Feudal system-4 main groups- kings, nobles, lords, and serfs It was a society status and social standing Many different kinds of jobs were available
King gave land to nobles and lords in return for security and support
Knights served in the armies which
provided their needs Lords gave knights in trade
for a manor Peasants to farm their land
Introduction to the Feudal System
Cover everyone’s basic needs Clothing, food, and drink.
Workers almost always had work Not well paid, further down in class
Peasant, serf, yeoman (family farmer), housewife, butcher, beggar, brewer, miller (grain grinder), baker, weaver, cobbler (shoemaker), or blacksmith
Surnames- Smith, Weaver, Miller, or BakerBakers – only ones with ovensNaturally cobblers were in businessBlacksmiths always in demand
55 kilogram armor
"Bread and Butter Jobs"
Christianity and Catholicism were popular, Judaism not so much
Well respected because they helped your soul have eternal life
Varying pay and class Logically, the pope was second only to God
Life-long job Chaplain (head of a castle, manor house, chapel, or
monastery), cardinal (which equaled a king), monks and nuns (very simple folks), bishops, and parsons, or poor priests.
"Religious Jobs"
Careers inside the walls of a castle Plenty of jobs Living in the castle= a great advantage
Generally fed with necessities taken care of Knights worked for the lords and given to the king
Pages, squires, and knights Other jobs included Heralds (messengers), armorers, bailiffs
(somewhat like the chaplains of a manor), cooks, marshals (like today’s CEO position), archer, jester, chamberlain (bedroom servant), almoner (one who gives noble’s money to the poor), butlers, or regular servants
Fun fact- Many newspapers are still called “The Herald” today!
"Castle Jobs"
Masters of their tradeGenerally well paid with average respect
Hired by a king or noble= boost credibility and high pay
A majority of these jobs sound so fun; they could be mistaken for hobbies!
Inventor, artificer (or technician for stage machinery), architect, engineer, scribe (Equal to today’s modern Xerox machine), and bookbinder
"Wonder Worker's Jobs"
Refer to the jobs of those who provide medical help and attention Doctors refused to treat peasants, so other folks had to fill in Barbers doubled as surgeons- amputated or bloodlet
Because it was believed that having too much blood caused numerous diseases, bloodletting was a practice used frequently.
Surgeries were primarily done by surgeons No anesthesia or pain numbing Assistants held down patients
Doctors often made diagnoses by studying astrology and looking at the stars
Apothecarists were somewhat like pharmacists of the modern world Used herbs to concoct new medicines
"Life and Death Jobs"
“Sit-Down Jobs” Considered a luxury Some examples are:
A teacher, philosopher, polymath, alchemist, clerk, astrologer, and a nonfiction author.
Polymath: someone who knows everything there is
to know Roger Bacon likely was closer than
anyone else to knowing everything. Alchemist had two goals in their job:
figure out how to turn other metals into gold
the philosopher’s stone Nonfiction Author:
wrote practical books such as histories or “self-improvement” books
“Artistic Jobs” “Artistic jobs” were hard to
make a living off of. Artists had to be businessmen
in order to sell the work, as well as an artist in order to make their work.
Some examples are: stained-glass artist, painter,
embroiderer, wood-carver, sculptor, playwright, player (actor), illuminator, and a poet.
Painter: To be a painter you need the
talent, a steady hand, determination and not too much imagination.
Poet: make his/her living at other
jobs. have to cut and sharpen their
own quill pen, mix their own ink and write on vellum or parchment
“Dirty Jobs” “Dirty jobs” refer to dirty in
two different ways; Some are dirty because you
have to work in nasty conditions
Others were dirty because you hunted, cheated, or bullied your victim
Some examples are: a street cleaner, gong farmer
(latrine attendant), bathhouse attendant, miner, pardoner, and witch hunter.
Bathhouse attendant: you would carry water, soap
and wash the hair of your customers
Pardoner: sell fake pardons from God for
the forgiveness of sins
“Law and Order Jobs” A “law and order job” would
not have been easier in that time because the medieval legal systems were not simpler than ours today.
Some examples are: a lawyer, provost, summoner,
headsman, torturer, money changer, sheriff, bandit, and an enforcer of laws against rich clothes.
Pardoner: finds the person who has been
charged with an offence or called as a witness, explains the charge and warn him/her to appear in court.
Torturer: someone who used torture to
make someone confess to a crime
Money Changer: must know the value of
different coins and it’s weight
“Traveling Jobs” People traveled for many
reasons: business, diplomacy, pilgrimage, carriage of goods by land or sea, messages, study, consultation, war, and curiosity.
Some examples are: a messenger, minstrel,
troubadour, town crier, innkeeper, pilgrim, carter, traveling merchant, importer/exporter, and an explorer.
Town Crier: carry news and make
announcements. Explorer:
had a lot of courage to be put to sea in a small boat not knowing whether or not the map they have is right or wrong.
Since then, we’ve made great technological advancesSome job methods formerly practiced seem
ridiculous and silly nowCreated paths for many industries we still
have around todayFamilies passed down their line of work
through many generationsEach job was very important and affected
many peopleIntertwining web of professions that depended
on other professions
Conclusion