In the medieval feudal system, the nobility were generally those who held a fief, often land or office under vassalage in exchange for military allegiance to their sovereign. Living alongside serfs, it was their duty to ensure that the peasants, craftsmen and clergymen were defended so that they could live in peace and act as judges to handle disputes.
To explore the often ostentatious and gluttonous lifestyles of the nobility, Eleanor Janega visits Hedingham Castle, perhaps the best preserved Norman keep in Essex, England.
Up Next in Season 1
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Becoming Elizabeth: Not Just the Tudo...
How do you tell the story of one of the most interesting and tumultuous times in history - when Henry VIII died, leaving three children from three different mothers?
A fantastic panel of historians and writers gathers to discuss the Starz TV series “Becoming Elizabeth”, and explore the real ev...
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Going Medieval: Those Who Pray
One of the most unifying elements of the Medieval Period was the Roman Catholic Church. All classes and ranks of people, whether that be nobles, peasants or tradesmen, were profoundly affected by the rulings of the church. A hierachy existed within the clergy. Following the pope, in order of rank...
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Going Medieval: Those Who Work
In the Medieval period, peasants made up roughly 80% of the European population (70% were serfs). In the first episode of Going Medieval, Dr Eleanor Janega visits Denny Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery in Cambridge to explore the lives of those who devoted their lives to working the land.
