# Medieval servants in king's castle



## WordTrance (Dec 6, 2013)

Hi,  
  So, I'm writing a medieval short story. It's set in a fictional world but modeled off of medieval England sometime around the years 1000-1100. I'm not trying to have the details of real life be perfectly exact in the story, but rather trying more to capture the feel of the time.

My main characters are twelve to fourteen year old children, a boy and girl. They are servants in the King's castle. Specifics I'm looking for are:

1. Who do they report to, receive their tasks from? A head servant? Is there a title for that person?
2. Is it plausible that they are both orphans who grew up in the castle? Who would have raised them? Or maybe their parents died and they remained in the castle as servants?
3. Where do they sleep? I say "servant's quarters" but that's kind of vague. Are there many people in one room? Male and females in same room? On floor?
4. Do they receive money or just living quarters and some personal effects from being a servant?
5. Would it be ridiculous if they were roaming the castle by themselves? Or would it be assumed they are on a task?

Again, I'm just looking for general accuracy. It doesn't have to abide to certain years. I just don't want the reader going, "that doesn't feel right" or "that's not plausible."

I appreciate any and all help. Really, really appreciate it. I'm kind of having trouble seeing the forest from the trees with all the medieval details and resources. So, thanks!


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## Tyler Danann (Dec 7, 2013)

This is going to be a tricky one to answer as the time period is almost 'dark-ages'.

In that period of England, prior to 1066 you had a very Saxon-orientated culture and the names would be very different to the Norman-influenced one of post 1066.  It didn't really become properly emeshed with native Anglo-Saxon / English culture until about the early to mid 1200s. 

Taking post 1066 and assuming a King as the head of the household:

1. Chamberlain would be my best guess. If the two servants were lucky they could be in training to be become members of the households inner-circle.  For the male this would be as a page (presuming royal bloodline) and the female in-training to be a lady-in-waiting etc.

2. Maybe if there parents had been killed which was quite common. Also if they were Anglo-Saxons they may well have parents killed by the Normans in the fighting.  The Normans were also known for taking in renegade Anglo-Saxons who were joining their (Norman) faction.

3. If a motte-and-bailey castle then they'd be sleeping inside the motte area. This is the outer defences that were ringed by a palisade wall. The inner-circle of the King would be in the raised 'bailey'. Wooden construction was widespread.
But for a king he'd be just moved into a stone tower keep which were just coming into fashion.  This would have a palisade defensive wall also, but would have multiple floors etc.  Servants would be on the lower floor typically.

4. A small allowance, depending on the kings policy and generosity, plus their own standing etc. Communal living quarters would be included for free typically etc.

5. Depends where they were roaming and the chamberlain's personality. He might be strict and controlling he might be not. I'd say wandering into the kings chambers would probably be skating on thin ice. 
The kitchens, main hall, lower floors no problem, as long as they weren't carrying out duties etc.


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## Morkonan (Dec 7, 2013)

WordTrance said:


> Hi,
> So, I'm writing a medieval short story. It's set in a fictional world but modeled off of medieval England sometime around the years 1000-1100. I'm not trying to have the details of real life be perfectly exact in the story, but rather trying more to capture the feel of the time.
> 
> My main characters are twelve to fourteen year old children, a boy and girl. They are servants in the King's castle. Specifics I'm looking for are:
> ...



The Chamberlain would be the best guess. But, they'd likely have someone more direct to report to. For instance, if they worked primarily as cleaners, they might report to a servant in general charge of the area they cleaned, the Chamberlain being far too busy to deal with children or the lowest grade of worker.



> 2. Is it plausible that they are both orphans who grew up in the castle? Who would have raised them? Or maybe their parents died and they remained in the castle as servants?



It's possible. You make the mistake of thinking that someone had to have "raised" them. They could have simply started working at the castle when they were five years old. It wouldn't have been uncommon for them to have been fostered, either. Your choice.



> 3. Where do they sleep? I say "servant's quarters" but that's kind of vague. Are there many people in one room? Male and females in same room? On floor?



In the kitchen wouldn't be uncommon, on cold days. There "might" be servant's quarters, but that's unlikely unless it's a sumptuous castle. There's also the common room or somewhere else near a heat source, but away from where the master and his most important servants would sleep.



> 4. Do they receive money or just living quarters and some personal effects from being a servant?



The would, of course, be entitled to room and board. But, the Chamberlain/Steward might pay certain skilled servants. Unskilled laborers would not likely receive any monetary compensation, aside from some pittance in terms of clothing and such. There might be money distributed during Christmas and certain feast days. (This was common.)



> 5. Would it be ridiculous if they were roaming the castle by themselves? Or would it be assumed they are on a task?



It wouldn't be rediculous, provided they weren't jumping into the Queen's closets or hanging out in the armory or King's wardroom.



> Again, I'm just looking for general accuracy. It doesn't have to abide to certain years. I just don't want the reader going, "that doesn't feel right" or "that's not plausible."
> 
> I appreciate any and all help. Really, really appreciate it. I'm kind of having trouble seeing the forest from the trees with all the medieval details and resources. So, thanks!



Read "Life in a Medieval Castle" and "Life in a Medieval Village", both by Joseph and Frances Guiess. <sp>


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## WordTrance (Dec 7, 2013)

Thank you both very much for your in-depth responses. I really appreciate your help a lot. It was very nice of you to respond with such thoroughness.


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