THE WARRIOR NOBLES
Life in the Middle Ages was
rather strictly centered around something of a caste system. A clear hierarchy
existed, a pyramid of sorts with royalty at the top and peasants, comprising
the bulk of the population, at the bottom. Between the peasants and royalty,
however, were well-regarded, privileged and elite families known as nobles or lords.
The nobles’ place in society
was essentially to function as middle-men between the peasants and the royal
family. Nobles provided work, land, and protection to the peasants while
providing funding, supplies, and military service to the king.
Noble life was far from the
ordinary life of the time. Most people were peasants, and, under the feudal
system of the era, were beholden to and in debt to the nobles for whom they
worked. Nobles, on the other hand, had lives focused much more around military
strategy, financial obligations and responsibilities, and social affairs.
Becoming a member of the noble
class was either a hereditary birthright—the so-called “blue bloods”—or an
honorarium bestowed by royalty in appreciation for service or loyalty.
Successful military conquests and strong displays of skill, performance, and
loyalty could lead to the social and economic elevation of an entire family. The
nobles themselves had regal-sounding titles given them by royalty, such as
Duke, Count, and Lord.
