The Best and Worst Jobs Throughout the Middle Ages

                Throughout the Middle Ages, most professions were gruesome and highly undesirable.  One of the few jobs I would have been willing to have would be a Cathedral builder.  Although their job was highly dangerous, they were given higher wages, interacted with other workers on a daily basis and, most importantly, avoided the battle field.  Cathedral builders did not have it easy; however, their work conditions did not expose them to mass amounts of sickness or death.  Instead, the builders constructed beautiful Cathedrals that still exist in England today.  My least desirable profession would be an Archer.  Unlike the Cathedral builders, Archers were stationed on the battle field.  Before Archers participated in battles, they were expected to survive the harsh traveling conditions as they made their way to the battle field.  Along with the deadly weather conditions, the Black Death spread, and many lives were lost.  If the men survived their expedition, their next threat was capture.  Rather than killing other knights, the Archer’s aimed to kill the opposing horses.  The fairly dull arrow increased the Archer’s ability to be captured.  If captured, the Archer’s fingers were cut off by the enemy.  Once battle had ended, the remaining Archer’s were responsible for surveying the carnage across the field and would have to take wounded knights out of their misery.  This placement was terrifying and lacked the honor it deserved.