medieval occupations

You’ve probably had a few rotten jobs in the past, but I bet none of them were as bad as the jobs from medieval times.

ratcatcher

Not exactly the kind of catchy name to attract new hires in search ads. However, the ratcatchers were actually highly regarded by the townspeople. Rats, mice, and other vermin were often carriers of many diseases and afflictions. A rat catcher who could rid a city of these critters could be very well rewarded. However, putting himself in unpleasant places and risking his own health went, as they say, with the territory, as he frequently came into contact with sick or rabid animals.

Gravedigger

This field was a growth industry during the Middle Ages, as war, famine, and disease provided plenty of “raw material” for the gravedigger. Like the rat catcher, a busy digger could earn a good income.

Delivery courier

Hmmm, this doesn’t sound like a bad job. After all, how hard can it be to deliver messages? No doubt you have heard the term “don’t shoot the messenger”. This gives you a clue about the main problem with being a messenger. Often the delivered message was not well received. The messenger was the lucky victim of this wrath which frequently led to the death or imprisonment of the unlucky messenger.

Undermine

The need for gold or silver was very important to most kingdoms as a way to field their armies and expand their territories. Although the miners’ wages were above average, they had to work in very dangerous conditions. If cave-ins, lethal gases, and cave-ins weren’t bad enough, a miner wouldn’t see the light of day for two or three days straight. They weren’t particularly skilled, but the job required a certain raw determination to overcome constant obstacles.

leech collector

Leeches were widely used for centuries as a medical aid. The idea was that the leeches would suck the bad blood out of a sick person, leaving only the good blood behind. Obviously, leeches had to be found. Enter the leech collector. Pretty easy job – just walk through the muddy swamp water and let the leeches attach to your legs. When you have “collected” a sufficient number, return to dry land and eliminate them. Ah, therein lies the problem, as Shakespeare once said. Leeches not only constantly sucked blood while attached, but if not removed properly, their teeth became embedded in the flesh. This condition often leads to suppuration, infection, and, rarely, death. Even if the extraction is done correctly, the sores that remain can easily become infected. I can see the ad for this job “Work outdoors, leisurely stroll through natural water, collect valuable animals used in medical treatment. Will train, no experience needed.”

Fuller

Even considering the jobs described above, this may be the worst job of medieval times. To remove grease and other impurities from newly woven woolen cloth, it had to be placed in a vat of stale urine, then stepped on for hours (sort of like crushing grapes, but not quite as pleasant). In addition to the obvious stench, the fuller had to be constantly on the alert to ensure that the entire batch of wool was treated evenly; if not, the entire batch was ruined and the process would have to start over. That would really make me PO’d if that happened!

Firecracker Engineer

This job sounds good; after all, an engineer is quite a prestigious profession. However, being a firecracker engineer was not that glamorous during medieval times. A firecracker was a small bomb used to blow up enemy fortifications, such as castle walls or gates. The engineer’s job was to run as fast as possible while avoiding enemy arrows, while he carried the lit firecracker that he would eventually place next to the fortification (assuming he made it that far). If the fuse was a bit “short” or faulty, then the firecracker would detonate before it was placed, gently lifting the unlucky engineer into the air for a better view of his surroundings. Therefore, the term “Hoisted with his own firecracker” is used to describe a situation where a person is harmed by his own actions.

treadmill operator

No, there were no sports or health clubs in the medieval world. Instead, think of a giant hamster wheel attached about a hundred feet up in a cathedral that isn’t finished yet. The operator trudged for hours, turning the large wheel that moved a winch connected to a crane that then lifted the construction material. In addition to the mundane nature of the work, it was also dangerous in the sense that if the whole assembly had been built poorly or if bad weather suddenly hit it, the entire device could collapse. Many times, blind people did this work since they didn’t really need to see where they were stepping.

spanking boy

Yes, there really was a job called whipped child. When the prince misbehaved or fell behind in educating him, only the king had the divine right to administer the punishment. But alas, the king was often away, doing what kings do when they are not in their castles. So, no king, no punishment for the prince. But someone had to pay. Enter the spanking boy. Normally, he had been raised and educated with the prince since his birth. Often, a bond of friendship developed between the two. The idea was that since they were such good friends, when the spanking boy took the punishment, the prince felt at least emotional pain for his friend.

This job seems similar to that of a firefighter. Long time sitting, waiting, and they – bam! – Are you at work. Not a word about what happened to the whipped boy once the prince became king. He maybe he became the whipped man, although that title really isn’t cool.