Being a medieval Craftsmen afforded you a certain standard of living in a Medieval society but it was difficult to attain a very high standard of living as a medieval Craftsmen. Craftsmen were classed above peasants and Serfs in the feudal system and they had a much better level of education than Peasants and Serfs who worked on the land and were very poor. Trades were often kept within families and skills passed down from father to son, Some Craftsmen would make things that were needed in battle such as a Bowyer who made Archers Bows and an Artillator who made arrows and other archery related items. Every medieval town had a blacksmith who made weaponry and a wide range of goods that were used in medieval towns and villages. A families surname would often tell people in medieval times the trade of that person, as names were often derived from the medieval persons trade, for example you can probably guess what kind of work a medieval Craftsmen with the name Miller, Hunter or Tanner did in medieval times.
Goldsmith Craftsmen were highly skilled. Medieval Goldsmiths added Gold leaf to covers and pages of illuminated manuscripts amongst other things
Read more about the Goldsmith >>
A Medieval Armourer made high quality armour for medieval knights, and other nobility and warriors in medieval times Read more about the Medieval Armourer >>
A medieval Blacksmith was a very important person in medieval times, Medieval Blacksmith's not only made armour and weaponry for example Read more about the Medieval Blacksmith >>
A medieval Bowyer as the name suggest made bows such as longbows and arrows as well as other products for people and the military. Medieval Bowyers usually worked in a shop in a medieval town or village. Read more about the Medieval Bowyer >>
Medieval Guilds were set up in medieval times to improve quality of workmanship and regulate medieval professions. Medieval Guilds also served to protect members and give them a voice in medieval society. Read more about the Medieval Guilds >>
A Medieval miller could be quite well off as he could make and sell bread to the people that lived in the medieval village. The miller however usually had to make some form of payment to the lord of the manor who usually owned the village mill. Read more about the Medieval Miller >>
A medieval moneyer was a skilled medieval craftsman, he made (minted) the coins that were needed. A medieval moneyer worked from his shop in medieval towns and villages where he kept all his tools. Read more about the Medieval Moneyer >>
Medieval Craftsmen started in a trade usually at an early age as an apprentice. Medieval apprentices in the trade usually did the same trade as their fathers and learn from them, in addition a medieval person wanting to be a Craftsmen would usually join a specific association or Guild as it was called in medieval times.
Basically as an apprentice you were expected to learn your medieval trade from a time served Craftsmen, the apprenticeship would be hands on as you worked along side the time served medieval Craftsmen. An apprenticeship could last up to seven years and during this time the apprentice worked very hard for no pay.
It wasn’t until the apprentice had finished his training that he could earn a decent daily wage and he was also expected to pay a considerable sum of money at the outset of his learning, eventually though he would become qualified in his chosen trade.
Finally after all the years of hard work and training an apprentice would become a journeyman and at this stage he would be paid a daily wage, the journeyman would eventually become a master provided that he continued to learn and paid more fee’s to his master.
There were a huge number of medieval craftsmen and a multitude of trades in medieval times people such as Weavers, Woodworkers, Fullers and Coopers were all popular trades. without Craftsmen and other trades medieval life would have been a struggle for many medieval people.
