move around) were the largest group and it was accepted that they supported the other two classes with their labours.

  4. The church and nobility owned great estates to which the peasants were bound as serfs (could not leave the land of their lord) – by custom to plough the fields for the masters – by law.

  5. Serfdom was upheld by moral and religious reasons. Serfs were told to look upon their service as a calling from God. Serfdom would make them better people.

  6. Landlords were supposed to look after their serfs but many did not. When one lord was rebuked for taking a cow from a serf he said: “Let it suffice the boor that I have left him the calf and his own life.”

  7. Medieval society was marred by a streak of cruelty and callousness. Death and suffering were common and people often felt contempt for the law and would often resort to violence.

  8. Medicine was crude and often ineffectual. Medicine was mixed up with magic and ritual was common. Disease was often regarded as God’s judgement for sin. Falling ill was a punishment for past misdeeds.

  9. The Manor

  10. A medieval manor was an estate granted to a member of the aristocracy by the king. The lord of the manor employed knights and villeins who fought for the lord and performed feudal obligations.

  11. The manor house was set apart from the village where the peasants lived

  12. Not all manors were held by the nobility. 17% belonged to the king and 25% belonged to the church.

  13. Medieval manors varied in size but most were between 1200-1800 acres. Every noble had at least one manor. Richer nobles had several. In the late 12th Century there were more than 9000 manorial estates in England.Another name for this land was Fief.

  14. The lord’s portion of land was called a demesne. The rest of the land was divided amongst his peasants who were his tenants

  15. The land was divided equally into strips between the peasants. There was also a section of ‘common’ area that all the villagers could use. Each villager had a small house and was generally self sufficient

  16. For everyone life revolved around the seasons

  17. Rural seasonal work

  18. Knights Knights were sons of nobles. When a boy was eight he was sent to a neighbouring noble to be trained as a knight. When he was 15 or 16 he would become a squire in the service of a knight. When he was about 20 the squire would be dubbed a knight. Occasionally a young man was knighted in battle

  19. Knights possessed land to the annual value of 200 marks and were forbidden to wear clothing valued at more than 6 marks. They were not allowed to wear cloth of gold.

  20. ChivalryKnights were supposed to follow a code of chivalry:* defend the weak* be courteous to all women* loyal to the king* serve God

  21. However the reality was often quite different. The ‘weak’ were defined as noble women and children – not peasants.They were little more than mercenaries and were brutal in war.

  22. Armour and WeaponsChain mail was made up of 200,000 small rings.Plated armour weighed around 23kg and the sword weighted 15kg.Some knights protected their horses with armour.

  23. Food The most common foods were: • pottage (soup/stew) • Dark bread • Pork and mutton • Water, milk and ale • Vegetables • Cheese Most peasants were vitamin deficient

  24. Medicine Women were discouraged from getting involved in medicine of any kind. Cures were crude and painful. The church was often the only source of medical knowledge and it was underpinned with prayer.

  25. FashionClothing was reflective of a person’s place in society. There were strict dress codes which were severely punished if they were broken

  26. Crime and Punishment There were many, many crimes that could be severely punished. Law courts used French but the peasants all spoke English. Punishments were carried out in public.

  27. Religion If you live anywhere in Europe and you were a Christian then you were Catholic. Medieval people were very preoccupied with the state of their immortal soul.

  28. Entertainment Entertainment was important to Medieval people. Feasts were a part of entertainment for the rich. Tournaments were enjoyed by everybody. Music was a source of entertainment and children had games – some of which survive to this day.

  29. Travel Peasants rarely travelled more than 10 miles away from their home. For those who did travel it was slow, uncomfortable and dangerous.

  30. Education Education was usually the responsibility of the church. The core subjects were based on those of the Ancient Greeks and remain unchanged to this very day.

  31. The End

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