Medieval Nobility& The Castle

The Nobility

• Small social class divided into two groups.

• High Nobility: the direct vassals of the king.

Dukes, Counts, Marquises, and Baron.

• Lower Nobility: knights and people who owned

and kept horses and weapons.

A Nobleman’s Education

• Noblemen started their education as children.

• 6 years: go to live in the castle of another lord or

the king to serve as pages & learn the rules of

courtly life.

• 14 years: become a squire and accompany a

knight to tournaments and battles carrying the

knight’s shield and taking care of his weapons and

horse.

A Nobleman’s Education

• 21 years: The noble is knighted.

• The knights had to serve the king or lord in their

troops (army).

• The spent their time training for war, going to

tournaments, hunting, and riding.

• Code of Chivalry: be devout, loyal, courteous, and

generous. Courtly manners and love.

A Noblewoman’s Education

• Women received a practical education.

• 7 years: sent to live with another noble family.

• Learned manners and etiquette, learned how to

dance and ride, learned archery.

• Acted as servants to the older ladies.

A Noblewoman’s Education

• Women married a man chosen by her family (as

young as 12).

• They were expected to bring a dowry (money,

goods, and property) to the marriage.

• A noblewoman was her husband’s property.

• Women were expected to provide children as their

main duty, as well as run the household, pray, and

do needlework.

Titles & Positions of the Peerage

• Peerage: hereditary titles linked to lands, powers,

and responsibilities.

• Viceroy & Vicereine: the governor of a country or

province, representing the king.

• Duke & Duchess: the highest hereditary rank,

highest ranking below the king.

Titles & Positions of the Peerage

• Marquess/Marquis & Marchioness/Marquise:

responsible for guarding border areas, the

“marches”.

• Count/Earl & Countess: the highest title that a

noble of non-royal blood could have.

• Viscount & Viscountess: a lieutenant or deputy of a

Count/Earl, or the title of the eldest son of an Earl or

Marquess/Marquis.

Titles & Positions of the Peerage

• Baron & Baronness: the Tenants-in-Chief class of

nobility. A member of the king’s council.

• Knight & Dame/Lord & Lady: warriors who

fought on horseback. They pledged loyalty to their

king or lord in exchange for land.

• Gentry: wellborn and well breed people. Not a

member of the nobility, but allowed a Coat of Arms

and part of the upper ruling class.

Castle were…

• Defensive fortresses where the nobles lived.

• Where the rest of the people could stay when

attacked.

• Usually built in he center of the fief and on high

ground.

Castles in Spain

Castles in Spain

Castles

• Were surrounded by thick walls, high towers, and a

moat.

• Were entered via the drawbridge, which was

protected by two towers with guard posts.

• Had battlements, defensive towers, walkways, a

portcullis, a drawbridge, an arrowslit, a

machiocolation, and a moat for protection.

Castles in Spain

Castles in Spain

Castles

• Inside the walls was the keep.

• A keep is a large tower where the lord and his family

lived.

• The keep had floors for the kitchen, chapel,

bedrooms, and great hall.

Castles in Spain

Castles in Spain

Castles

• Life was not easy – even for the nobility!

• The rooms were uncomfortable, dark, and cold.

• There was hardly any furniture and not many

windows.

Castles in Spain

Castles in Spain

Castles – The Great Hall

• The great hall was the most important part of the

keep.

• It had a large chimney.

• It was decorated with tapestries and animal skins.

• The lord celebrated banquets in the great hall.

• The vassals came to pay their taxes in the great hall.

• The lord made legal decisions in the great hall.

Castles in Spain

Castles in Spain