#Medieval europe knights daily life code

Ranks within the PeasantryĪny person below the rank of gentleman was considered a member of the peasantry. The female form of gentleman is gentlewoman or lady, and a younger male in the position would be known as a page. Also at the courts of several monarchs, servants who performed certain tasks were given titles such as gentleman at arms, gentleman-in-waiting and gentleman of the bedchamber. Forced to define their position in society, they chose to be defined as gentlemen. The title of gentleman was created rather late in the medieval period when after the Black Death in 1349 the younger sons of nobles were forced to seek their fortunes in the French wars instead of settling down as owners or renters of farms. It should be noted that there is no female equivalent of an esquire. The term esquire was a vague one that could also pertain to the eldest sons of knights, the sons of nobles, esquires created by letters of patent, justices of the peace and others who bear any office of trust under the crown, foreign noblemen, officers of the army above the rank of captain, barristers, and in England, anyone who held a degree from either of the two universities (Cambridge and Oxford). The Role of a Squire/EsquireĬommonly known as a young commoner who was training to become a knight, a squire acted as an attendant and shield bearer for the knight he was training under. The wife of a knight was known as either a lady or a dame depending on the country. Knights were also the owners of small fiefs that were given to them by their overlords. They were not only knights but members of different orders, such as the Knights Templar or the Knights Hospitaller, that had specific roles in battle.

#Medieval europe knights daily life code

Knights were bound by a code of chivalry and when they entered into knighthood they swore to uphold the values of faith, loyalty, courage and honor. To become a knight, a man would first serve as a page, valet and squire before being dubbed a knight by his overlord. While most nobles were also essentially knights, the title was given to commoners who swore loyalty to an overlord in a military context. They rank as follows: The Medieval Knight

They were essentially upper-class commoners who were given titles but these titles were not titles of nobility despite their wealth. The medieval gentry were a class of wealthy landowners who had the right to bear arms. As a whole they were called commoners, however, there were differences between the two classes. The medieval gentry and peasantry consisted of anyone who was beneath the royal families and the nobility of Europe.

The lowest members of society, the medieval commoners of Europe were broken down into two classes each with individual ranks and titles.