Hawking in Medieval Times
Falconry in the Middle Ages
Falconry is a form of hunting, using birds of prey rather than weapons, to catch the hunted animal. It was used in medieval times both as a necessity, by those who needed to catch food in order to eat and also as a sport by the wealthy, who often saw the sport and the birds of prey as status symbols and indicators of wealth and prestige.
Falconry in Medieval Times
At the height of the popularity of falconry, during the Middle Ages, the birds used in the sport had their own hierarchy. Certain birds were viewed as more suited to the sport and birds which were rarer and more expensive were deemed suitable for higher ranking persons.
The best hawk, according to the fifteenth century English Boke of St Albans, was an eagle, vulture or merlon; the ‘emperors’ of birds. The list continued, with peregrine falcon, goshawk and sacre further down the list and the kestrel last in precedence, known as the ‘knave’ or ‘servant’, suited to ordinary working people. The Boke of St Albans recommended which classes of people should be allowed to own which bird, with the higher ranking birds reserved for royalty alone.
The Tasks Carried out by a Medieval Falconer
The job of falconer in the Middle Ages was a responsible one; it was he who kept the hunting birds of his master, ensuring each was fully trained, well-nourished and ready to hunt at short notice. The birds that the falconer cared for were expensive and had to be treated with respect, as they were often both fragile and dangerous.
It was the falconer who caught catch birds of prey from the wild and trained them to be handled by humans, whilst retaining their hunting instincts. The falconer made leather hoods and straps, known as jesses, individually for each bird. The job involved acquired skills and was often passed down from father to son.
A Master Falconer was attached to a royal or noble household and headed a team of falconers, carrying out ceremonial duties at the royal table.
An austriger carried out a similar job to a falconer but worked with birds which flew onto the fist, such as kestrels. This job was seen as lower status than that of the falconer, who worked solely with long-winged hawks, known as falcons.
In Wales, the Master of the Hawks, known as the Penhebogydd, was regarded as the fourth down in the social hierarchy from the king.
Falconry in Medieval Society
Falconry was widespread in medieval Europe and despite its elite image, was enjoyed by all social classes. There are records of monks and nuns being warned against bringing their birds into church services and disturbing the prayers. Outside the clerical world, falcons could be seen as a status symbol and often were carried round the streets as an accessory, fastened to a jewelled chain.
Frederick II of Hohenstaufen is recognised as one of the greatest falconers of the medieval age. He was a Holy Roman Emperor and wrote De Arte Venandi cum Avibus (The Art of Falconry), a book which took decades to complete and which allowed him to share his enthusiasm with a wider public.
People of various classes, both rich and poor, used the fields and forests of medieval Europe to hunt with birds throughout the Middle Ages. As the use of guns became more widespread, the sport fell into decline and many of the skills of the falconer, honed over centuries, were lost forever.
Sources
Oggins, Robin S The Kings and Their Hawks: Falconry in Medieval England [Yale University Press, 2004]
Cummins, John The Hound and the Hawk: The Art of Medieval Hunting [Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2001]
Falconry Required Large Tracts of Land
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