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Medieval knights generally lived in a castle or a manor house, but they did not always own these structures. In western Europe, knights were connected with nobility and royalty, often the sons of lords. Poorer knights might live in a castle owned by their lord or in a nearby manor house.
Were did the Knights live?
A knight in the Middle Ages usually lived in a castle or manor. Knights rarely owned their home as their life was centered around the castle or manor of the noble or lord they served. According to the medieval Code of Chivalry, it was the duty of knights to serve their liege lord.
Who lived in the medieval castles?
During the late Middle Ages, from the 10th to the 16th centuries, kings and lords lived in castles. As well as the lord, the lady (his wife), and their family there were lots of staff. Some were important officials, such as the constable who took care of the castle when the lord was away.
How did they keep warm in castles?
Castles weren’t always cold and dark places to live. But, in reality, the great hall of castle had a large open hearth to provide heat and light (at least until the late 12th century) and later it had wall fireplace. The hall would also have had tapestries which would have insulated the room against too much cold.
Where did knights sleep in a castle?
What other rooms were there in a Medieval castle? At the time of Chr�tien de Troyes, the rooms where the lord of a castle, his family and his knights lived and ate and slept were in the Keep (called the Donjon), the rectangular tower inside the walls of a castle. This was meant to be the strongest and safest place.
Do you get paid for being a knight?
Today, knights are paid absolutelynothing, and expected to do nothing. A modern knighthood isa reward for extraordinary service to crown and country. Historically, knights were financed through the systemsknown as “feudalism” and “vassalage”.
Were Knights rich or poor?
The resources needed for horses, armor and weaponry meant that knighthood was generally a job for the rich. Most knights came from noble families, and success in battle might lead to a royal grant of additional land and titles.
Are Knights rich?
Some knights were moderately wealthy , some rich and others poor. If the knight had a good stipend or good properties and was a good keeper of them then he could live a very good lifestyle and some could be quite rich and even invested in business ventures and became rich indeed.
How big was a knight’s fee?
Knight’s Fee — In theory, a Fief which provided sufficient revenue to equip and support one knight. This was approximately twelve hides or 1500 acres, although the terms applied more to revenue a fief could generate than its size; it required about thirty marks … Medieval glossary.
Did all Knights have land?
Yes they did. Knights held a knight’s fee (fief), which was enough land to support the needs of a knight, his family, assistants, and money to buy military equipment. In return for the privilege of holding land, the knight would have to provide the knight’s service or shield silver, or scutage.
Did Barons live in castles?
Depending on their status and the amount of land they held, some barons controlled several large castles. If a baron could not afford to build a massive stone castle, he may have had enough wealth to build a smaller fortified manor house.
What is the weakest part of a castle?
The entrance to the castle was always its weakest point. Drawbridges could be pulled up, preventing access across moats. Tall gate towers meant that defenders could shoot down in safety at attacks below. The main gate or door to the castle was usually a thick, iron-studded wooden door, that was hard to break through.
How many soldiers defend a castle?
For a medieval city/castle as stated by Patrick Owen you would generally need 100s of men during war time, though depending on many factors you could have 15,000 to 50,000 being pretty much the absolute maximum.
How much did Knights get paid?
How much did Knights get paid? During the 14th century an English knight bachelor was paid at the rate of 2 shillings a day, a knight banneret at 4 shillings a day. Knights couldn’t be compelled to serve overseas, so the King had to pay them *per diem*. Squires’ pay: about 1 shilling a day.
Which was the safest part of a castle?
The keep was the very highest point in the castle and the center of defense. The strongest and safest point in castle. Inside a normal castle was many things which includes kitchen to cook meat . The great hall where everyone eat and the servants slept .
How many knights were in castles?
If the lord has three land holding knights, we are up to say 9 men available to garrison a castle. Of those nine, probably three would be on duty at any given time. Other knights would be landless knights. These lived off the lord’s largess, and had no followers.
Did castles have toilets?
The toilets of a castle were usually built into the walls so that they projected out on corbels and any waste fell below and into the castle moat. Even better, waste went directly into a river as is the case of the latrines of one of the large stone halls at Chepstow Castle in Wales, built from the 11th century CE.
Did castles smell bad?
Life in a Medieval Castle: Cold, Dark, and Very Smelly! To our modern standards of living, most Medieval castles would have been incredibly cold, cramped, totally lacking privacy, and would have been disgustingly smelly (and likely home to more than a fair share of rats!).
Could a peasant become a knight?
Could a peasant become a member of the elite by joining the clergy? Yes. But it was incredibly rare. The other possibility was for a peasant to become a knight, a group of people who were increasingly asserting their nobility throughout the eleventh century.
