Courtship Life in the Middle Ages

By: Micah Williams

The Middle Ages was a time where many countries were governed by a monarchy. Most of the people today know about the brutal battles fought by the cavalry. They know about the black plague that terrorized and killed many people and they know about the jesters that were a huge source of entertainment. However, what most people do not know about is what life was like for the leaders of these countries.

A King’s Daily Life

Medieval kings lived a very eventful life and they rarely took a break. The author uses Christine de Pizan’s biography, Livre des faits et bonnes du sage Roy Charles V, about King Charles of France to give an insight as to the daily activities of a king in the Middle Ages. The author claims that the king would wake up early, around six or seven in the morning, say a quick prayer, and then recite the Canonical hours. They attended mass around eight and afterward went to multiple meetings throughout the day. At around two or three in the afternoon, the king would spend the remainder of the day doing whatever he pleased. In the article, it states, “He took the recreation so the excessive demands on him would not damage his health, because of his delicate constitution, since he spent most of his time busy with demanding affairs.” (“The Daily Life of a Medieval King.”) This explaining that the reason a king would take recreational time was to prevent the daily events from wearing him down. All of this demonstrates that kings back in the Middle Ages had a very rigorous lifestyle. Their lives were similar to those who were noble and wealthy.

King vs. Noble

During this time, kings and nobles had many things in common. In the book, Life in a Medieval Castle by Gary L. Black wood, it states, “Keeping a grand house, serving sumptuous meals, and having a large complement of servants and followers were all ways in which a lord could advertise his power, his wealth, his nobility.” (Black wood page 34.) To clarify, a king and a lord were both considered noble and they both had power. In addition, both had servants and followers that gave them their power because a king would have no power if he did not have people that supported him. Furthermore, in the book by Mr. Black wood, he reveals that a lord gained power through his followers as well. To add on, a king and a noble both lived in luxurious housing. A king typically resided in a castle and it can be inferred that a noble had an impressive home due to their need to live up to a certain standard and to be seen a certain way by the public (Black wood page 34.) A king and an aristocratic led very similar lifestyles and had more in common than most would believe. Though they were similar in some ways, the duties of kings were what distinguished them the most from the common noble.

A King’s Role

Back in the Middle Ages, Kings held a very specific role as the leader of the monarch and had many duties. In the article, “Medieval Kings” it states, “Kings were sworn with an oath to fulfill his responsibilities, especially the monarch, although the details of the oath varied from one kingdom to another.” In other words, the kings made an oath that they would fulfill the needs of the monarchy and each country’s oath details were unique to their needs. The article then goes on to list some of the most basic requirements of a king back in the Middle Ages which consisted of keeping peace throughout the kingdom, upholding the law, serving justice where it was necessary, and in some cases the king was obligated to “defend the church” (“Medieval Kings.”) The author of the article “Medieval Kings” also states, “A king served as God’s representative and more often than not, they were considered to be above the law.” It is ironically considered one of their main duties to uphold the law, yet the people considered them to be above it. All of this provides evidence that a king back in this time had a lot that was expected from them. They had such high standards to live up to, wondering what was their childhood like knowing they would one day be king.

The Upbringing

Growing up, a king’s life was actually quite difficult because of all the pressure and constant preparation to take on the throne. “A Medieval King's” childhood was not easy and as part of the royal family, there were also subjected to threats.” (“Medieval Kings.”) Clearly stating that their life growing up was tough, and they even received threats to their lives. In addition, at a young age, future kings were put through military and combat training and they were required to study the history of their nation and the ones surrounding them. However, being the future king was not all that bad considering they did have special privileges (“Medieval Kings.”)

Summing It All Up

In conclusion, a king of the Middle Ages lived a life that most do not know the details of. They were constantly busy and woke up early to fulfill their daily responsibilities such as attending mass or meetings and still finding time for themselves. In addition, they lived similarly to many nobles due to having servants, followers or supporters, nice housing, and much more. They also had many obligations to the state as the leader of the monarch. For example, they were tasked with keeping the peace, upholding justice and the law, and even defending the church. As a child, kings’ lives were not easy and they had many things to do that prepared them for kingships, like combat training and the study of history. Though it may not be something that most people care about, kings’ lives back in Medieval times had a large influence in shaping the way life is today. Therefore they played a vital part in history.

Works Cited

Blackwood, Gary L. Life in a Medieval Castle. Lucent Books, 2000.

“The Daily Life of a Medieval King.” Medievalist.net, 2018, www.medievalists.net/2016/03/the-daily-life-of-a-medieval-king/.

“Medieval Kings.” Medieval Kings, 2014, www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-kings-2/

Mason, Emma. “Love and Marriage in Medieval England.” HistoryExtra, 13 Feb. 2019, www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/love-and-marriage-in-medieval-england/.

Pictures

“The Middle Ages.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/government/The-Middle-Ages.

The Bridgeman Art Library. “Coronation of Pope Celestine V.” PBS LearningMedia, The Bridgeman Art Library, 4 Oct. 2019, gpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/xir183315fre/coronation-of-pope-celestine-v-xir183315-fre/.

“Llamrei.” Kingdoms of Camelot Wiki, koc.fandom.com/wiki/Llamrei.