How Did the Royals of the Middle Ages Treat Their Low-Level Servants?

[lulu tassel]

Writing a fantasy novel about a lower-status male servant in a fantasy setting, wondering how the logistics of it would work, what the living conditions would be like, and how the King and fellow servants would treat him. Does anyone here have ideas?

 

[pmmg]

There would be no way to know for a specific person. As an individual, maybe the King just personally likes him, and his standards improve.

Most likely, he would live in a servants quarters, or an outside building for that purpose. He would work hard, get paid little, and have no real benefits and reason to expect much different. He'd be treated according to station. Snooty types would not treat him well, most will be indifferent, and some will be kind.

I would think he would live in a room in the castle, probably away from the main residences, and not have many possessions. His room would be no frills, with many communal amenities. He'd not have great choices for food and luxuries, and most people would take little notice of him, unless he screws up or does something spectacular.

 

[Finchbearer]

Yes, as pmmg states to my understanding there would be a servants quarters, usually below, to keep the order of status physically as well as metaphorically. Servants would have shared sleeping quarters too, and would be generally speaking working from dawn till dusk.

It depends what time period you’re talking about too. ‘Servants’ were historically paid either in their keep or very little in actual money / coin. They are only a little above a slave in terms of status or job description. However, for example, depending on the role of the servant in question, it could be a coveted role, such as a butler, or a ladies maid, or the King’s toilet chamber assistant *ahem, yes that was a real job and a very important one*.

Maybe specify what historical or current time period you’re inspired by.

 

[Finchbearer]

In terms of treatment, again, specify what your world is like - a medieval King would have had it where there would be little choice for his servants. Work for him or live in back breaking poverty otherwise.

In later time periods there would have been perhaps more choice. A serving man or woman could find work outside of domestic service and be their own ‘Lord and keeper’.

And it’s your fantasy world, how mean or kind would you want your King to be to his own servants?

 

[lulu tassel]

Yes, as pmmg states to my understanding there would be a servants quarters, usually below, to keep the order of status physically as well as metaphorically. Servants would have shared sleeping quarters too, and would be generally speaking working from dawn till dusk.

It depends what time period you’re talking about too. ‘Servants’ were historically paid either in their keep or very little in actual money / coin. They are only a little above a slave in terms of status or job description. However, for example, depending on the role of the servant in question, it could be a coveted role, such as a butler, or a ladies maid, or the King’s toilet chamber assistant *ahem, yes that was a real job and a very important one*.

Maybe specify what historical or current time period you’re inspired by.

I'm referring to the middle ages/medieval era. The character is also equivalent to a modern-day maid or janitor, usually sweeping or cleaning windows.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I'm referring to the middle ages/medieval era. The character is also equivalent to a modern-day maid or janitor, usually sweeping or cleaning windows.

You're a writer, and writers do homework for a living. In my previous existence I was a Medieval Studies scholar, as were a few others of us here in this merry band. But, that being said, if you want to learn general information about the thousand or so year span we call the Middle Ages, here's a great place to start.

Medieval Life

 

[pmmg]

I wonder what the OPer thinks it would be like? I suspect they must have some of their own ideas on it.

 

[Pegzy]

Depends on the time and the place and the individual. Some servants, especially royal body servants, could have a lot of influence. Some servants would also be treated differently because of a special talent - music for example - or looks. Some servants were more seen than the others. I suppose you could labor in a kitchen for a lifetime and not be noticed by the monarch, while a stable hand with a way with horses or serving man/maid with unusually good looks could have a different fate. But as Lowan said, read as much as you can, both fiction and non-fiction, if you want to be faithful to the reality. Or else create your own middle age. This is fantasy. Who's stopping you?

 

[Finchbearer]

I'm referring to the middle ages/medieval era. The character is also equivalent to a modern-day maid or janitor, usually sweeping or cleaning windows.

There would be no modern day equivalents with it being an entirely different time period. As others are suggesting, try googling: what would a medieval servants life have been like?

A modern day janitor or cleaner can go to work, earn money, then go home and otherwise enjoy their freedom and their life. A medieval servant would have been bound to serve their master with no life outside of their role.

 

[Finchbearer]

And don’t forget that the middle ages, or the medieval era spanned 1000 years - that’s a long time, and lots of things changed within that time.

Edit: just read AE lowans post where she states the exact thing I’ve just said.

 

[Pegzy]

Exactly as Finchbearer and Lowans say. And living conditions for every one progressed or regressed during that time. Sweeping for instance would have been an entirely different chore from what we know becuase they used rushes for many centuries. Their windows were also rather different. Not sure how much glass was involved. In the early middle ages probably very little.
Read. That is the only way you can get a feel for the times. Obviously you are writing a historical novel. That presupposes a fair knowledge of the history of the period you intend to cover.

 

[The Dark One]

I'll cop some flak for this but one of my pet bugbears is the insistence of people setting fantasy stories in a quasi-medieval setting. It gets to the point where some people can't seem to even tell the difference between real history and fantasy, which (as a medievalist) annoys the crap out of me.

My question to the OP: if you want to write about medieval servant conditions (which were hugely variable), why not do some research - rather a lot of research, in fact. And then ask yourself: is it a fantasy book you want to write, or historical fiction?

Surely there have been enough quasi-medieval fantasy stories. Fantasy has infinite possibility for other settings so come up with something new is my advice.

Having said all that, I apologise.

Rant over.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I'll cop some flak for this but one of my pet bugbears is the insistence of people setting fantasy stories in a quasi-medieval setting. It gets to the point where some people can't seem to even tell the difference between real history and fantasy, which (as a medievalist) annoys the crap out of me.

*cops with a sack of wet flak*

Seriously, though, I totally agree. Spent a little too much time with the Angevins and I'm still having flashbacks. Like the time I broke Kalamazoo. But at least I only did that the once.

The way I see it for someone just dipping their toes into the boiling oil, especially for those who are Eurocentric for whatever reason, the general knowledge my-ancestors-were-more-colonial-than-yours stuff available will do for beginners class. Some sort of 'dark age' occurred about this time cross-culturally and trans-globally, so there are often references available in the bibliographies that will lead one further down the research road. And for when we need to dig in and really chew a narrative that goes beyond the default, this is a great place to begin. https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F94223998982
And OP, I'm not kidding about the homework requirements. I've become resigned to the fact that I'm going to do homework until I die. Welcome to the madhouse. If you need to be pointed in a direction or have a really weird question, we're here.

 

[pmmg]

*cops with a sack of wet flak*

Seriously, though, I totally agree. Spent a little too much time with the Angevins and I'm still having flashbacks. Like the time I broke Kalamazoo. But at least I only did that the once.

The way I see it for someone just dipping their toes into the boiling oil, especially for those who are Eurocentric for whatever reason, the general knowledge my-ancestors-were-more-colonial-than-yours stuff available will do for beginners class. Some sort of 'dark age' occurred about this time cross-culturally and trans-globally, so there are often references available in the bibliographies that will lead one further down the research road. And for when we need to dig in and really chew a narrative that goes beyond the default, this is a great place to begin. https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F94223998982
And OP, I'm not kidding about the homework requirements. I've become resigned to the fact that I'm going to do homework until I die. Welcome to the madhouse. If you need to be pointed in a direction or have a really weird question, we're here.

I am not sure what this is saying.


I accept there is always a lot of research to stuff I write. But sometimes, I do just wing it.

 

[Pegzy]

Yes, research can be a fascinating journey. I began by reading about Florentine republic, and ended up in Gondeshapur. Now I want to read about Mohendojaro and Harappa which seem to have been highly developed city states with drainage, granaries, and well laid roads. All this for the city state I'm fleshing out in my second novel. I take bits and pieces from various places and make my own mess. Much safter. No one jumping at you saying you overstepped some boundary or got some vital fact wrong.
The world is big. The world of literature is kind of endless, because you can make your own universe if you are so inclined.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I am not sure what this is saying.


I accept there is always a lot of research to stuff I write. But sometimes, I do just wing it.

Sorry, I could have been a bit clearer and instead got a little silly. Basically, I'm agreeing with The Dark One and reasserting that there is a whole world to inspire and incite, not just Medieval Europe. Writing Urban Fantasy, the research load is heavy, and endless, but worth it. And the bit fuzzed out for spoilers is just about the most embarrassing professional moment of my life. Not much. 'Kalamazoo' is the popular reference for the International Conference on Medieval Studies held each year in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. My first year out, I broke it.

 

[pmmg]

Well, that is clearer.

I dont share the dark ones sentiment on that. Just give the story what it needs. If its a quasi-European setting, then its a quasi-European setting. I don't give out extra points to finding ways to avoid it. But I am surprised at the question. Without much research, I could take a good guess at the life of a servant. If it is truly a case of having no familiarity with the culture of medieval Europe, I think that is quite a distance behind for wanting to write a story in it. A lot of people are familiar with it, specially in fantasy. If I was to write a story with a 1200's Indian culture...I would expect to do a lot of research. But I would also stop when I felt I had enough and start writing it.

I dont expect historical fiction. In that I would expect many more of the details to line up correctly if it were, but it might be useful to narrow it down to something smaller than a 1000 year period. I would think some of those years would not even have glass windows to clean.

 

[Mad Swede]

I agree with A. E. Lowan and The Dark One. Do your research. Then think very carefully about your setting. Something as apparently simple as a quasi-medieval European setting can mean quite a lot of different things, both in terms of social structures and in the size of the economy.

The way servants got treated is partly about social structures. In a country with no concept of feudalism servants will be treated very differently from those in a feudal state. That's especially true in a country with a clan-based society and an elective monarchy (e.g. Sweden during most of this period) where the clans had a great deal of influence and mistreatment of free men and women (including servants) could see the king and/or senior household members removed from office and replaced by someone else.

Treatment of servants is also partly about national wealth. A poor country will usually have a very small royal household, and the servants will probably be known personally to the king. In such a household the duties will be varied and there won't be much in the way of a hierachy amongst the servants.

 

[Finchbearer]

I think it both important and unimportant in equal measure to have historical accuracy as an important factor in a fantasy novel. It depends on the genre and what you’re going for.

Lord of the Rings is one example of a ‘quasi-medieval’ fantasy world that has had great success, but the history isn’t the front and centre stage, even with Tolkien’s scholarly credentials. And ASOIAF is set in an equally quasi-historical world, not knowing GRRM credentials, it didn’t scream out to me.

If I do read any pure historical fantasy, where historical accuracy is important, for me as a history ‘fan’, I can nerd out on such things, and have dabbled with this genre for a few of my projects so far - which inevitably require lots of research, but again that’s part of the fun for me. One example is my Celtic novel - very little records were kept by the Celts, and much of the info comes from the Roman’s who invaded Briton, so there’s room for artistic license, especially in a fantasy context, but make no mistake I do my fair share of reading.

Obviously such a basic thing as a day in the life of a medieval servant is a fairly easy thing to look up and add into a story to make it feel authentic enough, but if you’re going for historical accuracy then I agree you’d need to carefully conduct research into your chosen historical time period.

 

[pmmg]

In deference to the OP, he did come here asking questions. That kind of counts as research. We get a lot of new members who post things up and dont return, so...without some follow up from them, there is not much further to go.

I'd like to know where they feel their own knowledge of this is at? Cause if its at, I dont know anything, they have a long way to go. I think it would help us to help them if they narrowed it down to a smaller period of time. Or gave more of their own vision of how their world/court looks. Otherwise...the question is too broad, and only broad answers can suffice.