Citizendia

For other uses, see Yeoman (disambiguation).

Yeoman is a term used to indicate a variety of positions or social classes. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. In the 15th century, a yeoman was also a farmer of middling social status who owned his own land and often farmed it himself; an equivalent in Germany is Freibauer ("freehold farmer"). A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. In this context the term is similar to the Russian kulak. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Kulaks ( Russian: кула́к kulak " Fist ", by extension "tight-fisted" were a category of rich Peasants in later

In the Middle Ages, a yeoman was identified as a rank or position in a noble or royal household, with titles such as Yeoman of the Chamber, Yeoman of the Crown, Yeoman Usher, King's Yeoman, and various others. The royal household in all the early medieval monarchies of Western Europe formed the basis for the general government of the country Most duties were connected with protecting the sovereign and dignitaries as a bodyguard, such as the Yeomen of the Guard, attending the sovereign with various tasks as needed, or duties assigned to his office. A Gold Sovereign is a Gold coin first issued in 1489 for Henry VII of England and still in production as of 2008 A bodyguard (or "close protection officer" is a type of Security guard or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous wealthy or politically For the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta see The Yeomen of the Guard The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard

As such, yeoman may refer to several general meanings:

"Yeoman" may also refer specifically to:

Contents

Origins of the term

The origins of the term yeoman are still debated among linguists. The word possibly derives from the Proto-Germanic term Gauja or Gauia, an ancient word meaning "district" or "country," hence the term "countryman" or "man-of-the-district. Proto-Germanic, or Common Germanic, is the hypothetical common ancestor ( Proto-language) of all the Germanic languages such as modern English Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity Countryman is an album by Willie Nelson. Ten years in the making Nelson's first ever Reggae album merges the Gospel and spirit found in both " The suffix '-ge' exists in Anglo-Saxon (Old English) in ancient place names such as Suthrige, modern-day Surrey. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The Anglo-Saxon suffix or prefix ge- is cognate with the Old Germanic suffix or prefix gau-' In many parts of modern Germany and Switzerland there are regional names which contain the suffix -gau. Cognates in Linguistics are words that have a common origin They may occur within a language such as shirt and skirt as two English words descended from Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Place names with gau attached as a suffix are primarily located or situated along the ancient river borderlands. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there

The expanded form of yeoman, such as yongeman or yongerman, is possibly of Anglo-Saxon or northwestern Germanic origin and eventually became yeman or yoman in the Middle Ages (with variations such as yoeman, etc. ). In the early 14th century, the word emerged into the more recognizable modern spelling of yeoman. By 1363, the vernacular form of the English language was officially recognized as the national language of the Kingdom of England, and the French term valet (used as the formal language), and the Latin term valectus (used in the courts) was replaced by the term yeoman. Vernacular refers to the Native language of a country or a locality English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Valet and Varlet are terms for Male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A court is a forum used by a power base to adjudicate disputes and dispense civil, labour administrative and criminal Justice under its The term yeoman, primarily identified as "servant" is noted throughout the Calendar Patent Rolls in the early 1300s. A domestic worker, domestic, servingman, servingwoman, or servant is one who works and often also lives within the employer's household The Patent Rolls ( Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium, Rotuli litterarum patentium) are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England

Middle Ages

Throughout the medieval period the term yeoman was used within the royal and noble households to indicate a servant's rank, degree, position or status. A yeoman during the Middle Ages was commonly used in feudal or private warfare. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Yeoman is also believed to come from the word yonge man or iunge man ("young man"), possibly as a freeborn servant (serviens or sergeant) ranking between the esquire (shield escort, from scutum) and page (pagus, meaning "rustic" and later "young errand boy"). Esquire (abbreviated Esq) is a term of British origin originally used to denote social status Scutum ('skjuːtəm in English pl scuta) is the Latin word for " Shield " although it has in modern times come to be specifically

Long before the concept of chivalry and the Crusades were born from the ideas of Christianity, the term "knight" (from cniht) originally meant "boy. Chivalric order Chivalry is a term related to the Medieval institution of Knighthood. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. " Terms such as radman, radcniht, or radknight ("riding man," "road man," "riding boy," "road boy/page" were used). The difference of terms helped to distinguish the young riding men (yeomen) from the riding boys (pages) who provided a riding or road service. It also indicates a path of career progression within a noble or royal household.

All the fighting classes of men in the Middle Ages from the knigh]s (in particular knight's bachelors), squires, yeomen, to pages were usually young servants; the degree of importance or status of each changed over time. In Feudal or Medieval times a squire was a Man-at-arms in the service of a Knight, often as his Apprentice. Many serving men (serviens or sergeants) would usually be promoted to various positions of importance within the king's or lord's household.

The term yongermen is found in text as early as the 12th century, and the term geongramanna is found in Beowulf in a much earlier period (700-800). Beowulf is an Old English Heroic epic poem of anonymous authorship dating as recorded in the Nowell Codex manuscript from between Serving men of districts, since the days of the Gau polities in Germania, and the stretches of the Germanic peoples throughout Western Europe immediately after the collapse of the Roman Empire would most likely be young men, or young men of the district. Polity ( Greek: Πολιτεία or Πολίτευμα transliterated as Politeía or Políteuma) was originally a term used in Ancient Greece Germania was the Latin Exonym for The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Yeoman or gauman within the definition of both land and/or service of a young man appeared mostly settled around the border regions or remote country sides of their districts, or kingdoms (both modern and ancient); thus a connection or association with pagus (pages), or rustics to the term yeoman.

The Dark Ages

In Tacitus' Germania, he writes of young men chosen from every district (pagus), who are swift on foot, and with this swiftness they support the cavalry, fixed in number (100) and from this they take their "name of honor". Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (ca 56 &ndash ca 117 was a senator and a Historian of the Roman Empire. The Germania ( Latin title De Origine et situ Germanorum, English for the Origin and Situation of the Germans) written by Gaius It is not clear what Tacitus means by "name of honor" as he does not state it (some sources posit the term "hundred-men", but these have not been validated). Their most likely equivalent is that of ancient Roman centurions, in itself an ancient idea that is most likely associated with the concept of using young men of status within their districts for the wars, e. The Centurions is a syndicated 30 minute American Science fiction Animated television series produced by Ruby-Spears and animated g. , in later times known as 'yeomen', 'pages', 'squires', and 'knights'. In Feudal or Medieval times a squire was a Man-at-arms in the service of a Knight, often as his Apprentice. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages.

The Yeomen of the Guard is an example of the use of the number 100 of special military corps/royal bodyguard as told in the tales of Robin Hood. Robin Hood is an archetypal figure in English folklore, whose story originates from medieval times but who remains significant in popular culture where The number 100 is also a number that is commonly used in the formation of the lesser fyrd created in during the reign of King Alfred the Great for protecting the districts (homeland defense); while the general fyrd also created by King Alfred the Great was primarily an expeditionary force. The institution known as leiðangr ( Old Norse) leidang ( Norwegian) leding, ( Danish) ledung Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c

In many ways the ancient 'yeoman' is very similar to the modern concept of the 'yeomanry' today who are volunteers of the Territorial Army protecting the United Kingdom, ‘yeomanry’ ancestry comes from the volunteer cavalry in the mid 1700s, and later to become known as the Yeomanry Cavalry in the 1790s. The Territorial Army ( TA) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces branch of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on Events and trends French Revolution ( 1789 - 1799) It is considered to have effectively ended on November 9, 1799 when

The term 'yeoman' is also used to define a man who follows a chief, or a lord; in ancient times known as 'gau judices' (district chiefs). The term is similar in concept to 'geneatas' meaning companion (with geneatas being classed as peasants). In the Brythonic language the term 'gweis' is similarly used in the same context as a young freeborn servant. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being The ancient Brittonic word 'gweis' is very similar to 'gewi-' or 'gawi-' prefixes in Gothic. Both languages are now extinct, though ancient Brittonic language has evolved into modern Welsh and Cornish, while Cumbrian (Northern Welsh) and many other Britonnic dialects are now extinct. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic For the Cornish-English dialect see West Country dialects and List of Cornish dialect words. Cumbric was the Brythonic Celtic language, often considered to be a Dialect of Welsh, spoken in Northern England and southern

Ancient to modern usage

If the term 'yeoman' is associated with land, or degree of land ownership, then it may have its ancient roots in the early Anglo-Saxon rule of England or earlier (thus coming full circle to its most likely etymological roots). England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In ancient times the land was a strong indicator of social status, and wealth, since the period known as the Dark Ages, and in terms like 'yeoman farmer' used in the 16th century to denote prosperous small farmers; whether land was copyhold, freehold, or a mixture of both. This article is about the phrase "Dark Age(s" as a characterization of the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe At its origin in Medieval England, copyhold tenure was tenure of land according to the custom of the manor the "title deeds" being

As land indicated social status, just as the term yeoman farmer in the 1600s as an identifier of social status for small freeholders or copyholders of land with and an indicated amount of wealth that is a determining factor of his social standing. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Not all yeomen owned land as many were indentured or feudal servants in a castle. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. In earlier Anglo Saxon rule, the class of 'geneatas' would most likely be the classification a 'yeoman' in this period as an aristocratic peasantry. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations A peasant is an agricultural worker who subsists by working a small plot of ground

The 'yeoman' would be the connection between royalty and nobility to the peasantry, thus a middling class of sorts in feudal or manorial service to either the king, or a lord. Also possibly identified within a class of libri homini (freemen) within Domesday, the 'yeoman' in service to a king or lord would be known as serviens/sergeants, or valet/valectus during the Norman period. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey There also men known as 'socmen' or 'sokemen', usually derived from Anglian or Danish sources, equivalent in status as 'radman', thus combining land status and servile status as equals. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe

Term used as a compliment or praise

This is most likely based upon the historical achievements of winning numerous battles during the Hundred Years' War when the odds and numbers were stacked against the yeoman archers in these conflicts. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior It also may have been used to denote the excellent or superior service given by a king’s servant performing heroic duties such as preventing an assassination attempt on his life, or protecting his castle or palace (such as we see in the modern day Yeomen of the Guard and the Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London). For the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta see The Yeomen of the Guard The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower) is a historic monument in central London

The term used in context such as the forester provided ‘yeoman service’ in finding the lost children in the woods, or the Hubble Telescope has done ‘yeoman service’ or ‘yeoman’s duty’ since it was launched in 1990. The Hubble Space Telescope ( HST; also known colloquially as "the Hubble" or just "Hubble" is a space telescope that was carried into He made a ‘yeoman’s effort’ to clean the garage. The security guard did ‘yeoman’s work’ last night by staying alert and preventing a break-in entry after working very long hours in austere conditions.

Yeoman farmers

Yeoman farmers were originally a class of British or English landholding (freehold and copyhold) farmers in the late 14th century to the 18th century. A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The amount of land owned and the wealth of the English yeoman farmer varied from place to place. Many yeoman farmers were prosperous, mixed with the minor county or regional gentry and some even rented land to gentleman landowners. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. Gentry generally refers to people of high Social class, especially in the past Some were entitled to be classed as gentlemen but did not pursue it, as it was cheaper to remain a yeoman. Some yeomen farmers of the later Tudor and Stuart period shared the heritage and ancestry of the occupational medieval yeoman, as attested mainly by weapons found above the fireplace mantles (especially in the border shires) of the West Midlands of England. Social and economic revolution Following the Black Death Plagues and the agricultural depression of the late 14th century population growth The House of Stuart or Stewart was a Royal house of the Kingdom of Scotland, later also of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Yeoman farmers were called upon to serve their sovereign and their country well after the Middle Ages, for example in the Yeomanry Cavalry of the late 1700s and later Imperial Yeomanry of the late 1890s. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the " Mauve Decade" because William Henry Perkin 's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that

Most yeomen farmers had servants or labourers with whom they would work if they had the means to afford such services. The term Yeoman Farmer was later used to distinguish them from Gentleman Farmers, who did not labour with their hands. The term gentleman (from Latin gentilis, belonging to a race or "gens" and "man" Cognate with the French word gentilhomme Some yeomen had more wealth than the minor gentry, but remained classed as yeomen by choice rather than by necessity. Often it was hard to distinguish minor gentry from the wealthier yeomen farmers, and wealthier husbandmen from the poorer yeoman farmers.

Sir Anthony Richard Wagner, Garter Principal King of Arms, wrote that "a Yeoman would not normally have less than 100 acres" (40 hectares) and in social status is one step down from the Gentry, but above, say, a husbandman. King of Arms is the senior rank of an officer of arms. In many heraldic traditions only a king of arms has the authority to grant Armorial bearings (English Genealogy, Oxford, 1960, pps: 125-130).

The Concise Oxford Dictionary, (edited by H. Concise Oxford English Dictionary (until 2002 officially entitled The Concise Oxford Dictionary, and widely known by the abbreviation COD W. & F. G. Fowler, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1972 reprint, p. 1516) states that a Yeoman is "a person qualified by possessing free land of 40/- annual [feudal] value, and who can serve on juries and vote for a Knight of the Shire. He is sometimes described as a small landowner, a farmer of the middle classes. "

In the United States, yeomen were identified in the 18th and 19th Centuries as non-slaveholding small landowning family farmers. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Yeoman farmers, because they owned no slaves of their own, frequently hired slaves at harvest time to help in the fields. In an area where land was poor, like eastern Tennessee, the landowning yeomen were typically subsistence farmers, but grew some crops for the market. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. Whether they engaged in subsistence or commercial agriculture, they controlled far more modest landholdings than those of the planters, more likely in the range of over fifty to two hundred acres, rather than five hundred or more acres.

Yeoman medieval obligations

Yeomen were identified in the Middle Ages as persons owning land worth approximately 40 to 80 shillings annually, roughly between ¼ Hide and 1 Hide (about 30 to 120 acres, or 12 to 50 hectares). The shilling is a unit of Currency used in current and former Commonwealth countries and was continued to be used in countries that left the commonwealth The hide was a unit used in assessing land for liability to " Geld " or land tax in Anglo-Saxon England from the 7th to the 11th centuries The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, In the early 12th century, 40 acres (16 hectares) of land was worth about 40 to 50 shillings. The Assize of Arms of 1252 gave instructions for the small landholder to be armed and trained with a bow and those of more wealth (wealthy yeomen) would be required to possess and be trained with sword, dagger and the longbow (the war bow). The Assize of Arms of 1181 is a legal precedent decided by King Henry II of England and developed in Common law jurisdictions originating a duty to bear A dagger (from Vulgar Latin: 'daca' - a Dacian Knife) is a typically double-edged blade used for Stabbing or thrusting To see other senses of this word see Longbow (disambiguation.

The Assize of Arms of 1252 AD identify a class long identified with the ‘yeomanry’, being a 40-shilling freeholder, and indicates "Those with land worth annual 40s-100s will be armed/trained with bow and arrow, sword, buckler and dagger". A bow is a Weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow A buckler (French bouclier 'shield' from old French bocle boucle 'boss' is a small Shield, 15 to 45 cm in diameter gripped in the fist A dagger (from Vulgar Latin: 'daca' - a Dacian Knife) is a typically double-edged blade used for Stabbing or thrusting The description of societal standing of landowning persons mentioned in the 1252 Assize of Arms of who is to own and train with certain weapons epitomizes the Knight's Yeoman such as the one in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (Yeoman's Portrait in the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales). Geoffrey Chaucer (c 1343 – 25 October 1400? was an English author poet Philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and Diplomat. The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in Prose, the rest in verse) The General Prologue is the assumed title of the series of portraits that precedes The Canterbury Tales.

Yeoman archers and yew war bows

The English war bow, known as the longbow (the main weapon of a yeoman archer) was typically but not always made of yew wood, often Wych Elm and other woods were used for making bow staves. The English longbow, also called the Welsh longbow, was a powerful type of medieval Longbow (a tall bow for Archery) about 6 ft Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Though yeomen archers are inextricably tied to the English War Yew Bow, it was the Spanish, French and Italian yew that was highly sought after because of its superior qualities of growth and the extremely restricted availability over English Yew in the late Middle Ages.

The 'yeoman' archer’ was unique to England and Wales (in particular, the south east Wales area of Monmouthshire with the famed archers of Gwent, Glamorgan, Crickhowell, and Abergavenny regions, and South West England with the Royal Forest of Dean, Kingswood Royal Forest near Bristol, and the New Forest). History The Roman occupation of Britain was the first period in which the area of present-day England and Wales was administered as a single unit (with the exception Ancient county See also Monmouthshire (historic The ancient county of Monmouthshire was formed from the Welsh Marches by the Laws in Wales Gwent was one of the kingdoms or principalities of Mediæval Wales, in the Welsh Marches. Glamorgan or Glamorganshire (Morgannwg is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Crickhowell ( Crug Hywel, Crughywel, or Crucywel in Welsh) is a small Town in Powys, Mid Wales. Abergavenny (Y Fenni meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a Market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. The Forest of Dean is a geographical historical and cultural region in the western part of the County of Gloucestershire, England The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land heathland and Forest in the heavily-populated Though the Kentish Weald and indeed Cheshire archers were noted for their skills, as well the Ettrick Archers of Scotland, it appears the bulk of the 'yeomanry' was from the more remote and border regions of England, Wales and Scotland (English and Welsh Marches; The Borders). The Weald (wɪəld is the name given to a physiographic area in south-east England situated between the parallel Chalk Escarpments of the North Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. For other uses see Ettrick Ettrick is a relatively small area within Selkirkshire, in the Scottish Borders The Welsh Marches ( Welsh: Y Mers) is an area along the border of England and Wales on the island of Great Britain, in the current The Scottish Borders, often referred to simply as the Borders, is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland.

The original Yeomen of the Guard (originally archers) chartered in 1485 AD were all most likely of Briton descent (Welsh, Breton, etc), established by King Henry VII, himself a Briton who was exiled in Brittany during the Wars of the Roses. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485 were a series of dynastic Civil wars fought in England between supporters of the Houses of Lancaster and York He recruited his forces throughout mostly Wales and the West Midlands of England on his victorious journey to Bosworth Field. The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field ( 22 August, 1485) was Lancastrian Henry Tudor's defeat of Yorkist Richard

The Welsh have the honour of being the first to be attested in written history in using the 'longbow' made of yew and elm (circa 650 AD) either against the Mercians, or as allies of the Mercians against Northumbria. To see other senses of this word see Longbow (disambiguation. Elms are Deciduous and Semi-deciduous Trees comprising the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found Events By Place Asia The first Chinese Paper money is issued yet these banknotes will not become government-issued Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. The incident at Abergavenny Castle, where a Welsh arrow pierced through armour and the legs of an English knight was certainly not unknown to King Henry II, and his grandson Henry III who created or signed the Assize of Arms 1252 identifying the 'war bow' as a national weapon for classes of men who held land under 80s or 100s annually. Abergavenny Castle is a Castle in the Market town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire in south east Wales. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216 The 'Yongermen' fell under this classification. By Edward I's reign the bulk of the archers were Welsh, who defeated the Scots and eventually would be used with great success by King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost Edward III (13 November 1312 &ndash 21 June 1377 was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. The famous ‘yeoman archers’ drawn from the Macclesfield Hundred and the Forest districts of the Cheshire region were specially appointed as bodyguard archers for King Richard II. Macclesfield is a market town in Cheshire, England with a population of about 50688 (2001 census for Macclesfield urban sub-area Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. Richard II (6 January 1367 &ndash ca 14 February 1400 was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399

Yeoman positions in society

The Yeoman represented a status between the aristocratic knights and the lower-class foot soldiers and household servants (pages). Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. The yeoman archer was typically mounted and fought either on foot or on horseback, in contrast with infantry archers, and came to be applied to societal standing as a farmer in particular during the 14th century to 18th century. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system A Yeoman during the 12th century and 13th century was primarily a household and military (semi-feudal and feudal) term later associated with the days of private warfare. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed

Yeomen are also noted as providing guard escorts to deliveries of victuals and supplies (not only fighting as an elite archer but also as a guard to the baggage train as well a protector of the nobility and royalty) to the expeditions of the Hundred Years' War. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior They also provided escorts for the sovereign and great nobles on their journeys and their pilgrimages across the realm and overseas. In Religion and Spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or Search of great Moral significance Yeomen of the Crown were essentially agents of the king who were allowed to sit and dine with knights and squires of any lord's house or estate. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. In Feudal or Medieval times a squire was a Man-at-arms in the service of a Knight, often as his Apprentice. At retirement they were offered tenure of stewardship of royal forests at the king’s choosing.

Later in Medieval history and through the Renaissance, the yeomanry shared attributes with both the upper class and working classes, though they had little in common with today's urban middle class. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Is a concept in Sociology that refers to the group of people at the top of a Social hierarchy. Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. The yeomanry was the first class of the commoners (peasants), in Saxon days would be the equivalent to geneatas or villager. In British law a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. A peasant is an agricultural worker who subsists by working a small plot of ground The ‘yeoman’ was more military and bound to the manor or estate, comparable to the radman or radcniht (radknight) who would provide escorts, deliver messages, erect fences for the hunt, and repair bridges. He would be given land (copyhold or sometimes freehold) by his lord for services well rendered. Many similarities exist between radmen/radknights and yeomen of the crown, as yeomen had many of the same tasks, though he was not as heavily imposed with the intense labor requirements as the radman/radknight had during his time.

Many duties throughout history

Duties of 'yeomen' were manifold from the Middle Ages through to the 19th century. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar They were usually constables of their parish, and sometimes chief constables of the district, shire or hundred. A constable is a person holding a particular office most commonly in law enforcement. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches A shire is an Administrative division of Great Britain and Australia. Many 'yeomen' would hold status as bailiffs for the High Sheriff, or for the shire, or hundred. Bailiff (from Late Latin baiulivus, Adjectival form of baiulus) is a Governor or Custodian (cf The High Sheriff is or was a law enforcement position in Anglosphere countries Other civic duties would include churchwarden, bridge warden, and other warden duties. A churchwarden is a lay official in a Parish church of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer It was also common for a 'yeoman' to be an overseer for their parishes.

‘Yeomen’, whether working for a lord, king, shire, knight, district or parish are noted for their civic duties as localized or municipal police forces raised by or led by the gentry. Gentry generally refers to people of high Social class, especially in the past Some of these duties and mostly that of constable and bailiff would be carried down through family traditions. Bailiff (from Late Latin baiulivus, Adjectival form of baiulus) is a Governor or Custodian (cf ‘Yeomen’ are seemingly in a role of ranging, roaming, surveying, and policing throughout their social history. In Chaucer's Canterbury Friar's Tale a ‘yeoman’ who is a bailiff of the forest who tricks the Summoner, and he turns out to be the devil ready to grant wishes already made. Geoffrey Chaucer (c 1343 – 25 October 1400? was an English author poet Philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and Diplomat. The word conjuration (from Latin 'conjure' 'conjurare' to swear together can be interpreted in several different ways as an Invocation or Evocation (the latter The Devil is the

In the early Middle English period (noted in the text Pseudo Cnut De Foresta Constitutiones written in the late 11th century). The ‘yonger men’ chosen of liberi homini mediocre were to range the royal forests and is the first known use of the word ‘yeoman’ being associated with the forests (both greenwood and royal or manorial hunting forests). The chief forester of such royal forests was stationed at the nearest castle and was also the constable of the castle with his deputy foresters or yeomen assisting in the maintenance and affairs of the royal forests. A forester is a person who practices Forestry, the science and profession of managing forests A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages.

The earlier word Franklin was the Yeoman's equivalent (a wealthy peasant landowner or freeholder or village official). The term franklin denotes a member of a Social class or rank in England in the 12th to 15th centuries Franklins in their days would typically be village leaders (aldermen), constables or mayors. An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Yeomen would find that status in the 14th century as many of them became leaders, constables, sheriffs, justices of the peace, mayors and significant leaders of their country districts. It was too much, for even ‘valets’ known as ‘yeoman archers’ were forbidden to be returned to parliament, indicating they even held power at a level never before held by the upper class of commoners. In British law a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. The further away the district from gentry or burgesses, the more power a 'yeoman' held in office, as well attested in statutes during the reign of Henry VIII indicating yeomen along with knights and squires who have the leading of men to be in charge of certain functions. Gentry generally refers to people of high Social class, especially in the past Burgess is an English word that originally meant a freeman of a Borough or Burgh. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of

A ‘yeoman’ could be equally comfortable working on his farm, educating himself from books, or enjoying country sports such as shooting and hunting. A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock By contrast members of the landed gentry and the aristocracy did not farm their land themselves, but let it to tenant farmers. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Yeomen in the Tudor and Stuart period could also be found leasing or renting lands to the minor gentry. Social and economic revolution Following the Black Death Plagues and the agricultural depression of the late 14th century population growth However, ‘yeomen’ and ‘tenant farmers’ were the two main divisions of the rural middle class in traditional British society, and the yeoman was a respectable, honorable class and ranked above the husbandmen, artisans, and laborers.

Isaac Newton, as well many other famous people such as Thomas Jefferson hailed from the yeoman class of society. Sir Isaac Newton, FRS (ˈnjuːtən 4 January 1643 31 March 1727) Biography Early years See also Isaac Newton's early life and achievements Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence Isaac Newton inherited a small farm which paid the bills for his academic work. Many ‘yeoman’ fathers would have the means to send their sons to school to qualify to join the professions, and become classed as gentlemen. Many families of ‘yeoman’ status and established good standing would also have sons who would serve in the royal or great noble households providing not menial, but honorable service, as his social status or degree in society was equal in the royal or noble household.

The term also suggests someone upright, sturdy, honest and trustworthy, qualities attributed to the Yeomen of the Crown; and in the 13th century the Yeomen of the Chamber were described as virtuous, cunning, skillful, courteous, and experts in archery chosen out of every great Noble's house in England. The King's Yeoman or King's Valectus (Valetti) is the earliest usage in a recognizable form such as King's Yeman or King's Yoman. Possibly the concept is derived from King's Geneatas, meaning either companion or a follower of a king. In ancient times before the establishments of feudalism and manorialism, a ‘yeoman’ was a follower of a district (gau) chief or judice.

Comparable classes of people

The term is sometimes applied to people of similar status in other traditional societies. The ‘franklin’ is an example meaning a freeman and sometimes meaning a French or Norman freeholder. Franklin milities would basically be the equivalent of a ‘yeoman’ in the middle-ages and the ‘yeoman’ the equivalent of a ‘franklin’ in the late middle-ages.

The ‘yeoman’ belonged to a class or status of fighter (usually known as in the third order of the fighting class between that of a squire and a page). This status was very different from what was occurring on the continent in the days of feudalism where the gap between commoners and gentry was far wider causing much derision between the two classes in medieval society. Though a middling class existed on the continent, it was not well respected or held in such high-esteem as the ‘yeoman’ of England was during the time when the class existed.

Other references to yeoman

Notes


Further reading

External links

Dictionary

yeoman

-noun

  1. An official providing honorable service in a royal or high noble household.
  2. A third in order of the feudal servant fighting class below knight, squire and above a page. A yeoman archer is typically a mounted archer but who fights on foot, sometimes called a man-at-arms.
  3. A subordinate, deputy, aide, or assistant.
  4. A Yeoman Warder.
  5. A clerk in the US navy, and US Coast Guard.
  6. A member of the Yeomanry Cavalry officially chartered in 1794 originating around the 1760s.
  7. A member of the Imperial Yeomanry officially created in 1890s and renamed in 1907.
  8. (UK) A former class of small freeholders who farm their own land.
  9. (nautical) In a vessel of war, the person in charge of the storeroom.
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