Where did the Nobles come from?
The medieval social structure is commonly represented as having been composed of two groups: the nobles and the non-nobles. But what made a noble and where did they come from?
Much of this text is adapted from my dissertation entitled: CITADEL Computational Investigation of the Topographical and Architectural Designs in an Evolving Landscape, which can be found here.
Let us define terms
The term noble is derived from the Latin nōbilis (plural: nōbiles), meaning high-born, distinct, and celebrated. In turn, nōbilis is derived from another Latin word, nōscō (or nōscere), referring to a person who possesses knowledge. Those possessing such knowledge had an upper hand within a society in which the distribution of knowledge was limited, but by no means completely restricted. In German, the word for noble is Adel, likely derived from the word edel, meaning pure. We also find a linguistic relative in the language of the Anglo-Saxons, whose rulers often had names beginning with Æthel—similar to the German word edel—including such names as Æthelwulf, Æthelstane, Æthelred, and so on. Interestingly, the etymological development of the term Adel has yet to reach a clear consensus among scholars, considering that other old-high German words like adal, meaning origin or lineage, along with odal, meaning homeland or ownership, are closely related to the word Adel and mean something entirely different than edel.
According to the German scholar, Werner Hechberger, the association of the nobles with the concept of purity solidified their precedence over non-nobles as they were seen to inherit positive traits, leading to specific behaviors, through which a specific lifestyle was demonstrated. Their ancestry served as a legitimization of their status, secured continuity within society, justified a certain consciousness of tradition, and had ramifications upon marital behaviors. Some families even claimed the status of Uradel, meaning a nobleman of ancient origin, usually referring to those claiming an ancestry stretching back to the period of the Carolingians or beyond. However, it is extremely difficult to find written documentation connecting the medieval Uradel of the 10th century to the late Roman and early Merovingian periods of the 5th and 6th centuries, although many families made that claim. Thus, Hechberger established a general definition for the nobles taking into account the linguistic as well as historical implications:
A medieval noble was one who could trace their ancestry and confirm ownership of an estate.
Who became a noble?
Contrary to common presumptions of the Middle Ages, the dominant status of the nobles was never a closed society. It was regularly renewed according to both political, cultural, and economic factors. The rise of the nobles during the formative years of the Early Middle Ages must be analyzed with respect to the surviving documentation and the archaeological evidence of the various realms and regimes who inherited the former provinces of the Western Roman Empire. What is clear is that some of the Germanic tribes had conventions discerning kings of varying status by the late 4th century prior to the collapse of the West, particularly within the Alamannic and Frankish confederations, as has been described in a previous article. Additionally, the new realms and kingdoms propagated the tradition of Hero-myths giving rise to the Tugendadel, or virtuous noble, who gained nobility through his actions rather than his ancestry. These heroes and military leaders effectively tread in the footsteps of the Germanic duces—warriors raised to the status of a war leaders for acts of valor and courage.
According to Alexander Bergengruen in 1958, the German nobles found their origin in the royal retinues of the Merovingian kings of the mid-6th century. At the time, his idea found few followers, though it led to other productive discussions of the transitionary process between the Roman rulers and the Merovingian Franks, and has more recently been accepted as an essential variable. After all, the Roman patricians in the kingdoms of the Franks brought knowledge of laws and order into the courts, paired with the martial knowledge of the Germanic dukes. The unions of these two groups produced illustrious families, such as the Pippinids—the ancestors of Charlemagne, who is regarded as the scion of many noble families of the Middle Ages.
Historian Dietrich Claude proposed that the connection between the Romans and the Frankish kingdoms were the administrator positions necessary for the management and organization of the cities and realms—as seen with the relationship between the Roman comes and Frankish grafio in Merovingian cities of the 6th and 7th centuries as was discussed in this article. Although many medieval scholars did not agree fully with one another, the idea of administrator positions as the main tether between the Romans and what would become the Frankish, and later German nobility has found much support. Still others considered one’s proximity to the king and not necessarily the administrator positions themselves as the main determination in what established a person as a noble. Thus, it was sometimes the favor of the king shown to an individual with an administrator position that endowed him and his family with nobility, and not the position in of itself.
More recently, the archaeological record (also called material record) has come to play a significant role in determination of an individual’s membership to the elite status of the nobility. Archaeology is widely considered to be more objective than written documents, as burials and grave goods can be empirically determined. However, it is important to bear in mind, as Heiko Steuer pointed out, that archaeological findings do not necessarily translate to a specific social status at the time of the burial. An elite burial does not necessarily mean that the person was from an elite family, though it certainly indicates a perception of the elite at the time of death. With this is mind, it is clear that the nobility was far more nebulous during the Middle Ages than in later periods, as military heroes, famous imperial administrators, and wealthy magnates were all associated with the status of the nobility.
Responsibilities of the Nobles
Although the nobles enjoyed a more privileged status, they held many responsibilities that put their lives in both political and mortal danger. Medieval courts, just like modern congresses or administrations, were often infiltrated by those seeking personal gain over the well-being of the realm. Such actions threatened the ability of the courts to effectively rule a territory—as we saw with the Merovingian Franks—requiring a re-alignment by factions willing to either fend off those threats or usurp a thoroughly corrupted monarch. King Théoden’s court from The Two Towers of the Lord of the Rings book series is a perfect example of the effect that malicious advisors (Wormtongue) could have over monarchs, deceiving them and poisoning their minds against those most loyal to them. Yet beyond the trials and threats of the courts, nobles were also responsible for waging war in a period in which conscription of commoners was extremely rare. In fact, men of the nobility were trained in the martial arts usually around the age of eight, until the age of 20. These 12 years constituted intense training in etiquette, horse-riding, weapon’s training and other endeavors depending upon the family.
Minstrel Knights
Those closest to the reigning dynasties, or the monarchs themselves, were also well-versed in the arts and literature, particularly around the year 1200 AD when the Minnesänger captured the court culture by storm. These knightly minstrels, following in the footsteps of the French Troubadours, represented the embodiment of noble action and character, writing novels, epics, poems, and composing songs that continue to fascinate audiences to this day. Their themes typically included the crusades, heroes, tragedies, and chaste courtly love as found in the poem entitled Frauendienst (Service of the Lady) by Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein. Not only was he a poet, but also a steward, marshal, and judge of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). Born as the son of a ministerialis (an administrator of the HRE), he quickly rose through society to become one of the leading figures of the Styrian nobility. Thus, Ulrich was the case in point of the virtuous noble, meriting an elite status based upon his actions, proximity to the king, and service as an administrator.
The growth of medieval kings and nobles from the Germanic warrior leaders in late Rome seems similar to the partition of Alexander the Great's territory into separate kingdoms following his death, such as the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.