Medieval Roles

Medieval Roles Skilled craftsmen Medieval Roles belonged to guilds. Medieval times might make you think of castles and kings. But not everyone got to be a knight in shining Monks and friars armor. Most people had gave up all earthly possessions. other roles in life. From peasants to monks, different people did different things. Not surprisingly, the way people dressed was often a clue to their role in life. Most people in Medieval times were peasants. Peasant women often worked the fields. Worker Bees Straw hat for hot days Worker Bees Brown woolen jacket lined Peasants worked almost with linen every day for the lord of the manor where they lived. Most peasants were Linen shirt not free and did not own land. They lived in very simple cottages and often Linen underpants struggled to produce enough food to feed their families. Leather flask for With such a harsh life, carrying drink into the field Wool hose could many medieval peasants be rolled down didn’t live long enough to for working reach middle age. A peasant in the 1400s might have worn these simple clothes. Leather Felt hat working boots Second Class Citizens Linen head wrap to keep hair clean and hidden Second Class Citizens Although there were some wealthy women in medieval Europe, most Linen shift women had to work for a living. Peasant women often labored in the fields. But a middle-class Prayer Pin-on townswoman might be a beads sleeves shopkeeper, spinner, or baker. worn on Sundays Medieval thinking held and special occasions that women were inferior Leather purse to men. Good thing times serves as a A middle-class have changed! pocket townswoman might have worn Leather these clothes in garters to the 15th century. hold up stockings Buckled Wooden “pattens” worn leather under shoes when muddy shoe Fighting Foot Soldiers Helmet peak protects the neck Fighting Foot Soldiers By the 15th century, demand switched Chain splints to keep from knights on horses to soldiers on foot. swords from slicing through arm As foot soldiers became better trained and paid, their skills became more valued. Most of the foot soldier’s service was spent on the road. He often walked six miles a day—but sometimes had to march three times more than that! Sheepskin mitten worn inside Professional foot soldiers might have worn protective clothing like this in the late 15th century. Leather boots Metal gauntlet protects Quilted jacket made the hands and wrist from layers of canvas The Glorious Guild Master The Glorious Guild Master Blue wool shirt lined with linen As towns grew during medieval times, the demand Fashionable for skilled craftsmen (like weavers to make clothes fur-trimmed and masons to carve stone) also grew. sleeves Skilled craftsmen formed groups called guilds. Guild members developed standards and rates to keep competition out. They also counted on one another Personal to help out during hard times. eating knife Fine woolen Toward the end of the medieval period, coat wealthy merchants began to control the guilds. Unfortunately, Guild Masters often put their own interests ahead of the needs of the guild members. “Joined” Middle-class merchants in the 14th hose were century could become Guild Masters made to who wore fine-looking clothes like these. Leather boots measure A Lifetime Habit A Lifetime Habit In the 6th century, St. Benedict formed a monastery where monks could live, work, and pray together. Benedictine monks Leather belt gave up all property, promised never to with eating marry, and pledged to obey their leaders. knife and prayer beads Different groups of monks formed over the centuries. Each had their own rules and missions. However, their simple habits of dress and behavior are still practiced by modern day monks. Warm cloak worn in cold Long woolen weather robe The Benedictine monks were known as the Black Monks because of the color of their clothes. Simple hand-sewn leather shoes Life in Medieval Times Teacher Notes Medieval Roles Medieval Roles Skilled craftsmen Medieval Roles belonged to guilds. Medieval times might Society in much of medieval Europe was organized into a “feudal” system, which was make you think of castles and kings. But not everyone got to be a knight in shining Monks and friars armor. Most people had gave up all earthly possessions. other roles in life. based on the allocation of land in return for services. The king gave grants of land, or From peasants to monks, different people did different things. Not surprisingly, the way people dressed was often a clue to their role in life. fiefs, to his most important noblemen (barons and bishops) and in return, each noble Most people in Medieval times were peasants. promised to supply the king with soldiers in time of war. The great nobles often divided Peasant women often worked the fields. their lands among lower lords, or knights, who in turn became their vassals. In this way, feudalism stretched from the top to the bottom of society. At the very bottom were the peasants who worked the land itself. They had few rights, little property, and no vassals. Worker Bees Worker Bees Straw hat for hot days Worker Bees Brown woolen jacket lined Peasants worked almost with linen According to the law, most medieval peasants owned nothing except their own stomachs. every day for the lord of the manor where they lived. Most peasants were Linen shirt not free and did not own land. They lived in very Everything—including their land, their animals, their homes, their clothes, and even their simple cottages and often Linen underpants struggled to produce enough food to feed their families. Leather flask for With such a harsh life, carrying drink into the field Wool hose could food—belonged to the lord of the manor. many medieval peasants be rolled down didn’t live long enough to for working reach middle age. A peasant in the 1400s might have worn these simple clothes. Leather Felt hat working boots Known as serfs, or villeins, peasants were bound to work for their lord, who allowed them to farm their own piece of land in return. Their lives consisted of almost constant toil. Most struggled to produce enough food to feed their families and to fulfill their duties to the lord. Forbidden from leaving the manor without permission, the only way for a peasant to gain freedom was by saving enough money to buy a plot of land, or by marrying a free person. Peasants worked hard every day except Sundays and holy days, in blazing sun, rain, or snow. Combined with a poor diet, it wasn’t surprising that many European peasants in 1300 lived no longer than 25 years. Second Class Citizens Second Class Citizens Linen head wrap to keep Second Class Citizens hair clean and hidden Although there were some wealthy Linen A middle-class townswoman might have worn these clothes in the 15th century. In the women in medieval Europe, most shift women had to work for a living. Peasant women often labored in the fields. But a middle-class Prayer Pin-on townswoman might be a beads sleeves towns, women worked in a variety of occupations. They might be shopkeepers, spinners, shopkeeper, spinner, or baker. worn on Sundays and special Medieval thinking held occasions that women were inferior Leather purse serves as a A middle-class bakers, or “alewives” who brewed ale. Both married and unmarried women worked for a to men. Good thing times have changed! pocket townswoman might have worn Leather these clothes in garters to the 15th century. living, often combining two or more jobs because they were paid less than men. hold up stockings Buckled Wooden “pattens” worn leather under shoes when muddy shoe Most women covered their hair with white linen head-wraps, but the wealthy wore gold nets over their coiled braids. The well- known pointed hat called the hennin was only popular for a short time in the late 15th century. Fighting Foot Soldiers Fighting Foot Soldiers Helmet peak protects the neck Fighting Foot Soldiers By the 15th century, demand switched Chain splints to keep swords from slicing This military outfit would have been worn by a professional foot soldier in the late 15th from knights on horses to soldiers on foot. through arm As foot soldiers became better trained and paid, their skills became more valued. Most of the foot soldier’s service was spent century. Some of his gear would have been issued to him, and the rest was probably on the road. He often walked six miles a day—but sometimes had to march three times more than that! Sheepskin mitten worn inside stolen, or looted. Most soldiers at this time wore much less armor than the knights of old. Professional foot soldiers might have worn protective clothing like this in the late 15th century. A padded tunic called a jack, with iron gauntlets and arm splints, gave good protection Leather boots Metal gauntlet protects Quilted jacket made the hands and wrist from layers of canvas against sword and dagger cuts. Life on the march could be very hard. A foot soldier would have to walk at least 6 miles (10 km) a day, and occasionally three times as far. His food bowl was often empty, for a large army soon consumed everything edible in the surrounding countryside. Life in Medieval Times Teacher Notes The Glorious Guild Master The Glorious Guild Master The Glorious Guild Master Blue wool shirt lined with linen As towns grew during medieval times, the demand This fine costume would have been worn by a middle-class merchant or business owner Fashionable for skilled craftsmen (like weavers to make clothes fur-trimmed and masons to carve stone) also grew.

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