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many people at least once in their life thought of how great it would be to live in their very own castle? When we think of castles in Medieval history, we think of towers with flags that touch the sky, drawbridges and windows that let in the morning glow of light. But in ancient Europe, it wasn’t like that at all. The castles had no windows and consisted of only a few simple rooms. A few tears in the wall would lead to perhaps some light, but also accompanied by draft, snow, and rain. The servants had no beds and slept on the floor, while guests slept on TABLES of all things! The king and queen had a large bed, and their children had smaller beds. In the late Medieval ages, castles were built with comfortable rooms and more complex furnishings. These new upgrades developed when the trades increased and the nobles had better leisure.. Castles were viewed as more homey like – especially in France. Castles were a crowded place, packed with the king, his queen, their children and the servants. When the nation was under attack, serfs took refuge in the walls inside the castle.


Entertainment – Nobles spent most of their spare time in forests and wild lands, hunting creatures such as foxes, deer, boars, and hares. To keep themselves in fighting forms in between battles, knights engaged in dangerous contests called tournaments. Tournaments acted as a training ground for young knights. The knights that were defeated either had to pay a ransom or give up their horses and swords. But the English soon banned this tournament for fear that the knights might form a rebellion. Tournaments became mock battles called Jousting; which took place in special fields. Jousting soon turned into something called tilting, where knights charged at each other and tried to knock their opponent from their horse with a lance. Only the king and wealthy nobles could sponsor such a tournament.


Manor Life – In the fifth century, Germanic farmers moved into larger estates that were abandoned by the Romans. These and other estates eventually evolved into rural manors. These large fiefs included several other manors within them and were administrated by a knight. The manor was a small rural community, and peasants were expected to produce enough food for themselves and the rest of their neighbors. They grew crops – things like grain, vegetables, and fruits. They owned some hens for eggs and raised livestock for their meat. Sheep were raised for wool which they spun and wove into cloth. Three fields of the manor were divided into narrow strips; a third belonged to the lord; the rest given to peasants. The life of a peasant was anything but easy; men and woman rose at sunrise eating their breakfast, washing up, and going straight to work. Their work could be growing crops, chopping trees, or simply embroidery around the house. The main meal for peasants consisted of food such as vegetable soup, or pottage and cider. Meat was something only eaten once in a blue moon. Houses were made with walls of mud and a straw roof. The serf’s cottage only consisted of a few rooms and a few pieces of furniture. Animals and humans often slept in the same room. After a hard week of working, Sunday was their day to relax and celebrate by attending church services, and playing sports in the fields. On holidays like Easter and Christmas, the lord threw a feast for his peasants; that was usually followed by games of chess, football, and blind man’s buff.



Town Life - In the eleventh century, trade was increased even before the crusades led to the rise of towns. Merchants gathered to trade with the Byzantine empire and the Muslims. Country folk sold their farm produce and things they grew from crops. Goods from the cities of Italy were transported through the river to other locations. The townspeople asked the king to grant them a “charter”; a legal document that guaranteed their own rights and they’d be able to move to new settlements. The king knew that the peasants would be great allies against the feudal lords and granted their request. The charters prevented the lords from seizing the townspeople’s property and gained them freedom. Most Medieval towns only had a population of a few thousand and were almost always crowded. The town was surrounded with thick defensive walls, and a clock tower was rooted in the center of the area. People flung sewage and waste out the window without even letting anyone know below. (So many could get it on the head..) Life wasn’t ever dull. There was always work, entertainment, and shops to keep people’s attention.


Agriculture – The soil was dark and damp; an impossible condition to grow crops year round. It was rare for crops to ever reach the limit of the population, but by the late Middle Ages agricultural production had improved a lot that surpluses were being produced. Upgrades in many farm inventions were the secret. Heavier and sturdier ploughs were created, and the tilled the soil deeper. The ploughs were made on wheels – also reducing the fatigue many villagers got from pushing it.

Three Field Farming System – This system was divided up into three parts: one field had planted crops, while the other remained unplanted so the soil could be fertilized by all the farm animals. The next season, the cultivated land was planted, and other fields stayed fallow. Farmers wanted to reduce the yields so they developed the fallow areas into three parts: the first field was planted in the spring; it grew crops such as beans, and oats and barley. The second field – planted in the fall – with crops that could survive the frigid cold. The third remained uncultivated. Different harvest times reduced the likelihood of famine.


Industry - Artisans produced many goods that serfs demanded. The surpluses were sold on the major trading routes of Europe. There were many artisans that sold their goods. The most important were: bakers, brewers, butchers, spinners, weavers, and wood workers.