What role would you have had in the Middle Ages?

Question

I am really fascinated with history and often times think about the Middle Ages. I imagine that most likely I would have been a serf. Hopefully, I would have been fortunate to work for the noble family rather than out on the farm. I picture myself in a fairly simple dress with my hair pulled back, probably with simple shoes or barefoot.

Where do you picture yourself? How do you think you would be dressed? What would your life be like?

Answer 1

I have had this discussion with my husband about the early 1900s and talked over the Middle Ages with my friends in the SCA. Looking at my family, we are very good at business and finance. If we kept with that theme, I would have probably been the daughter of a merchant. But I would have had few if any rights of my own as a female. I would have been used as a part of a bargain and married off to whomever could make my family the best deal.

What I cannot understand is how people could be so set in their ways. Today we have so many freedoms that we take for granted, yet back then, people would keep to their little niche in life and never question or act out, except once in a rare while. Why are the serfs and peasants always protrayed as stupid and worthless? Could there not have been smart peasants?

This was answered that yes, people could have been smart to begin with and had the make-up to be rebels. But years of malnutrition and drudgery would have diminished any sparks of intelligence and creativity.

So while I am very active in the modern age and love to learn and question everything and imagine, odds are back then, I would have been relegated to my lot in life and never question. It's a shame really.

Answer 2

Looking at my family history from Europe, I would most likely have been a serf, as would most people. However, I would like to think that I would have lived in one of the towns. Based on primogeniture, I would not likely have much of an inheritance. I am the 2nd son of a third son of a sixth son. Not exactly in line to inherit many possessions. My guess is that I would be an apprentice at this point. Hopefully I would be a cooper or a fletcher, since I like long forgotten occupations.

I would probably be poor. Angry and the guild for setting such low wages. I'd be devout and illiterate, and tipsy quite a bit, since some of my wages would be paid in the form of a daily ale ration. I'd be impatient for the day that I would become a guild master. I'd be worried about finding a wife (not much different than now). I would not be allowed out often, but I would look forward to feast days when my master would have to leave me free to wander about. Due to the lack of other entertainment, I'd probably enjoy betting on cock fights or various forms of animal baiting when I had the chance.

Answer 3

Wow! What a interesting question! I love stuff like this! If I would be living in the Middle Ages, or probably in ancient Greece (:D!) I would probably be an alchemist. Yes, an alchemist, those that try to change simple materials into gold. But yes, any person in the middle ages would have been LUCKY to be a relative of a noble. The unfair Feudal System developed by the Franks was just horrible (I must imagine) for the poor peasants. Ohhhh, and the Black Death! Oooh, I can just type on and on!
:D

Answer 4

I'd most probably be an "robin hood" type who steals from the rich,gives 1/2 to the poor & plays abit of poker with my 1/2.
I'd dress in brown suede,black knee high boots & carry a big stick.
My life would be pretty good as I'm very good at poker.
Maybe we could meet & do a bit of "serfing" ??

Answer 5

I'd probably end up getting myself burned as a witch or something. I'm not that much of a rebel in this day and age, but neither can I keep my mouth shut when I see something I don't like... in another day and age (or even today if I'd lived in some of the thirdworld countries) that could easily get me into serious trouble....

Answer 6

Just checked my families genealogy and my grandmothers maiden name is that of Royalty from the sixteen hundreds,in Scotland and Great Britain but in the modern day I seem to be much more the whipping boy, ah but who knows maybe the next one hundred years will be better.

Answer 7

The church was pretty much the ultimate matchmaker. Like a typical whore, it slept with everybody and because it didn't use protection it gave all the countries herpes. Because Man should never assume to understand the true Nature of God.

Answer 8

Definitely not in the Middle Ages. People keep complaining about this day and age, but I prefer not to have raw sewage in the streets, along with plague-infested rats.

Answer 9

maybe a rouge hunter for a king with my two knives and a pitch black bow hanging on my back dressed in a simple robin hood-y outfit that makes me agile in combat, maybe having a double life in which i be some sort of magical healer that puts his skills to good use...

Answer 10

Life would suck, regardless.

My ancestors were minor nobles, so I'd probably live in utter filth, but I'd be grudgingly respected for who my forefathers were and what they probably did a few hundred years before fighting brigands.