HOW NOBLES LIVED

4.1 The noble estate

Nobility was a social estate formed by a small number of people. It was divided into two groups, differentiated by their wealth and power:

• The higher nobility, composed of the direct vassals of the king, such as dukes, counts, marquises and barons.

• The lower nobility, composed of lesser nobles, such as knights or people who could own a horse and weapons of war.

4.2 The life of the nobility

The life of noblemen revolved around military activity, for which they were trained from a very early age. In times of war they lent military aid to the lord with their troops. In times of peace they practised horsemanship, hunting and combat in tournaments in order to prepare for war.

Noblewomen married the person designated by their parents. They owed complete obedience to their husband and they devoted themselves to managing the servants, raising the children, praying and embroidering. Those who remained unmarried would enter monasteries.

The nobility differentiated itself from the other social groups through their clothing, characterised by the quality and colour of the fabrics and the rich ornaments. Their diet included a greater amount of meat, seasoned with expensive spices (saffron, cinnamon, and pepper) and the preparation of foods with refined recipes.

4.3 Castles: the residence of the lord

Nobles lived in castles, where the local population also took refuge in cases of danger.

They tended to be located in the centre of the fiefdom, in an elevated area, and were protected by a moat and thick walls and towers. Inside the walls, the most important part was the tower of homage, which contained the chambers of the lord and his family, and the great hall or main room, where the lord held banquets, collected taxes and imparted justice. In addition, castles had a well, stables and workshops that produced the necessary items for everyday life.

Nobility

1. Chemin de ronde or wall-walk. A walkway that runs along the battlements of the castle.

2. Arrow slit. A narrow opening in the wall of the barbican used for firing arms in the event of an attack.

3. Moat. Excavated land around the castle to prevent the approach of war machines.

4. Machicolation. A structure at the top of a tower or door used for defending against or attacking the enemy.

5. Drawbridge. A bridge used to cross the moat. It is so-called because it could be raised or lowered to isolate the castle.

6. Portcullis. Heavy metal grill lowered to prevent anyone from entering the castle.

7. Tower of homage. Residence of the lord and his family. It was divided into several floors containing the chambers of the lord and his family (A); the great hall or main room (B) with its walls covered in rich fabrics and tapestries; the chapel, the kitchen, the guardhouse (C) and the storerooms (D). These rooms were cold, dark and sparsely furnished.

Who were the knights?

Knights could keep a horse and own war weapons. A knight’s weapons were both defensive, such as the helmet, chain mail armour and the shield, and offensive, such as the sword, the lance, dagger, etc.

Ceremony to become a knight

The ceremony was long and complicated. On the day of the ceremony the knight had to wash his whole body, pray, dress in white (as a symbol of purity), and cover himself with a red mantle in order to show that he was ready to spill his last drop of blood in the war. He also cut his hair as a symbol of servitude. He spent the night guarding his weapons. The next day, he was blessed by a priest, knelt before the lord or king and swore an oath of loyalty.

At the knight´s ceremony, the king or feudal lord would gird the knight’s armour and sword. Finally, the lord would dub him on the shoulder with a sword: this was called the accolade.

Skills progress

Building knowledge

1 Explain the differences between the higher and lower nobility and between a battle and a tournament.

Handling images

2 Look at the images and answer the questions: a) Which moment of the knighting ceremony is represented? b) Prepare a list of a knight’s offensive and defensive weapons. c) Write in your notebook the function of these parts of the castle: moat, tower of homage, workshops, portcullis and battlements.

Searching for relevant information

3 Work in pairs and search for information on one of these two topics: a) Medieval tournaments; b) The life of a knight.