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?
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.
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?