I am curious about life at court for the nobility rather than the king/queen. Did one have to be invited to stay at court? Did the monarch absorb the expense of feeding and lodging the courtiers and their servants or did the courtiers have to pay for their own rooms, meals, stabling horses, etc.?
For the most part you needed an invitation, if for no other reason than space limitations. The lord chamberlain was officially responsible for room assignments. If you were resident at court, you were granted 'bouge' aka meals. The higher your rank, the larger the bouge allowance. The best food was of course served at the monarch's table so members of the privy and bed chamber generally ate better. You were also allowed limited stabling for your own horses.
ReplyDeleteThere's more info on this in a variety of places. I can scare up some references if you are interested in following up.