How much would a Medieval Soldier Earn

by Styr16

Time Period : 1200’s

Question 1: How much would a trained Infantry-man make a day? A week ? A Month ? A year?

Question 2: How much would a Knight make a day? A week ? A Month ? A year?

Hergrim

Daily Wages of Knights

Year/Reign Pay (grams of silver)
1156 8.1? (can't find info on pre-1158 coinage)
1162 10.8
Kings Richard/John 16.2
Kings John/Henry III 32.4
Edward I 31.97
Edward III 28.8 (pre-1351)/25.97 (post-1351)

Data from The Significance of Scutage Rates in Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century England, Wages in Late Twelfth and Early Thirteenth-Century England, Michael Prestwich's War, Politics and Finance under Edward I and H.J. Hewitt's The Organisation of War under Edward III

Daily Wages of Men-at-Arms/Sergeants

Reign Pay (grams of silver)
Kings Henry II/Richard I 5.4 (one horse)/8.1 (two horses)
King John 10.13 (one horse)/16.2 (two horses)/20.25 (three horses)
King Henry III 10.13-12.5 (one horse - inferred)/16.2-20.25 (multiple horses, inferred from unclear sources)
King Edward I 8 (hobelar)/15.98 (two horses)
King Edward III 7.2 (hobelar pre-1351)/14.4 (pre-1351, two horses)/6.48 (hobelar, post-1351)/12.98 (post-1351, two horses)

Data from Wages in Late Twelfth and Early Thirteenth-Century England, Michael Prestwich's War, Politics and Finance under Edward I and H.J. Hewitt's The Organisation of War under Edward III

Wages for Infantry

Year/Reign Pay (grams of silver)
1159/60-1184/5 1.35
1172/3-1216 2.7
King Henry III 2.7 (Welsh, Irish and poorly equipped infantry)/4.05 (possibly better armoured or specialists)
King Edward I 2.7 (ordinary infantry)/5.33 (vintenar)/8 (Welsh centenar)/15.98 (English centenar)
King Edward III 2.4 (Welsh spearman, pre-1351)

Data from Wages in Late Twelfth and Early Thirteenth-Century England, Michael Prestwich's War, Politics and Finance under Edward I and H.J. Hewitt's The Organisation of War under Edward III

Daily Wages Archers and Crossbowmen

Year/Reign Pay (grams of silver)
1186/7-1200/1 8.1 (mounted archers)
King John/King Henry III 4.05 (crossbowman, foot)/10.13 (crossbowman, one horse)/16.2 (crossbowman, two horses)/20.25 (crossbowman, three horses)
King Edward I 4-5.33 (foot? crossbowman)/8 (crossbow vintenar)
King Edward III 3.6 (foot archer, pre-1351)/7.2 (mounted archer, pre-1351)/3.24 (foot archer, pre-1351)/6.48 (foot archer post-1351)

Data from Wages in Late Twelfth and Early Thirteenth-Century England, J.E. Morris' The Welsh Wars of Edward I, Michael Prestwich's War, Politics and Finance under Edward I and H.J. Hewitt's The Organisation of War under Edward III

As to yearly wage, none existed as such. When on campaign or in garrison, soldiers in English employ were generally paid on a weekly basis where possible, but sometimes payment (especially for the nobility and gentry, who generally couldn't desert) could be six months or a year in coming if the Crown's finances were in particularly bad shape, as they were between 1295 and 1303. Soldiers would be paid for the period they served, including Sundays and Holy Days in contrast to civilians, and this typically between one and two months, unless the muster took particularly long or a major siege was involved.

arathorn867

I'd like to add a follow up question: Is there any truth to the statement that soldiers were partially paid by being allowed to loot? If so, how common/widespread was that and what period of history was it most common in?