Nobles in the Middle Ages
Feudalism has its origins in the Roman Empire. That empire, due to its size and diversity, had many different parallel social structures. However, broadly speaking, Roman society could be divided into three segments: the elite patrician class, the lower plebeian class, and the enslaved servi (Latin for slave) class. In the Roman Empire, the landed patricians held the most power, ruling over a large number of laboring plebeians and servi.
In the late 300s and 400s, the Roman Empire fragmented apart into several German-ruled kingdoms. However, the social structures of the empire continued and evolved, with local landed elites gaining greater autonomy and sovereignty from weak monarchs and lords. It was in this new era that feudalism arose. In particular, feudalism's key characteristic is the allegiance sworn by land-owning patricians (who were eventually known by other names) to more powerful lords in an ascending hierarchy. This allegiance is called vassalage.
Meanwhile, the plebeians and servi continued to be subservient to the feudal lords of Europe. They were enveloped in the social status of being a serf. In serfdom, one was legally tied to the land owned by a nobleman and had limited rights.
As in the Roman Empire, the lands and titles of the nobility of the Middle Ages were passed down through inheritance. Various inheritance laws were present across Europe in this period, but broadly speaking, noblemen either divided their lands between their sons or granted most, if not all, to their eldest son. This paralleled how positions of power were passed down through generations of feudal lords in dynastic monarchies.
Life of Medieval Nobility
Medieval nobles lived a highly privileged life. Some may not have lived as luxuriously as middle-class people in developed countries today, yet the nobles in the Middle Ages lived luxuriously for their day. They lived in manors, if not palaces, whereas serfs lived in small huts or homes. Serfs wore simple clothes they made for themselves, while nobles dressed luxuriously in dyed fabrics and, at times, even jewels and gold, depending on their wealth. Nobles ate better than serfs; when there was a food shortage, for example, it was the serfs who suffered, not the nobles.
The knights were Medieval nobles who served in the military
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However, the Medieval nobility was regulated by certain codes of conduct. In particular, chivalry regulated noblemen's behavior. They were expected to behave in a proper and respectful manner; it was looked down upon to abuse one's serfs excessively, for example. Catholicism was the state religion of many Medieval states, so nobles were required to behave in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Chivalry was also highly militant; noblemen were expected to serve in the armies of Europe, either waging war against neighboring kingdoms or against foreign forces in distant wars. In times of peace, noblemen participated in martial games, such as jousting, in order to display and practice their martial fortitude. Similarly, honor was a key aspect of social relations in the Middle Ages; insults often drove duels between men.
Hierarchy of Nobles
Nobles in the Middle Ages were arranged in a hierarchical system. Now, there was not one unified hierarchy, as Europe was divided between a large number of kingdoms. For example, the following is the hierarchy of Medieval nobles in England:
- King
- Duke
- Marquess
- Earl or Count
- Viscount
- Baron
However, these terms had different meanings elsewhere in Europe. Furthermore, some states in Europe did not have a king, but instead a prince or even an emperor.
What Did Nobles Do?
While nobles from the Middle Ages lived a privileged life, they also had many duties and responsibilities. These included:
- Military service to their superior lord in times of war
- Maintaining law, order, and justice
- Providing food and shelter to tenants and serfs
These responsibilities were tied to nobles' privileges. They had the right to collect taxes to fund these activities, hold court to carry out justice, and bear arms to serve in the military. However, nobles were not always benevolent overlords. When peasants rose up to demand greater rights, for example, nobles quashed them using extreme force. It took centuries of political development for feudality to crumble and be replaced by modern democracy.
Lesson Summary
Nobles were the dynastic upper class of Europe in the Middle Ages. They originated in the Roman Empire, in which landed elites called patricians ruled over poor plebeians and enslaved servi. As the Roman Empire fragmented, this social system continued into later centuries. The nobility held extensive power; they ruled over kingdoms, owned the land, and lorded over the majority of the population: the peasant serfs, who worked the land and had few rights.
However, the nobles also had responsibilities. They served in the military and managed the land. They were governed by a code of conduct called chivalry which emphasized honor and good practice of Catholicism. The nobles themselves were not a unified group. They were, in fact, divided into a hierarchy of their own, with lower nobles swearing loyalty to higher nobles in a system called vassalage. This social structure as a whole is called feudalism.
