What would be a princesses duties in the medieval time period?

Question

What would be a princesses duties in the medieval time period?

Answer 1

Prince

Answer 2

To some extent it would depend on the exact period. Most princesses received a pretty good education, either through tutors at the court or by living in a nunnery temporarily. They also would be expected to practice a certain amount of piety -- daily prayers, at least morning and evening, in a chapel (with the nuns, of course, if she's getting her education in a convent). Some certainly wrote -- the Byzantine princess Anna Comnena, for instance, wrote an entire history of her father's reign. Carolingian princesses may be behind some of the anonymous chronicles of the early Middle Ages.



The chief women's work at all levels of society, even queens and princesses, was textile work -- spinning thread from wool or flax, weaving cloth, sewing clothing and embroidery. In the upper classes the emphasis was more toward the decorative, embroidery end of the process. This is probably what your character would spend the most hours of the day on. Textile items -- clothing, banners, draperies, altar cloths, etc -- made or embroidered by the princess were not only of practical use but also proved that she was virtuous, not idle, and therefore that her father had a well-ordered family and palace.



Princesses also played a ceremonial role at major court functions, such as coronations, investiture of major nobles or churchmen with their lands and titles, traditions have to do with her brothers' coming of age, or the reception of ambassadors to court. They didn't necessarily do much at these, but their presence and appearance was extremely important. The beauty and ornamentation of women of the court reflected on the honor and wealth of the king (this is a general medieval pattern -- men display their wealth by hanging it on their women). Also, at the high feasts which would be associated with such events, the royal women might be expected to serve -- not constantly through the meal like a serving girl, but presenting the men of the high table with the first cup of beer, mead, or wine (depending on when and where you are). Who serves who and in what order was extremely important to establishing the rank and prestige of the guests.



And of course, as I'm sure you're aware, the princess' chief value was on the marriage market. This may not have affected what she did all day (other than that she would have had people watching her to guarantee her eligibility, which is to say protecting her virtue), but it was the chief overriding priority in others' dealings with her. She would not necessarily get the chance to even meet her groom before the wedding and usually could not realistically refuse the marriage destined for her by politics. Princesses were valuable commodities and tended to be married, if anything, younger than the average woman in their culture, simply because it was hard for the family to resist the possibility of getting an alliance cemented as soon as possible.

Answer 3

I believe they slept a lot.

I know a contact of mine who will testify to that.

Wasn't there a severe shortage of handsome Princes to arouse them from their slumber in those days?

If your novel is at some point starts drifting towards the saucy you could intertwine some good old fashioned romance based on that theme.



Depends on your target audience for the novel also.

Careful what you write!

Answer 4

Well, mainly look the part, stay quiet, and wait until a 'suitable' marriage was arranged for her, usually to consolidate some political thing. Henry V didn't marry his wife, the French King's daughter, after defeating the French because he loved her. It was to consolidate his gains and ensure that the French would not attack England in return, since it was all in the family.



A princess had to look good, look the part, and learn how to produce an heir.



So - in order to be anything interesting, your princess will need to be something special and have some hidden powers or be rebellious, or do a Queen Liz and be the only viable contender for the throne. It's a bit tricky - all of those have been done.



In Tales of the Otori, Lian Hearn succeeded in having a tough, fighting ruling class lady who could kill and swing a sword with the best of them, but who was also feminine and loyal to her husband. Might be worth a quick read if you have time, but it's three books.



It's a neat trick to produce a strong woman character without lapsing into maudlin madcap feminism and stuff, especially in medieval times.

Answer 5

A princess would be raised to marry a prince or king,a nd as such she would have many responsibilities. She would be expected to be pious, and to go to Mass often and pray frequently. she would be given a good education (princesses and queens were expected to be cultured and take an interest in books and writers). She would be expected to interest herself in charities. When she married and had children she would be responsible for overseeing their upbringing and education. She migth have to act as regent while her husband was away, and therefore would be expected to take an intelligent interest in government.



In 'Treasure of the City of Ladies' a book of advice for women of all classes (but especially royal and noble women, who would be the ones most likely to purchase her book) Christine de Pisan suggested what a day in the life of the ideal princess would be like:



"She will rise early every day, and address her first words to God. When the lady is ready she will go to hear her Masses, as many as time and leisure will permit her....This lady will have such a good, orderly, system that when she leaves her chapel there will be some poor people at the door to whom she herself will give alms from her own hand, and if any deserving petitions are made to her, she will hear them kindly and give a gracious reply. She will not detain those that she can deal with quickly, and she will therefore increase her alms and also her great renown...



When she has done these things, if she has responsibility in government, she will go to the council chamber on days when it is held. There she will have such a bearing, such a manner and such an expression when she is seated in her high seat that she will indeed seem to be the lady and mistress over all, and everyone will hold her in great reverence as their wise mistress with great authority. She will conscientiously hear the proposals that are put forward and listen to everyone's opinion. she will be so attentive that she will grasp the principle points and conclusions of matters and will note carefully which of her counsellors speaks better and with the best deliberaton and advice, and which seem to her th e most prudent and intelligent...



After the morning council she will have her midday meal, which ordinarily and especially on solemn days and on feast days will be in the hall, where the ladies and maidens are seated, and other suitable persons ranked according to their position at court. ..After the tables have been taken up and grace has been said, if there are any princes or lord present, if there are any ladies or damsels or other visitors around her, then she will receive each of them in such honour as is fitting so that everyone will feel contented. She will speak to them ina thoughtful manner, with a pleasant expression, to the elderly people in a more serious manner, to the young people in a different and merrier one. and if one happens to say or hear any amusing thing or any merriment she will know how to contain it with such a pleasant manner that everyone will say she is a gracious lady and one who well knows her manners in all places.



After the spices have been taken up and it is time to retire, the lady will go to her chamber, where she will rest for a short while if she feels a need to. Then afterwards, if it is a weekday and she has no more importnat occupation with which to avoid idleness, she will take up some work, and she will have th ewomen and girlss around her work similarly. In the privacy of her chamber she will wish each of them to choose freely whatever she likes from all respectable kinds of merriment, and she herself will laugh with them and divert herself in private gatherings so unrestrainedly that they will all praise her great liberty and indulgence and they will love her with all their hearts. She will be occupied like this until the hour of vespers, when she will go to hear them in her chapel if it is a feast day and if no weighty business prevents her, otherwise she will say them without fail with her lady chaplain. After doing this, if it is summer she will go off to amuse herself in a garden until supper-time, walking up and down for her health. She will wish that if any persons need to see her for any reason they be allowed to enter and she will hear them. At bedtime she will pray to God. And that concludes the schedule of the ordinary day of the prudent princess living in good and holy occupation.



As for other amusements in which ladies are accusotmed to take their pleassure (like going hunting sometimes hunting with a falcon by the river for aquatic game and other pastimes), we do not add these things to the order of our discipline and teaching, for we leave them to the preference and desire of their husbands and themselves."