Medieval Jobs

Medieval Jobs

Medieval Jobs - The names of the Medieval people who worked on the manors
The Lord of the Manor was based in the Manor House and from here he conducted the business of the manor. The names of the Medieval jobs of the people who worked on the manors are described as follows:

• Vassal - A Vassal or Liege was a free man who held land ( a fief ) from a lord to whom he paid homage and swore fealty. A vassal could be a Lord of the Manor but was also directly subservient to a Noble or the King
• Bailiff - A Bailiff was a person of some importance who undertook the management of manors
• Reeve - A Reeve was a manor official appointed by the lord or elected by the peasants
• Serf - A serf was another name for a peasant or tennant.Medieval Serfs were peasants who worked his lord's land and paid him certain dues in return for the use of land, the possession (not the ownership) of which was heritable. The dues were usually in the form of labor on the lord's land. Medieval Serfs were expected to work for approximately 3 days each week on the lord's land.
• Peasant or Villein- A peasant or villein was a low status tenant who worked as an agricultural worker or laborer. A peasant or villein usually cultivated 20-40 acres of land
• Cottager: A low class peasant with a cottage, but with little or no land who generally worked as a simple laborer
• Servant: Servants were house peasants who worked in the lord's manor house, doing the cooking, cleaning, laundering, and other household chores

Medieval Jobs - The Role of a Yeoman
A yeoman owned his own land and often farmed it himself. His land would be equivalent to 30 - 120 acres. A Medieval yeoman was required to be armed and trained with a bow. Wealthy yeoman would be expected to also be trained and armed with a sword, dagger and the longbow. Yeoman were therefore often employed to guard and protector the nobility.

Other Medieval Jobs
Although many people were employed on the Manors and in farming their were also many different jobs and occupations in the towns (also refer toMedieval Guilds) and also in theMedieval castles. These jobs are explained and defined in the following list of Medieval Jobs:

• Armorer - Medieval Jobs
  A medieval armorer held an important occupation in the medieval workforce. Armor had to be uniquely made to fit its wearer and was considered one of the specialist Medieval Jobs
• Apothecary - Medieval Jobs
  An apothecary dispensed remedies made from herbs, plants and roots. Medieval physicians were expensive and a priest often held this occupation, often the only recourse for sick, poor people.
• Artist- Medieval Jobs
  Artists were employed in the later medieval era by kings and nobles. At first an artist painted heraldic designs on early furniture and then it became fashionable for portraits to be painted
• Astrologer- Medieval Jobs
  An astrologer studied the stars and planets but regarded as a mystical person
• Atilliator - Medieval Jobs
  The occupation of a castle atilliator was to make crossbows
• Bailiff- Medieval Jobs
  The occupation of the castle bailiff was to manage the castle estate or farm
• Baker- Medieval Jobs
  Bread was a daily staple of medieval life, and good bakers were employed by nobles in their castles.
• Barber- Medieval Jobs
  A barber had many occupations in relation to personal care. Barbers would cut hair but would also serve as dentists, surgeons and blood-letters.
• Blacksmith- Medieval Jobs
  The blacksmith was one of the most important, albeit lowly, occupations of the medieval era. Blacksmiths forged weapons, sharpened weapons, repaired armor.
• Bottler - Medieval Jobs
  a bottler had a responsible occupation and was in charge of the bottlery which was intended for storing and dispensing wines and other expensive provisions.
• Butler - Medieval Jobs
  The butler was responsible for the castle cellar and was in charge of large butts of beer. The room in the castle called the buttery was intended for storing and dispensing beverages, especially ale.
• Bower or bowyer - Medieval Jobs
  The bowyer manufactured bows, arrows and crossbows
• Candlemaker- Medieval Jobs
  Thecandlemaker made candles to light the castle. Candles were supplemented by lighting from torches, lanterns and rush dips. An 11th century candlemaker called Graham Overhill is credited with inventing a candle - clock. A candle was produced with twelve lines on it. When lit at the top of the hour, the candle would burn from line to line at the rate of one hour for each line. The medieval clock!
• Carpenter - Medieval Jobs
  The occupation of the carpenter was diverse. Carpenters built furniture, roofing, siege engines and wood panelling. Carpenter: a skilled craftsman who shaped or made things of wood. Carpenters were highly skilled and considered to be elite tradesmen
  Castellan - Medieval Jobs
  A castellan was the occupation of the person who had been appointed as custodian, or in charge of, the castle
• Chamberlain - Medieval Jobs
  The title originated with an officer of a royal household who was responsible for the chamber, which included the administration of the king's household's budget. This occupation was later extended to collecting revenues and paying expenses
• Chancellor - Medieval Jobs
  A chancellor was a secretary to a noble or royal person
• Chaplain - Medieval Jobs
  The chaplain was responsible for the religious activities of a castle servants and men at arms. The duties might also include that of a clerk and keeping accounts. A priest would usually looked after the spiritual needs and confessions of the nobles and their families
• Clerk
  A clerk was employed to keep accounts
• Clothier - Medieval Jobs
  A clothiers made clothes for the nobles and required having a knowledge of various fine and expensive materials
• Constable - Medieval Jobs
  A constable was the occupation of the person who had been appointed as custodian, or in charge of, the castle
• Cook
  A cook was employed in the castle kitchens roasting, broiling, and baking food in the fireplaces and ovens.
• Cordwainer - Medieval Jobs
  A cordwainer was a shoemaker or cobbler, a craftsman who made shoes
• Cottar - Medieval Jobs
  A cottar was one of the lowest peasant occupations, undertaken by the old or infirm, who had a series of low duties including swine-herd,, prison guard and menial tasks
• Ditcher - Medieval Jobs
  The ditcher a labourer who dug castle moats and foundations
• Ewerer - Medieval Jobs
  The ewerer brought and heated water for the nobles
• Fletcher - Medieval Jobs
  the fletcher crafted and manufactured bows and the flights of arrows
• Gardener - Medieval Jobs
  The medieval gardener needed a knowledge of herbs and plants. A gardeners work was critical to the safety and protection of a castle - castle walls had to be kept clear of ivy or anything else that could be used to climb the castle walls and gardeners were expected to dig defensive ditches
• Herald or harker- Medieval Jobs
  A herald was a knights assistant and an expert advisor on heraldry. The herald (or harker) would declare announcements on behalf of the king or noble to the public. Normally this was done on a given day when the public would assemble at the base of a castle tower or in the town square and the herald would shout out the news
• Herbalist - Medieval Jobs
  A herbalist was usually a member of a religious order such as a monk or friar who would plant and maintain medicinal plants, roots and herbs
• Janitor - Medieval Jobs
  The janitor, or porter, was responsible for the main castle entrance and for the guardrooms. The janitor also insured that no one entered or left the castle without permission
• Jester - Medieval Jobs
  the jester, also referred to as the fool, entertained the court
• Keeper of the wardrobe - Medieval Jobs
  The room in the castle called the wardrobe was intended as a dressing room and storage room for clothes and used by lord of the castle. The keeper of the wardrobe was in charge of the tailors and laundress.
• Knight - Medieval Jobs
  It was the duty of a knight to learn how to fight and so serve their lord according to the code of chivalry. Weapon practise included enhancing skills in the two-handed sword, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance.
• Marshal - Medieval Jobs
  The Marshal was the officer in charge of a household's horses, carts, wagons, containers and the transporting of goods.
• Messenger - Medieval Jobs
  Messengers were lesser diplomats of the lord who carried receipts, letters, and commodities. The occupation of a messenger was often dangerous as if the message delivered was less than favorable the messenger was often the victim of the incurred anger of the recipient leading to the saying "don't kill the messenger". Messengers were eventually made exempt from punishment by law due to the news they delivered.
• Minstrel - Medieval Jobs
  Minstrels provided castle entertainment in the form of singing and playing musical instruments. Minstrels often would record the deeds of heroic knights in songs giving the knight great publicity and establishing respect and additional status
• Moneylender - Medieval Jobs
  Moneylenders were the medieval bankers - also see sections relating to the Knights Templar
• Page - Medieval Jobs
  The life of a castle page would start at a very young age - seven years old. A page was junior to a squire. It was the duty of a page to wait at table, care for the lord's clothes and assist them in dressing. The page was provided with a uniform of the colours and livery of the lord.
• Painter - Medieval Jobs
  Medieval castles ere highly colorful and the services of painters were often required
• Porter - Medieval Jobs
  The janitor, or porter, was responsible for the main castle entrance and for the guardrooms. The porter also insured that no one entered or left the castle without permission
• Physician
  Physicians were a very highly regarded and respected occupation. Bleeding, lancing and surgical procedures were practised.
• Potter - Medieval Jobs
  Potters were craftsmen of in clay, porcelain and early forms of ceramics. Basically they produced pots for cooking and storage and occasionally worked as sculptors. Potters were members of medieval craft guilds
• Reeve - Medieval Jobs
  The reeve supervised all work on a lord's property. The reeve ensured that everyone began and stopped work on time
• Scribe - Medieval Jobs
  Most scribes came from religious establishments where reading, writing and comprehension skills were learned.
• Scullion - Medieval Jobs
  Scullions were the lowest of kitchen workers whose duties included washing and cleaning the kitchen
• Sheriff - Medieval Jobs
  The sheriff was an important official of county who was responsible for executing judicial duties
• Shoemaker
  A shoemaker or cobbler or cordwainer was a craftsman who made shoes
• Spinster - Medieval Jobs
  Spinster was the name of the occupation given to a woman who earned her living spinning yarn. The spinning wheel was invented during the medieval era. Later the term spinster was used to describe any unmarried woman
• Steward - Medieval Jobs
  The steward took care of the castle estate and household administration including the events in the great hall. This occupation was also referred to as a seneschal
• Squire - Medieval Jobs
  A squire was junior to a knight. It was the duty of a squire to learn about the code of chivalry, the rules of heraldry, horsemanship and practise the use of weapons. It was also their duty to enter into the social life of the castle and learn courtly etiquette, music and dancing. The squire served in this role for seven years and became a knight at the age of twenty-one. Sometimes knighthood was conferred earlier as the reward for bravery on the battlefield
• Watchman - Medieval Jobs
  A Watchmen was an official at the castle responsible for security. Also night-watchman

ANOTHER SOURCE: Jobs

• True to our understanding of the Middle Ages it is a time recognized by castles, princes, princesses, knights and peasants all co-inhabiting a kingdom. Each of these individuals where characterized by their trades and for each person there was a part to be played in the community.
• Work types
• To understand the types of work in the Middle Ages we have to understand the structure of the kingdom.
• The king and his family are centered in the kingdom and every type was either directly or indirectly linked to the king.
• Work types can therefore be categorized into noblemen jobs and peasant jobs.
• Types of work for noblemen
• The main jobs of noblemen were to either serve the king directly, or to control their peasants to make sure that the money and goods owed to the king were collected.
• Most famous of the nobleman trades is the knights. Knights were responsible for feudalism, consisting of the safety of the king and fighting for the king, therefore also making them responsible for the safety of the village. It was considered an honor to be a knight for the king and demanded utmost loyalty to the king.
• Priest and other religious persons assigned to the church was also a noble occupation as the church played a dominant role in the Middle Ages. Assisting the priests were monks and nuns residing in monasteries and convents.
• They were responsible for the spiritual welfare of the king. They were also his religious advisors. Religious crusades were on the forefront in the middle ages and being a crusader ensured you the rank of a nobleman. Peter the Hermit was such a religious crusader.
• As a dowry needed to be paid to a church into which children entered to become monks or nuns, this was mostly reserved for the noble families.
• Noblemen were the business class people. Nobleman work in the Middle Ages included financial advising and they would see to all financial aspects of the kingdom, such as taxes and rent that needed to be collected from the peasants.
• Legal advisors to the king and for the people were an important trade also. They had to tend to legal matters between different kings, between the king and his people and also between peasants. This can include negotiations between kingdoms for land, trade, militia and then feuds between peasants regarding land and property.
• Many feuds originated from land and property. One such law was used in Scotland until recently that the person who owned the land had rights over even the person who built their own house on the mentioned land.
• Many famous people, like Marco Polo, the great explorer and Joan de Arc who led France to victory during war, were noble people who lived in the Middle Ages.
• By naming the famous people, the list of noble roles and occupations grows significantly.
  Included in the list comes inventors, Johann Gutenberg, William Wallace, a war hero from Scotland and Roger Bacon the scientist, inventor and philosopher.

Interesting is that many of these famous nobles were many times first seen as peasants and later honored as noblemen.

Entertainers and artists played a big role in the middle ages jobs.Donatellowas a sculpture who later had a great influence on sculpting in the end of the middle ages and early Renaissance era.

Peasant jobs in the middle ages

Being a peasant unfortunately was not such an envious role to portray and peasant jobs were mostly not such gratuitous occupation.

It was however a very humbling occupation as they sustained their own little communities within the kingdoms as well as contribute to riches and welfare of the king and the noblemen.

Peasants mostly lived on land owned by noblemen and therefore many of them were land workers. Servants of nobleman were also almost bound to work and serve the owners of the land on which they stayed. The farmers on the land owned a piece of land on that plot which they maintained and cultivated. A percentage of the produce of that land could be kept for them, and a percentage could be given to the owner of the land for rent. This secured them a right to stay on that land and not be expelled from the land.

Peasants in the villages were mostly craftsmen. Craftsmen were goldsmiths and blacksmiths, the carpenters and also the millers who grew the corn and milled it for the village.

The towns again, also had many trades which were handled by the peasants.

Blacksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, weavers, shoemakers, bakers, armoires, fletchers (arrow-makers), book-binders, carpenters and masons.

Peasants in the Middle Ages did not commute to their jobs as they worked where they lived. Trades were therefore passed on from generation to generation and remained a family business.