Yeoman

A yeoman was a late medieval British farmer of middling social status who owned his own land and often farmed it himself. Some yeomen had servants or laborers with whom they would work if they had the means to afford such services. The term Yeoman Farmer was later used to distinguish them from gentlemen, who did not labor with their hands. Some Yeomen had more wealth than the minor gentry, but remained classed as yeomen by choice rather than by limits.

The word Yeoman is derived from Proto-Germanic Gauja or Gauia meaning district or country, hence, countryman. Ge- is an ancient prefix indicating district in the language of Anglo-Saxons (e.g., Gewisse means district-west-saxons or west saxon district) and is cognate with the Old Germanic Gau-. Other Old Germanic forms are Old Frisian Ga-, Old Middle German Go-, Gothic Gawi-, and Old Low German Gewi-.

Anglo-Saxon term for Geongra Manna or Geongra Mannus was certainly derived from the district or shire country meaning young(er) district-man or district-young(er)-man. Geongra were attendents, retainers, disciples, or followers of a chief or lord dating probably as far back to the days of gaus and early germanic republics before the rise of feudalism (with lords, dukes, and kings) in ancient Germania. In essence the gau chiefs existed before the king (Koeng or Cying) existed, showing the antiquity of the gaumann certainly developed as the clans/sibbens settled before the age of kings.

In either post Anglo-Danish or Anglo-Norman England the term later formed into the word Yongeman or Yongerman. It was known in the early Middle English period (noted in the text Psuedo Cnut De Foresta Constitutiones written in the late eleventh century.) The Yongermen chosen of liberi homini mediocre to range or underkeep the royal forests is the first indicator of yeomen being associated with the forests (both greenwood and royal and manorial hunting forests).

The Assize of Arms of 1252 identify a class long identified with the Yeoman being a 40-shilling freeholder and indicates "Those with land worth annual 40s-100s will be armed with bow and arrow, sword, buckler and dagger". It epitomizes the Knight's Yeoman we see in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (Knight's Prologue). Contrary to popular belief, though historically tied with the yew war bow, the word yeoman is not derived from yewman. Yew was a common material used for war bows and spears. The English war bow, also known as a longbow, was typically but not always made of yew wood. Elm and other woods were used but it was the Spanish, German, and Italian yew that were highly sought after because of its superior qualities and higher availability than English Yew. Arrow shafts were typically made of Aspen because of its straightness and rigid qualities.

The Yeoman represented a status between the aristocratic knights and the lower-class foot soldiers and household servants (pages). The yeoman archer was typically mounted and fought either on foot or on horseback, in contrast with infantry archers, and came to be applied to societal standing as a farmer in particular during the 14th to 18th Centuries. A Yeoman during the 12th and 13th Centuries was primarily a household and military (semi-feudal and feudal) term and associated with the days of private warfare since.

Yeomen are also noted as providing guarded escorts to deliveries of victuals and supplies (as well not only fighting as an elite archer but as a guard to the baggage train and the nobility and royalty) to the expeditions of the Hundred Years War. They also provided escorts for the sovereign and great nobles on their journeys and their pilgrimages across the realm and overseas. Yeomen of the Crown were essentially agents of the king who were allowed to sit and dine with knights and squires of any lord's house or estate. As a retirement were offered a tenure of stewardship of royal forests.

In contracted form Yongeman or Yongerman became Yeman or Yoman in the Middle Ages and adaptations of Yoeman were noticed. In the early 1300s AD, the term with a modern spelling of Yeoman emerged. Certainly by 1363 AD the term was well known as the vernacular became the official language of court, (Yeoman replaces the French term Valet after many years of French and Latin being the formal choices.)

Later in Medieval history through the Age of Renaissance yeomanry shared attributes with both the upper and working classes, though they had little in common with today's urban middle class. The yeomanry was the first class of the commoners (peasants), in ancient Saxon days would be the equivalent to geneatas or villager. The Yeoman was more military and bound to the manor or estate equal or related to the radman or radcniht (radknight) who would provide escorts, deliver messages, erect fences for the hunt, and repair bridges. He would be given land (copyhold) by his lord for services well rendered. Many similarities exists between radmen/radknights and yeomen of the crown, as yeomen did the same exact tasks at a higher level for the king or queen.

The earlier word Franklin was the Yeoman's equivalent (a wealthy peasant landowner or freeholder or village official). Franklins in their days would typically be village leaders (aldermen), constables or mayors. Yeomen would find that status in the 14th Century as many of them became leaders, constables, sheriffs, justices of the peace, mayors and significant leaders of their country districts. The further away the district from gentry or burgesses, the more power a 'Yeoman' held in office as well attested in statutes during the reign of Henry VIII.

A yeoman could be equally comfortable shovelling manure on his farm, educating himself from books, or enjoying country sports such as shooting and hunting. By contrast members of the landed gentry and the aristocracy did not farm their land themselves, but let it to tenant farmers. Yeomen in the Tudor and Stuart period could also be found leasing or renting desirable lands to the minor gentry. However, Yeomen and tenant farmers were the two main divisions of the rural middle class in traditional British society and the Yeoman was a respectable and honorable class.

Isaac Newton as well many other famous people (such as Thomas Jefferson) hailed from the yeoman class. Isaac Newton inherited a small farm which paid the bills for his academic work. Many Yeoman fathers would have the means to send their sons to school to be of the profession, and became classed as gentlemen. Many families of Yeomen status and established good standing would also have sons who would serve in the royal or great noble households providing not menial, but honorable service.

The term suggests someone upright, sturdy, honest and trustworthy. (e.g. "hail, oh stout yeoman of the bar"). As attributed to the qualities of the Yeomen of the Crown, and the Yeomen of the Chamber in the 13th Century to be virtuous, cunning, skillful, courteous, and experts in archery chosen out of every great noble's house in England. The King's Yeoman or King's Valectus (Valetti) is the earliest usage in a recognizable form such as King's Yeman or King's Yoman.

There were rarely people of similar status in other traditional societies and the term is sometimes applied to them. The Franklin is the closest example meaning a freeman and sometimes meaning a French or Norman freeholder. Franklin milites would basically be the equivalent of a Yeoman in the Middle Ages. The Yeoman belonged to a class or status of fighter (usually known as in the third order of the fighting class between that of a squire and a page). This status was much different than what was occuring on the continent in the days of feudalism were the gap between commoners and gentry were far and wide causing much derision between the two. This widened gulf would possibly explaining why outlawry was more common in the regions of France than in England. The 'Yeoman' was unique to England and the annals of history prove this very well.

Other Uses and References to Yeomen

• Yeoman is also the name of a United States Naval administrator. In navies derivative of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, it can denote someone responsible for a specific duty, such as the Chief Yeoman of Signals, or someone acting as an aide to a superior for certain functions, such as the Navigator's Yeoman.

• Yeomanry Cavalry refers to the extra-judicial military force organized by the property-owning class in 17th-century England as well 18th-century Ireland to protect British occupations and the fear of invasion from France. Yeomanry Cavalry was officially formed in 1794 (formed unofficially circa. 1760s) and eventually became the Imperial Yeomanry in 1901 and then Territorial Army in 1907. Many units retain their 'Yeomanry' designation today and have seen service in both World Wars and today's war on terrorism.

• Yeomen of the Guard were established in 1485 AD after the Battle of Bosworth Field and were officially chartered by King Henry VII for their loyal service during the war. Later, King Henry VIII established the Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London, which is the oldest of the Royal Bodyguards in England, and one of the oldest Royal Bodyguards and military organizations in the world. In essence Yeomen of the Guard and Yeomen Warders are links to the days of warfare in the Middle Ages.

• Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod is a deputy position to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, an official figure in the parliaments of many Commonwealth countries.

• There are several Yeoman positions in the staff of the Royal Household, under the Master of the Household.

• A Gilbert and Sullivan operetta was entitled The Yeomen of the Guard.

• According to Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, Robin Hood's band of Merry Men is largely comprised of Yeomen

• There is a town called Yeoman, Indiana.

• Yeoman is the name given by Owen Aisher, the UK yachtsman, to the succession of racing yachts he owned. The tradition was continued by the family after Aisher's death. Starting with the first then Yeoman II and progressing to Yeoman XXXX and beyond. Yeoman XV (an International 5.5 metre racing yacht) skippered by Aisher's son Robin Aisher won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games sailed in Acapulco.

• Chief Yeoman is a favored horse of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

• The Oberlin College sports teams are the Yeomen and Yeowomen.

• Yeoman of the Goths : According to the Westrogothic law, the lawspeaker was appointed for life by the yeomen of the province.

• A company named Yeoman produces an item of navigational equipment called the Yeoman Plotter.

• A company named Yeoman Light Aircraft Company (YLAC) makes affordable private planes.