Everyday Life in the

Medieval Times
Molly Reynolds, Nathaniel Wilson,
Thomas Norwood
Life of a Peasant
Peasants in the Middle Ages lived hard lives by
todays standards. They revolved around taxes
and food, mainly. Peasants were taxed by
their lords and the church, made to pay 10% of
what they had earned.
Life of a Peasant (Continued)
On the whole, peasants were a farming people, especially during the
summertime. These are some average tasks you could expect a serf to
perform daily:
Ploughing
Reaping
Sowing
Haymaking
Binding and Thatching
Toolmaking
Threshing
Life of a Knight
Knights lives depended heavily on a full
schedule. They kept themselves at their
physical peak, training with weaponry and
siege tactics, as well as studying the code of
Chivalry.
Life of a Lord (Land owner)
Lords live the easy life compared to other
social classes. They oversaw the harvest,
supplies, taxes, and dues. Lords addressed the
tenants also known as peasants. Lords enjoyed
many luxuries by studying art, poetry, and
practicing fencing. They also took part in
political discussion, hunting, and hawking.
Life of a Lord (continued)
The lords collected many taxes from the
peasants of his fief. Banalities were enacted
for the use of everyday items such as the mill,
oven, and wine press. Peasants could atone
for not abiding laws by making a payment to
the lord. The lords also acted as a judge, they
handled all the judicial matters on the fief.
Vassals (lords of the land)
The vassals were in service to the lords. They
oversaw the workings of the fields, mills, and
other agricultural facilities. They worked
directly with the peasants and were
essentially the middle man of a fief.
Vassals (continued)
The vassals like the lords lived in the manor
with their family. From there they conducted
their business affairs. Also like the lords they
had people that worked under them.
Bailiffs tended to the management of the manor
Reeves were the chosen or elected officials of the manor
Peasants were the general laborers of the fief
Lives of Women
Women were expected to be subservient to
men. Disobedience was seen as a crime
against religion. Manners and etiquette were
of prime importance. The life expectancy of a
woman in the Middle Ages was just forty
years.
Lives of Women
Arranged marriages happened frequently.
Women were expected to run the households
but their main duty was to provide children.
Women aged quickly during this era due to
constant child-bearing. Most Medieval women
would become pregnant between four and
eight times.
Citations
"Middle Ages Knights." Lords and Ladies. Lordsandladies.org. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.lordsandladies.org/middle-ages-knights.htm>.

"The Lifestyle of Medieval Peasants." History Learning Site. Historylearningsite.co.uk. Web. 9 Sept.
2014. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval_peasants.htm>.

"Daily Life in the Middle Ages." The Finer Times. The Finer Times. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/daily-life-in-the-middle-ages.html>.