Medieval nobles were divided into two groups - high nobility who were direct vassals of the king such as dukes and counts, and lower nobility including knights. Noblemen began their education as young as 6 by serving as pages in other lord's castles to learn courtly manners. At 14 they became squires and at 21 were knighted. Noblemen spent their time training for war, tournaments, and hunting. Noblewomen received practical educations in etiquette and skills like dancing and archery before marrying as young as 12. Castles served as defensive fortresses where nobles lived, surrounded by thick walls, towers, and moats. Inside the walls was the keep with floors for living and great halls

1. Medieval Nobility
& The Castle

2. The Nobility
• Small social class divided into two groups.
• High Nobility: the direct vassals of the king.
Dukes, Counts, Marquises, and Baron.
• Lower Nobility: knights and people who owned
and kept horses and weapons.

3. A Nobleman’s Education
• Noblemen started their education as children.
• 6 years: go to live in the castle of another lord or
the king to serve as pages & learn the rules of
courtly life.
• 14 years: become a squire and accompany a
knight to tournaments and battles carrying the
knight’s shield and taking care of his weapons and
horse.

4. A Nobleman’s Education
• 21 years: The noble is knighted.
• The knights had to serve the king or lord in their
troops (army).
• The spent their time training for war, going to
tournaments, hunting, and riding.
• Code of Chivalry: be devout, loyal, courteous, and
generous. Courtly manners and love.

5. A Noblewoman’s Education
• Women received a practical education.
• 7 years: sent to live with another noble family.
• Learned manners and etiquette, learned how to
dance and ride, learned archery.
• Acted as servants to the older ladies.

6. A Noblewoman’s Education
• Women married a man chosen by her family (as
young as 12).
• They were expected to bring a dowry (money,
goods, and property) to the marriage.
• A noblewoman was her husband’s property.
• Women were expected to provide children as their
main duty, as well as run the household, pray, and
do needlework.

7. Titles & Positions of the Peerage
• Peerage: hereditary titles linked to lands, powers,
and responsibilities.
• Viceroy & Vicereine: the governor of a country or
province, representing the king.
• Duke & Duchess: the highest hereditary rank,
highest ranking below the king.

8. Titles & Positions of the Peerage
• Marquess/Marquis & Marchioness/Marquise:
responsible for guarding border areas, the
“marches”.
• Count/Earl & Countess: the highest title that a
noble of non-royal blood could have.
• Viscount & Viscountess: a lieutenant or deputy of a
Count/Earl, or the title of the eldest son of an Earl or
Marquess/Marquis.

9. Titles & Positions of the Peerage
• Baron & Baronness: the Tenants-in-Chief class of
nobility. A member of the king’s council.
• Knight & Dame/Lord & Lady: warriors who
fought on horseback. They pledged loyalty to their
king or lord in exchange for land.
• Gentry: wellborn and well breed people. Not a
member of the nobility, but allowed a Coat of Arms
and part of the upper ruling class.

10. Castle were…
• Defensive fortresses where the nobles lived.
• Where the rest of the people could stay when
attacked.
• Usually built in he center of the fief and on high
ground.

11. Castles in Spain

12. Castles in Spain

13. Castles
• Were surrounded by thick walls, high towers, and a
moat.
• Were entered via the drawbridge, which was
protected by two towers with guard posts.
• Had battlements, defensive towers, walkways, a
portcullis, a drawbridge, an arrowslit, a
machiocolation, and a moat for protection.

14. Castles in Spain

15. Castles in Spain

16. Castles
• Inside the walls was the keep.
• A keep is a large tower where the lord and his family
lived.
• The keep had floors for the kitchen, chapel,
bedrooms, and great hall.

17. Castles in Spain

18. Castles in Spain

19. Castles
• Life was not easy – even for the nobility!
• The rooms were uncomfortable, dark, and cold.
• There was hardly any furniture and not many
windows.

20. Castles in Spain

21. Castles in Spain

22. Castles – The Great Hall
• The great hall was the most important part of the
keep.
• It had a large chimney.
• It was decorated with tapestries and animal skins.
• The lord celebrated banquets in the great hall.
• The vassals came to pay their taxes in the great hall.
• The lord made legal decisions in the great hall.

23. Castles in Spain

24. Castles in Spain