This thesis studies “svenner” – armed servants, bailiffs and administrators – and service ideals in late medieval Sweden by using a variety of sources including payrolls, correspondence, charters and service instructions. The study argues that in order to reach an understanding of the relationship between lord and servant, and the complexity of service ideals, questions must be asked about for whom service was open, if there was competition, and what in that case was characteristic of the people and requirements that constituted the service.The conclusion is that service was not open to all; loyalty and strong social bonds were cru-cial, while other capitals such as military competence and ancestry could increase the material and immaterial benefits of service. The social field was closely connected to the political field why those who intended to compete in the field had limited opportunities to influence the terms of service. Although serving the aristocracy could be beneficial in many ways, legisla-tion and a deeply rooted service ideal held the feudal power relations firmly intact.