The Lives of Rich Men in the Gothic Period

Throughout history, men have fought wars, earned money, and made their way into the world. How was the life of rich men in the Gothic period different than today?

Rich men in the Gothic period knew how to fight, run their lands, and they had to remain loyal to the monarch and any other noblemen to whom they swore allegiance. If their loyalty changed, their lives could go a very different route. They had to be good at strategy and ready to go to war with their king whenever he said. They lived in luxury compared to the peasants, though.

What happened during their childhood? What did they have to learn to become knights and prosperous noblemen?

The Childhood of Rich Men in the Gothic Period

Modern children go to school, learn things at home, and play in their free time. Rich boys had different lives and gained knowledge in diverse places, but they also had free time. Rich mothers didn’t always take care of their babies and young children. Especially in very wealthy families, babies would often have a wet nurse. A wet nurse was someone who nursed the baby and took care of them instead of the mother.

The Church said, “If Mother Mary nursed her own baby then it is good enough for you too.” Therefore some mothers chose to follow the Church and fed their children themselves. Noble boys usually didn’t attend schools, learning everything from the adults in their lives.

They would learn etiquette, how to fight, and sometimes how to read and write. Etiquette (ie. Manners, how to eat properly, proper ways to address their superiors and lessers) gave good first impressions and avoided enraging noteworthy people in the social hierarchy. The king required all men to know how to fight.

He wanted good warriors in his army. They didn’t just learn fighting; they learned how to care for their weapons and armor. They also had to learn how to take care of their horses and hawks. Boys liked participating in mock wars, archery competitions, wrestling games, races, and other things that would help in becoming a knight.

They were also fun. Strategy games like Chess, Fox and Geese, and other similar games taught children how to strategize, which would make them better warriors later.

Becoming a Knight

Becoming a knight was time-consuming and challenging but rewarding. Knights had lands, money, benefits, and respect. Boys started learning how to become knights at around seven years old. They would join a custom called fostering.

The Queen and the Page, by Marianne Stokes

Another noble family, often of higher status, not usually familial relations, would take them in as pages. The royal household took on many pages. They also fostered young ladies who learned manners and other ladylike things instead of how to fight. As pages, they would work for their knight, his lady, and his household, and, in return, the knight would teach them how to fight and have good manners. Pages would run errands, messages, serving his meals, and sometimes help clean their clothes.

The page would also get food and a place to sleep. When he was fourteen, a boy could become a squire, the second step in becoming a knight. The squire helped a knight and learned even more from him. They could work for a different knight than their original foster father or the same one. That was up to the parents.

The Accolade by Edmund Leighton

Finally, when they were twenty-one, they could go to the king or queen and be knighted. They swore loyalty to him and became his vassals.

Betrothal and Marriage

Betrothal is rarely a part of life in Modern times. In the middle ages, betrothals were very common. Legally, children could become betrothed as young as seven. Many prosperous families didn’t even wait until their kids had reached that tender age. Many young children became betrothed as babies or very young children.

Girls in the Middle Ages could legally marry at twelve, and wealthy girls often did (see my post about wealthy girls in the Middle Ages here). The boys only had a slight leg up on them. Boys could legally marry when they were fourteen years old. That is when they reached the Age of Consent.

Marriages often happened before the Age of Consent too. On top of young marriages, the kids rarely got to choose their spouses. Their parents arranged marriages that were mutually beneficial for the families. The arranged weddings also provided lands, money, a more sure future, and elevated positions to the participating people. They could also get married when they were seven but those marriages could be annulled once they reached the age of consent as long as they hadn’t consummated the marriage.

Responsibilities and Allegiance

Rich Men and Knights in the Gothic Period had many responsibilities. Managing their estates was very important. They had to know what was going on in their lands and with the peasants on those lands.

Sometimes they had to authorize marriages or land transfers. They had to collect rent and pay taxes to their ruler and any higher nobleman for whom they worked. Another one of their responsibilities was raising money for sizable social events and war campaigns.

One of the most imperative responsibilities of rich men or knights was remaining loyal to their sovereigns. They had to perform any duties the king requested. Some lesser noblemen owed allegiance to the king and other higher noblemen. Anyone they owed allegiance to could ask for favors.

Noblemen had to know how to fight and come at their king’s command. Sometimes they refused to come, but they could get in big trouble. In return for their loyalty, taxes, and soldiers, the king gave them parcels of land. On their estate, everyone had to listen to them.

Food Rich Men in the Gothic Period Ate

Castles belonging to prosperous people could afford the best food, wine, and spices from foreign lands, including the spice islands which is located in the Moluccas, Indonesia and other locations in Asia and Africa. Even expensive wine did not taste good.

Unlike the peasants, rich people could afford to eat a lot of meat. They ate venison from deer they hunted and killed themselves. Other four-legged animals they ate were things like mutton, beef, and pork. The animals were raised on the estate or bought specially for a big feast.

A variety of birds went onto the menu as well. A few slightly ordinary birds (to us) were ducks, herons, and pigeons. Blackbirds also went on the menu, especially in surprise pies.

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?
The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!

When the pies were cut open, the blackbirds flew out. Sometimes the blackbirds really were ingredients.

More exotic birds on the menus included swans baked in their feathers and peacocks. You will not catch many people today eating swans or peacocks for any reason.

Rich people often had fishponds where they raised various fish, including carp and pike, to eat on fasting days like Lent. They could also buy fish caught in the ocean or rivers.

Citrus was extremely expensive. They may have had oranges, but only on super special occasions. Sugar was also pretty expensive.

Some spices they had were nutmeg, saffron, cinnamon, and pepper. All of those cost a lot of money. Even in modern times, saffron is quite expensive. Relatively, salt was cheap. They would put spices on meat to mask rotting food and improve the flavor of everything.

Living Conditions for Rich Men in the Gothic Period

Rich men in the Gothic period lived in castles. Sometimes, they had multiple manors in which to split their time. The central part of the castle was the Great Hall. The Great Hall was like a huge dining room and living room combined.

Some people also slept in it. There were fireplaces and chimneys on one or sometimes both ends of the Great Hall. Chimneys were expensive and, therefore, a luxury.

Above the Great Hall was the Solar. The Solar was the master’s bedchamber. He slept in a tall bed surrounded by curtains for privacy and warmth. The height of the bed helped keep the mice out. Tapestries hung all over the castle.

They helped keep the drafts out and provide insulation, but only a little bit. Therefore, fortresses were cold in the winter and hot in the summer. The furniture was pretty basic. Chairs were uncommon, so benches and wooden chests were used more for most of the seating.

Pastimes of Rich Men in the Gothic Period

Many people today have favorite pastimes, like reading, playing sports, or exercising. Rich men in the Gothic period also enjoyed various pastimes. Some pastimes provided food for the table, like hunting. They hunted wild boars and deer with spears, arrows, and hunting dogs.

A portrait of Conradin hawking from the Codex Manesse

They also went hawking. There were also indoor pastimes, like board games, feasts, and dancing. Popular board games taught strategy, improving their ability to plan battles and be good leaders. Among those were Chess and Backgammon.

A portrait of Herr Goeli playing Backgammon from the Codex Manesse

Feasting brought people together and was especially popular when guests were visiting. Feasting provided the opportunity to show off wealth by having fancy, expensive foods, and spices. Dancing was also fun.

Rich men and knights also competed in tournaments. They enjoyed jousting. Jousting was also a great way to show off their strength and horsemanship. Tournaments brought crowds of spectators. They were fun for everyone.