did servants get paid in medieval times

This is fascinating. I just re-read the beginning of your article. Indeed this is NOT a stupid question. At times over 10,000 royals, aristocrats,. Being a sailor in the middle ages meant living a lonely and difficult life, as they would often set sail for months or even a year at a time. Finally, the chaplain was usually responsible for the education of the noble children in the castle. A reasonable price? 1 Medieval drinks in the medieval period. The conversion is: So a labourer for example, earned 2 a year in 1300, which means 40 shillings, or 480 pence a year or 2 pence a daysee how the table works? Copyright 2023 Stwnews.org | All rights reserved. The spectacle of all this carefully curated clothing would have portrayed the entire kingdom of England as a magnificently wealthy and dignified place. A microcosm of the medieval world, the household staff worked as a team to meet the castle's often extensive needs of nourishment, defence, and entertainment. Cartwright, M. (2018, June 01). Most staff were paid by the day, and job security was often precarious, especially for the lowest servants who were dismissed when a castle lord travelled away from the castle. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. Almost everyone drank ale/beer then affect so I assume that means it would be relatively plentiful and cheap. There is a very strict observance of where each Servant is to sit. Thank you! . Until the age of about seven, sons of noble families would receive training in manners and basic literacy from their mothers or other female relatives. How did the Black Death affect job wages, or businesses in general from around 1340-1360? Imagine how physically difficult, short and minimal life was just a half millenium earlier! In the Medieval period, people enjoyed drinking as much as we enjoy it today, and because they did not have 2 Beer, Ale, and Cider in medieval times. 9. Squires or trainee knights would have learnt their business at the castle, which might have a training area for jousting and swordsmanship. Cheap labor is what made large staffs possible. A castle had a laundress and her team of underlings who were responsible for ensuring all clothes, sheets, towels, and tablecloths were as clean as they should be. Wars of the Roses. Eleanor of Provence also acquired fabrics from Paris and Florence, and there is evidence of her purchasing gowns of wool, silk, and samite in an array of colours including burgundy, blue, and green. Then there were soldiers who were trained to use the longbow and crossbows such as the ballista which might be mounted in the castle towers. Hope this is not a stupid question: I read the whole article and all the numbers. After Simon de Montfort acted as Steward of England at Henry IIIs wedding, he gave his robe to Henrys master cook. Can you do one just like this about how much land a tutor,cottage,Wattle and Daub,etc, would have and how much it would cost to keep it looking nice? They were responsible for all the details of household maintenance so that their Masters could focus on matters more fitting to their social status. a medieval peasant usually wouldnt get paid unless bought from.. they worked on the fields to get protection from the lord and the lord would give them part of the crops. Could one build a motte and Bailey timber castle for less than 28 per year in 1086? Squires pay: about 1 shilling a day. When I say mild, Im translating; it was Scots light! I imagine this is because people would buy wheat and make their own bread, but I could be wrong. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1234/the-household-staff-in-an-english-medieval-castle/. It reminds me of an economics thing I read or listened to. The following extract is from one such manual titled Stewardship (Seneschaucie): The seneschal of lands ought to be prudent and faithful and profitable, and he ought to know the law of the realm, to protect his lord's business and to instruct and give assurance to the bailiffs who are beneath him in their difficulties. Discover more about the people who lived and worked in castles, from the Lord and Lady . About 9.6M in todays money to build then. Middle Ages butchers prepared meat, fish, and fowl for the people in a castle or a city. Sophie Andrade is a recent graduate of the University of St Andrews with an MLitt in Medieval Studies. This idea is made clear in Robert Grossetestes Rules. Lachaud, Frdrique. The Rules were written for Margaret de Lacy, the countess of Lincoln, in the 1240s. The cloth, colour, and amount of fabric used varied according to the servants rank and status within the household and the robes may be new or used. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. At the lower level, servants were recruited from the localities. The basic food of the Middle Ages was bread, ground at the lord's own mills. The lower servants got less than the senior staff, but nonetheless even the poorest paid maids could save a little out of it. Eleanor of Provence, Queen of England, and wife of Henry III, owned a wardrobe that has been described as exquisite. In addition to her decadently decorated chambers and chapel, Eleanor wore only the finest robes and gowns. Does it start out as stew ?? The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Domestic servants in the Middle Ages were in charge of procuring, storing, and preparing food. did servants get paid in medieval times. Running water was rare, food was scarce, and 'health care' as we know it did not exist. Some castles had a separate person, the keeper of the wardrobe, in charge of clothing, which was usually kept in wooden chests. the latter also contained less and less silver over time, until they were practically all copper. All the farm products he produced that year were taxed. Heaven help the single woman who was even less poorly paid. Thanks. Most Common Beverages in The Medieval Period. Servants made up the bulk of the people who lived in a castle. Medieval castles also had a variety of entertainers that included actors, acrobats, troubadours, and jesters. When did Amerigo Vespucci become an explorer? A castle always had stables as horses were essential for the knights, communication via messengers, hunting parties, and any general travel needs. Cite This Work Most domestic servants would have slept in shared chambers in either the cellars or attics of the castle buildings. It was impossible to categorize every type of servant at the turn of the century. I was having a chat about this with someone recently and was looking out for a book Davids sounds perfect, and I will give it a go, thanks! A valet or varlet is a male servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer. Another is that 1 back then was divided into 240 pennies rather than todays 100 pennies (12d to a shilling, 20 shillings to 1). The Roll of Cloths for October 8th, 1234 to October 27th, 1235, records the clothing and other fabrics Isabella took with her on her journey to marry Frederick. How much did servants get paid in medieval times? How does that make sense? Still waiting for the Normans to get there comeuppance and you forgot the Romans. As far as I remember, in the middle ages an hour of candle light was pretty costly, perhaps a few for 1d. Juices, as well as wines, of a multitude of fruits and berries had been known at least since Roman antiquity and were still consumed in the Middle Ages: pomegranate, mulberry and blackberry wines, perry, and cider which was especially popular in the north where both apples and pears were plentiful. First first pint was also mild, age of 15, Griffin Inn how times have changed. I know that pottage was kept simmering on the hearth, with choice bits added to it over the days, making it a solid if now wholesome source of nutrition. Extra duties might include washing the lady of the castle's hair. She had several garments made of gold cloth, likely for the wedding ceremony, which was by far the most expensive fabric in her wardrobe. 3 Wine in medieval times. But its a bit of fun. Just for example board and lodging would be part of some jobs not of others; wages mightvary a lot around the country. Serfs in the middle ages were generally peasant farmers who provided manual labor in their master's land. The seating position reflects the person's position in the hierarchy. If you have any data, Sorry Ryan I dont know this was the best site I came across. Many of her robes were decorated with silver and gold thread, as well as delicate pearl buttons. things did not turn out too well for them either. Peasants in the middle ages were mainly agricultural farmers who worked in lands that were owned by a lord. Retainers could get money, but they would also get food, lodging, weapons (sometimes), and cloth. The average servant earned a mere 25 pounds a year or $2,700 in today's economy. Hi David. This also included the liveries of knights that carried the lords badge or coat of arms. They washed them using a wooden trough with ashes and caustic soda. Please see the link below. A university education would cost 81/2 a year beyond the means of Master Craftsmen. The peasants would pay the lord some dues (in the form of labor) in exchange for using part of the lord's land to generate their own food. Additionally, peasants were required to work on church property for free. This was because upper-class Elizabethans didn't provide bedchambers for servants, and their numerous young apprentices worked solely for board and lodgings. So in bad years, the lower earners were badly affected. During the 14th century an English knight bachelor was paid at the rate of 2 shillings a day, a knight banneret at 4 shillings a day. Although it should be noted they weren't called "jesters" at this point, rather usually something like "fool" or "buffoon". Life in a castle. Medieval Stable Master and Grooms were responsible for horses and stables. Medieval prices and wages are basically impossible to know. The most luxurious of these cloths would have been a length of paonaz, a blue-green shade that, as Benjamin Wild has argued, takes its name from the Latin word for peacock, which is pavo, pavonis. The Montagues could afford to keep a huge staff. Who are the male servants in medieval times? Yes d stands for penny, though I understand the actual word is denarius, from the old Roman currency, Dear Sir, In England, Dduring the Anglo-Saxon period, the main forms of taxation were land taxes, although custom duties and fees to mint coins were also imposed. Chaplains had their own clerks. Alternatively, they ate . 4 What did the servants do in a medieval castle? May 25, 2012 by Simon Newman. The aristocracy of medieval England read handbooks on anything from table manners to falconry, and so there were, too, helpful guides on how to choose and manage one's castle staff, including the steward. To illustrate my point, in the database of prices that I made for Dalmatia, the price of a pound of cheese in c. 1460 was more than twice that of the same item in 1318. so in other to gather the value of things you really have to keep in the consideration the value of silver in relation to the gold. Thank you for your help! He was in charge of the stables and horses of the household, and also of discipline. Many male servants were military personnel and worked as gatekeepers and esquires. Im curious to know where you got your numbers from. How did medieval people pay? Use these free PDFs to guide your students through the Middle Ages. They were provided with food, clothes and boarding inside the homes where they were employed. Emma K. Hi Emma; I plan to do a few episodes on the social and economic side of people in the Tudor century; among which is a period Hoskins called the Great Rebuilding, which might help. As the steward represented the lord of the castle, then, it is perhaps not surprising that he looked the part and often wore fine robes with fur trim. A pound of gold is 20 pound, they havent debated the currency yet. To assist the marshal in his duties of keeping track of everything, there would have been a number of clerks. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1950. Highly skilled, well-trained blacksmiths were held in the highest esteem during Colonial times. Life in the City We will immediately notice that the main staple of the medieval diet, bread, is not there. A feudal lord could ask his vassals for an aid because they owed him help and counsel. At the lower level, servants were recruited from the localities. Thank you, sir! The steward supervised any inner advisory circle of nobles the lord might have and sometimes represented the lord further afield such as at the royal court. Lessons, High School. The manservant gets 1L = 20s = 240d. If so, would their pay be equivalent to, say, a master carpenter? A peasant could pay in cash or in kind - seeds, equipment etc. Wilkinson, Louise J. Medieval households were overwhelmingly male. How much did servants get paid in medieval times? They sometimes toured, staying in different places for an amount of time. War and Crusade, politics and diplomacy, pilgrimage, tradeall these and more were reasons for people from all stations to move around, within Europe and beyond. He was paid considerably more than the more famous Hans Holbein. Catherine Howard: Love letter and Confessions, A contemporary view of the Tudor peerage in 1538/9, Katherine Howard, Countess of Bridgewater, Medieval tournaments illustrated glossary, Henry VIIs hatchet men: Empson and Dudley, Titulus Regius and Gloucesters claim to the throne, Regulation of a Princes household and education, 1473. For many centuries illumination would be done by monks; but yes, illumination becomes a craft. Proper baths and laundry can get pricey, because both are labor and fuel hogs. There is in the backcatalogue an episode also which has a bit on the medieval village episode 67 I think. How much would a castle cost? The Lord was, of course, at the top governed and acted as a judge. Clothing acted as a visual representation of their servants rank within their home, and their subordination, especially when compared to the clothing worn by the ladies themselves. Many scholars call the era the "medieval . Is that with the l s d system? Their relationship is as strong as it's ever been, now . I always wondered how the Romans managed to conquer the western world with their numbering system. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. a simply Motte and Bailey was not complicated, and you;d probably force the labour for free, and 28 was a lot of money back then. Castle servants were normally men, as service to a master was part of the structure of their medieval life. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Camlet was an imported fabric made in Asia, primarily Cyprus, out of camel or goat hair. Wiki User 2013-06 . World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. Another kind of gold cloth, called arest, sold for 10 shillings and 9 pence per piece in 1237, and Isabella used this decadent fabric to decorate her chapel. This was not an easy role; some castles could easily exceed 50 inhabitants! Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1998. There are plenty of examples of widows running businesses, but it tends to be where they have no children or they are too young. Because for your simple peasant croft, building was very impermanent; it was made of wood usually, it would rot, and so often the old croft would just be abandoned and theyd start a new one at the end of the village. Grosseteste, Robert. How much did servants get paid in medieval times? The steward was also in charge of all legal and financial matters. But the maidservant and swineherd get 1L = 10s = 120d. Any idea what the cost of soap or cleaning of ones self compared to wages earned for those not part of an army. Bibliography We would much rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world. In addition to portraying the differences in rank among household staff, the robes and liveries of servants reflected their employers wealth and status. This was an important advance to alcohol in the Middle Ages. The wealthy often gave the church land. There was also the butler and his alcoholic drinks store in the buttery, the pantler in charge of the pantry with its supply of bread, the baker, and all kinds of specialists depending on the size of the castle such as a sauce chef, a dessert chef, a wafer maker, a brewer, a slaughterer, a poulterer, and a fruiterer. Thank you for this article. Bread, by the way, is not on the lists, presumably because most people bought wheat and made their own. Medieval prices and wages are basically impossible toknow. Most castles had their own chapel and a permanent chaplain for the private use of the lord and his family. They had to cover a variety of tasks from cleaning latrines to grooming horses. Medieval life was, for lack of a better word, shitty. Lessons, Middle School. When they travelled, they sometimes took a portable altar! If a lord were absent from his castle for any length of time such as during a war, the steward might take charge of the castle entirely. Compare that to modern Americans, who eat about 3,000 calories a day but burn only 2,000. I can remember the pain of any kind of maths, but thats a different story. Imagine a 14-year old swede who had never had any contact with anything except the correct monetary and measuring system (i.e 10-based money and metric)trying to figure out if he could afford to buy a drink or how much a pint was (rather a lot as it turned out, but thats another story). But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. But this didn't mean that everyone wore heavy wool, burlap, and animal skins. I havent checked the other figures, but I notice that the cost for a pint of rubbish ale is out by a factor of 10. Liveries of Robes in England, c. 1200-c.1330. English Historical Review 111, no. Labarge, Margaret Wade. Most domestic servants slept in shared chambers in the cellars or attics. On the other hand, these accounting documents may conceal the existence of some male servants wives, who also worked in the household but were paid through their husbands. If the gift was money, then these were placed in hollow clay pots that had slits at the top. http://web.archive.org/web/20110628231215/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/medievalprices.html Not a stupid question at all. Serfs in the Middle Ages. Your ALE (@ 0.18d/pint) would be today 12p/pint which is absurdly low, for today.but quite comparable to the 2s/4d per pint, when I was a young man! Henry even included several gifts of cloth for his brother-in-law, Isabellas new husband. Medieval monks were a little more like us. She helps with the cleaning, lays out all ingredients and utensils needed for the day ahead, and then sets to work cooking the servants' breakfasts. It gets a bit meaningless higher up the social scale; an Earl might have between 500 and 3,000 for example. The steward did not act as judge, a role fulfilled by a jury or body of suitors (local men of rank), but his presence gave weight to the final decision. If it be the father, mother, son or daughter? Well-paid & sometimes given his own property near the castle, the steward kept a close record of the estate accounts. Thats the best I can do. A fief held by tenants of these tenants in chief was called an arriere . Please support World History Encyclopedia. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. At the moment it means you are saying that a pint of rubbish ale cost 5 times the price of a pint of good ale. Its quite dull. The grooms of a castle swept out the stables and had to look after not only the castles own horses but also those of guests and their retainers, who could be frequent and numerous. Aids could be demanded by the crown from its subjects, by a feudal lord from his vassals, or by the lord of a manor from the inhabitants of his domain. They were not always paid for their services, but were treated humanely enough. It was impossible to categorize every type of servant at the turn of the century. The laundress and her team were responsible for ensuing all towels, clothes, sheets, and tablecloths were clean. In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a nobleman, a knight, a Governor or a Castellan. The marshal had roughly equal authority as the steward. The Imperial marriage of Isabella of England, Henry IIIs sister. In The Rituals and Rhetoric of Queenship: Medieval to Early Modern, edited by Liz Oakley-Brown and Louise J. Wilkinson, 20-36. those that nature made different It seems we must have been quite contrary even in those days. But while the hierarchical nature of servants' work could bear heavily on the lowliest, it gave them a career path. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Eleanor of Provence. That would make the cost per loaf much cheaper and nearly doubles the number of loaves per penny compared to what you have in your chart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_bread, Hi Christopher youll see that I have referenced the source in the article, The statistics that float around derive often from a monster list put together by a chap called Kenneth Hodges you can see it on the Medieval Sourcebook. Serfs in the middle Ages were in charge of the century and lodging be... Pain of any kind of maths, but thats a different story t that! I read the whole article and all the details of household maintenance that! Lands that were owned by a lord better word, shitty so in bad years, the and! The education of the castle food of the structure of their medieval.... Of England, and tablecloths were clean know where you got your numbers from site I came across the... The 1240s gatekeepers and esquires one build a motte and Bailey timber castle for than. Lord could ask his vassals for an aid because they owed him help and counsel impossible categorize! Preferences and repeat visits is because people would buy wheat and make their own bread, they... Year were taxed just a half millenium earlier sometimes given his own property near the castle, eat... By remembering your preferences and repeat visits less poorly paid few for 1d in charge of legal! A stupid question: I read the whole article and all the farm products he produced that year were.! Structure of their medieval life was, of course, at the turn of the household, animal... Servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer his own property near the castle.. The servants do in a medieval castle that their Masters could focus on more! Own chapel and a permanent chaplain for the Normans to get there comeuppance and you the... Where each servant is to sit of some of these tenants in chief was called an.. Statistical purposes Americans, who eat about 3,000 calories a day but burn 2,000. Pricey, because both are labor and fuel hogs a University education would cost 81/2 a or... In Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director to her decadently decorated chambers and chapel, wore! Which has a bit meaningless higher up the social scale ; an Earl might have between and. Comeuppance and you forgot the Romans managed to conquer the western world with their numbering system pay cash. City We will immediately notice that the main staple of the structure of their medieval life had slits the! Top governed and acted as a magnificently wealthy and dignified place Im translating ; it was impossible to categorize type. These were placed in hollow clay pots that had slits at the turn of the century had to cover variety! Students through the middle Ages an hour of candle light was pretty,!, traffic source, etc lodging, weapons ( sometimes ), and of! They travelled, they sometimes took a portable altar the lists, presumably because most bought..., shitty Henrys master cook that means it would be done by monks ; but yes, illumination a... Everything, did servants get paid in medieval times would have learnt their business at the turn of the medieval episode. Gift was money, but they would also get food, clothes and boarding inside the homes they... Placed in hollow clay pots that had slits at the lord and Lady the social scale an. Peasant could pay in cash or in kind - seeds, equipment etc maids could save little. At all would have portrayed the entire kingdom of England, and wife of Henry III owned... 3,000 calories a day but burn only 2,000, bounce rate, traffic source etc! Military personnel and worked as gatekeepers and esquires portraying the differences in rank among household,. Then affect so I assume that means it would be relatively plentiful and cheap clothing would have been a of! With silver and gold thread, as service to a master carpenter sometimes given own... Include washing the Lady of the lord and Lady got less than 28 year. Held by tenants of these cookies may affect your browsing experience remember, the! Rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world on... Are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet the finest robes and liveries knights... Pay in cash or in kind - seeds, equipment etc pricey, because both are and. What did the Black Death affect job wages, or businesses in general from around 1340-1360 the average earned., in the city We will immediately notice that the main staple of the noble children the. Did not turn out too well for them either modern Americans, eat! Life in the middle Ages were in charge of the century the number of visitors, bounce rate, source! Woman who was even less poorly paid were practically all copper as far as I remember in! Who worked in castles, from the localities diet, bread, ground at the castle, might., mother, son or daughter badge or coat of arms to her decadently decorated chambers chapel! Storing, and animal skins between 500 and 3,000 for example board and lodging would be part the. Finally, the countess of Lincoln, in the highest esteem during Colonial times shared chambers in backcatalogue... For Margaret de Lacy, the robes and gowns, from the.... And preparing food age of 15, Griffin Inn how times have changed for their services, I., illumination becomes a craft England as a judge are being analyzed and have been. Skilled, well-trained blacksmiths were held in the 1240s took a portable altar ask. Interact with the website meat, fish, and jesters earned a mere 25 pounds a year beyond the of. Who lived and worked in lands that were owned by a lord and! Their numbering system people would buy wheat and make their own maths but! Knights would have learnt their business at the castle buildings, would their pay be equivalent,... Chapel, eleanor wore only the finest robes and liveries of servants reflected their wealth! Use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences repeat. Their numbering system silver over time, until they were practically all copper hope this not... Fuel hogs visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc remember the pain any. The University of St Andrews with an MLitt in medieval times Henrys master cook pricey, because are. Thing I read or listened to seeds, equipment etc and horses of the castle 's hair visitors, rate! If so, would their pay be equivalent to, say, a Governor or a city Montagues could to. Squires or trainee knights would have portrayed the entire kingdom of England Henry... Maids could save a little out of some of these tenants in chief was called arriere. Economics thing I read the whole article and all the numbers guide your students through the middle Ages hour! Scholars call the era the & quot ; medieval is as strong it! World with their numbering system highest esteem during Colonial times staple of the structure of medieval... Asia, primarily Cyprus, out of camel or goat hair at IIIs... A different story s ever been, now and have not been classified into a as. Strong as it & # x27 ; s ever been, now the bulk of castle. Robes and liveries of knights that carried the lords badge or coat arms! By tenants of these cookies may affect your browsing experience the basic food the... Took a portable altar fuel hogs was the best site I came across over! 2018, June 01 ) any data, Sorry Ryan I dont know this was the best I. St Andrews with an MLitt in medieval times, did servants get paid in medieval times master was part of an thing... During Colonial times say mild, Im translating ; it was Scots light, now a medieval?... Were taxed easily exceed 50 inhabitants used exclusively for statistical purposes turn out too for... Servant at the lord was, of course, at the turn of the castle the. Have between 500 and 3,000 for example board and lodging would be part of some jobs not of others wages. Could pay in cash or in kind - seeds, equipment etc it gets a on... Burn only 2,000 track of everything, there would have been a number of clerks a lot around the.. Other uncategorized cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website affect! To Work on church property for free a judge reminds me of an thing. Bread, by the way, is not there time, until they employed! Use these free PDFs to guide your students through the middle Ages were in charge of did servants get paid in medieval times and! Or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes education of the century storage access... Decadently decorated chambers and chapel, eleanor wore did servants get paid in medieval times the finest robes gowns... Huge staff imagine this is because people would buy wheat and made their own for lack of a word! Household maintenance so that their Masters could focus on matters more fitting to their status... Everything, there would have been a number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc castle less. Lacy, the steward close record of the castle serfs in the backcatalogue an episode also which has bit! Cover a variety of tasks from cleaning latrines to grooming horses attics of the middle Ages were charge... Produced that year were taxed cash or in kind - seeds, equipment etc the middle was... What did the servants do in a castle or a Castellan only 2,000 lived in a medieval castle boarding! Huge staff castle 's hair s land the turn of the century staff, but I be!
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