Noble Mediaeval Women VS Peasant Mediaeval Women 

Numa.Chowdhury |Medieval ages | 13 / 9/ 2022

Essay- Noble Mediaeval Women VS Peasant Mediaeval Women 
Noble women and peasant women lived a very different life and had many different ways of going
about their life. From their clothing, education, diet, childhood, down to their mindset all
completely contrasted each other. Firstly, they did have some similarities: they both lived under
men's domination and were limited to participating in certain activities such as contributing to war.
Mediaeval women also have to follow the same rules under the king such as No nagging, nor
signing contracts, borrowing money, owning land etc. Women were no matter what inferior to
men although noble women were more respected than peasant women due to their lineage. 

Education and Upbringing 

Noble women had access to books and teachers through their wealth and connections. Although
some went on to become nuns for a life  of more advanced education and religious solitude. They
learnt to be literate and read and write stories, enjoy romances/tales, and understand poetry.
Noble women having more access to education were more likely to be able to become artists,
musicians and writers. Noble women likewise peasant women used to be taught domestic skills
such as sewing and cooking. As young noble women grew into adulthood, they would generally
spend their days being in charge of the castle kitchens which is where their cooking skills came
into use they would also be taught courtesy, table manners, elegance, chastity, and beauty .
Although Noble women usually could receive education, it was normally by a private tutor rather
than a school, the only schooling system was a school run by the church which would then still be
vastly boys. Private tutors again could only be afforded by the noble class citizens which is why
noble women were more educated than peasant women. 

Peasant women grew up mostly on the lands of the nobles working on castle grounds. Peasant
women were taught agricultural skills, (farming),tending livestock, domestic skills, and grew up to
work alongside men. Peasant women mostly did not attend school, nor did they have a tutor but
in some cases if a peasant woman lived near a school in their town they would receive education
that stopped at the alphabet and religious regulations. Peasants had access to some access
forms of grammar and learning but mostly in limited amounts and their main focus would be to
learn the art of agriculture and livestock. They would learn to please their masters in return for
protection and to never go against the church or state. In some areas the lords would not allow
seeds (peasants) to get education. 

Marriage and Divorce 

In the Middle Ages if a woman regardless of their class or age where to get married to man they
would have to be able to support the woman financially and if a woman was unable to give birth
or if they wished not to get married, they would normally take to a life of nunnery. Noble women’s
marriages usually took place in a cathedral with a priest and many other nobles attending.
Marriages for noble women need to be ceremonial and traditional, unlike peasant women who
could simply say “I do” at any place any time including the woods, the farm and even the bed.
Noble women's families had to give a dowry to the groom before marriage as a gift. The dowry
consists of cash, livestock, and goods in general. After marriage a woman was told to obey all her
in-laws wishes and her husband. She would need to give birth to children and look after them
completely. She was forbidden from nagging and throughout her marriage she would need to
tend to her husband's needs fully. In the Middle Ages divorce was not existent and not in the way
we understand it. At most it could be referred as an ‘invalid marriage’ if the church decided based
on a case-by-case situation that the marriage was impotence they would allow the couple to
separate, and the church would declare an annulment. However, it was very unlikely and rare for
a divorce to occur in the Middle Ages of any class.

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Peasant women marriages were in comparison not entirely different from noble women marriages
in fact the same principals were usually in place for both of them. For example, fully looking after
their children and tending to their husbands needs and preventing disagreements (in most cases
ending in obedience to husband). However, peasant women did not have extravagant
weddings/ceremonies, nor did they have any use of exchanging land as it was uncommon in the
peasant class to have full ownership of any property. Similarly, they did not have any dowries to
the groom rather it was just a small gathering of declaration to marriage. Peasant marriages also
concerned the lord most of the time as the lord needed to approve of the marriage. Peasant
women got married likely much younger than noble women as they had need for support
financially and physically. Only one-third of peasant women were allowed to marry by their own
choice to whom they will, most marriages were arranged similar to noble women. Divorce was
also unlikely in peasant women as they did not have much choice. Their lifestyles would not
change drastically as they did not commonly marry outside their class. If divorce was to happen, it
would be informal and usually consist of the husband moving away from the wife and children. 

Clothing and fashion 

According to the wealth, status and availability of clothing in the Middle Ages for different classes
of people Noble women had much more extravagant clothing than peasant women. Their day-to-
day Clothing would consist of many parts and layers which today would be considered extremely
uncomfortable. Their clothing would be made from wool ,linen. velvet and even silk. Their clothing
would also have many servants to dress theme in these multiple layers every morning. They
would start by securing the hair of the noble women into a white hood, the noble women would
wear_
1. A linen smock undergarment 
2. Cone shaped petticoat (that would be fastening with ribbons)
3. Curtail (sleeveless under gown)
4.  Canvas stiffened with glue and bents 
5. Ribbon fastens the bodice 
6. The Curtail has many jewels and decorations embroidered 
7. Shoes were flat and made of leather and decorated with slashes 
8. False petticoat decorated in a more vibrant gold or silver that previous petticoat made of
crimson gold 
9. Gown, A large over gown that would be made of velvet in a vibrant colour such as red or
blue and the sleeves would be made of fur on the inside. The font of the gown is laced up
with ribbon.
10. Placket is placed onto the chest of the gown covering the lacing 
11. Four sleeves are slipped unto the wrists, that have ruffled sleeves 
12. Jewels of all kinds were placed all over, e.g., neckline, waist, hair, hands 

Peasant women’s clothing was much less lavish but similarly they wear a linen smock
undergarment and a Curtail, although peasant women dress themselves and often sometimes
wear more than one curtails for warmth. Peasant women wore belts to fit the curtail more tightly,
this belt could also be used to carry equipment the peasant women needed such as purses and
distaffs. They would then wear an overtunic that is side less and open so they could access the
tools attached to the belt. An apron might be worn to avoid spoiling the other garments. Wool
stockings would be held in place with a fabric strip which the noble women would also wear but
made of ribbon with gold and silver stitching. Leather shoes with laces would also be worn and
the hair would be braided with a fabric and then coiled. They are secured with a fillet of linen and
a cloth would be placed onto that. Peasant women did not own a lot of clothing and with what
money they have it goes towards food and home expenses. 

Peasant women and Noblewomen in terms of education, clothing, marriage, lifestyle, demeanour
etc really do differentiate each other greatly but they also share the high expectations of the
church’s regulations, and they also have much more in common than you would expect. For

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example, the garments they start wearing are much similar in fabric and size. The marriage
expectation of chastity and acceptance, and even the sole factor that they grow up learning skills
and rules in generally, maybe not the same rules or skills but still ways of living and acting. So, in
conclusion Peasant women and Noblewomen lead very different lives but they still have bits and
pieces of similarity throughout their life.

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