Medieval Castle

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Life in a Medieval Castle was written by Joseph and Frances Gies and explains the history of castles and their functions, along with the details of those who lived within the castle walls. In this essay we will focus on the role of the lord of the castle and his functions, the lady of the castle and her functions, as well as looking at a typical castle year and castle day. The lord of the castle had many played several roles and had various functions. The lord, first and foremost, was the owner and administrator of his estate. As the administrator of his estate, he collected the rents, fees, and taxes due to him and further due to his king. He managed the officers and servants of his household, and made sure each carried out their various …show more content…

The lady of the castle was the wife of the lord. The lady would be educated, but not always in the same way that men of the period were. Some could read, write, and play instruments. Later in life, they would sometimes dedicate themselves to learning, and become patrons of the arts. As young women, they were often married off near the age of fourteen, and many times these marriages were arranged by the parents to be advantageous to one or both families. As wife to the lord of the castle, the lady was in charge of the domestic activities and duties in the castle. This included the activities of her ladies-in-waiting, chambermaids, kitchen staff, spinners, weavers, and embroiderers. She also took charge of organizing receptions, functions, and entertainment for guests. The lady of the castle also oversaw the education of the children in the castle. Another function of the lady of the castle was to provide an heir for the lord. When the lord was away from the castle, whether he was at war, court, or overseeing his other estates, the lady took charge of his duties at the castle. This meant she oversaw staff that her husband normally managed, made legal and financial decisions, and in times of crisis could even organize an army to defend the castle. The lady of the castle was also many times a patron of the arts, including musicians and …show more content…

The castle year was divided by the four seasons. The winter season was considered to be from Michaelmas to Christmas, spring was from the end of Christmas to Easter, summer was from the end of Easter until Lammas, and autumn was from Lammas until Michaelmas. These divisions, marked by feast days, were based on pagan holidays which the Christian Church converted into holy

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