Medieval Employment | The Best & Worst Jobs at the Tower in the 1200s

The Tower of London underwent significant change during the 1200s under the medieval kings, Henry III and Edward I. But the Tower wasn’t just home to knights and royals. Life in the medieval palace was only possible because of hundreds of servants who lived with king and queen, and followed the court wherever it went. But what was life like inside the medieval palace? Today we take a closer look inside the palace and objects from its past, to tell us what life could have been like working within the palace itself. Visit the medieval palace at the Tower of London: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/the-medieval-palace/ Object credits: Bone tableman and ivory dice on loan from the London Museum. Crystal chess piece on loan from the Victoria & Albert Museum. Seal Matrix, c.1200s and silver groat, penny and farthing, c.1272-1307 on loan with thanks to The Trustees of the British Museum Image credits: Edward I, c.1280-1300, Courtesy British Library. Cotton MS Vitellius A XIII, fol. 6v. Henry III being crowned, from Effigies ad Regem Angliae, c. 1280–1300, Cotton MS Vitellius A. XIII, folio 6r, London. British Library Dining, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.208. British Library Lord & Lady feasting, France, 1290 - 1300. Add. 28162, f.10v British Library A feast, Netherlands, 1520-1530. Add. 24098, f.19v British Library A spit-roast, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.206v British Library A banquet, France, c.1416. Ms.65, f.1v, Condé Museum Falconry, Zurich, c.1300-1340. Heidelberg University Library Games, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.76v British Library Woman with hurdy gurdy, c.1325-1335. Add MS 42130, folio 81v . British Library Woman with tamborine, c.1325-1335. Harley MS 6563 Book of Hours. British Library Chess players, Zurich, c.1300-1340. Heidelberg University Library Chess players, Naples, 1340-1350. Bibliothèque Nationale de France Golbeater, Bologna, ca. 1394–95. The Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.1056, fol. 1v detail Scribe, France, late 13th century. Sloane 2435, f.1. British Library Travelling, England, c.1325-1335. Harley 4372 f.79v, British Library Travelling, France, c.1460-1487. British Library Ceasar travelling, 1473-1476. British Library Coachman, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg A lady's maid, England, c.1325-1335. British Library Lying-in, England, 1434-1444. Harley 2278, f.13v British Library Doctor, England, c.1325-1335. British Library Ear treatment, France, late 13th century. Sloane 2435, f.35v. British Library Blood letting, France, late 13th century. Sloane 2435, f.11v . British Library Laundry, Germany, 1582. Harley 3469, f.32v British Library Laundress, 1401-1500, France. Bibliothèque nationale de France Matthew Paris illustration of an elephant from his Chronica Maiora or Greater History. © Parker Library Corpus Christi Cambridge Coachman, England, c.1325-1335. Add. 42130, f.173v British Library Fisher, Nuremberg, 1426. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg Fisher, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg Preparing food, England, c.1325-1335. British Library Cooking, England, c.1325-1335. British Library Coachman, England, c.1325-1335. British Library Cooks, England, c.1338–1410. Bodleian Library Clothier, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg Armour polisher, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg - Hausbuch der Mendelschen Zwölfbrüderstiftung, Band 1. Nürnberg 1426–1549. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg, Amb. 317.2°, via http://www.nuernberger-hausbuecher.de/ (and below) Groom, Nuremberg, 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg Saucerer, Nuremberg, 1475. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg Cook, Nuremberg, 1527. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg Cook, Nuremberg, 1527. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg The expulsion of Jews following the Edict by Edward I, 1290. Marginal Illustration from the Rochester Chronicle (British Library, Cotton Nero D. II.), folio 183v. British Library Horse, 1201–1225. MS. Ashmole 1511 Bodleian Library