Sports in The Middle Ages
Sports in the middle ages usually took place around village greens. Normally during fairs, sports competitions were held. Certain festivals and religious plays sometimes included sports.
List of sports played:
Hunting was also consider a sport. It was very popular for both knights and common peasants. They would bring 30 falconers and 60 parirs of hunting dogs. Forests were used as their hunting grounds. Knights usually hunted foxes, deer, otters, badgers, rabbits, wolves, and boars. Many peasant women even hunted themselves and kept falcons.
Jousting was probably the most famous sport and the most exciting game to the nobles and lords. Two knights would wear a suit of heavy armor and sit on a horse holding a long weapon. The main objective was to stab each other.
Archery matches were common as well. They were usually arranged months in advance. Towns would verse other towns. Spectators became very excited over matches. It was common for contests in running, jumping, cudgeling, and wrestling to be offered to the lower classmen who attended the match. Feasts were also held while watching the matches.
Outdoor activities such as swimming was another favorite. Horse and chariot racing also continued in circuses. Teams were tied to religious beliefs and politics. Gladiator games were replaced by tournaments for knights. It was intended for prizes and entertainment for the queen and king. It wasn't meant to kill, but some men were. Only rich men fought in the tournament. The fall of the Roman Empire ended gladiator fighting, but fighting animals still continued. Men were convicted and executed in this manner for entertainment. This tradition still continues, as bullfighting is popular in Mexico and Spain.
List of sports played:
- Archery
- Bowls
- Colf (golf)
- Gameball (football/soccer)
- Hammer throw
- Hurling/Shinty (hockey)
- Horseshoes
- Staffing
- Skittles (bowling)
- Stoolball (cricket)
- Wrestling
- Martial arts
Hunting was also consider a sport. It was very popular for both knights and common peasants. They would bring 30 falconers and 60 parirs of hunting dogs. Forests were used as their hunting grounds. Knights usually hunted foxes, deer, otters, badgers, rabbits, wolves, and boars. Many peasant women even hunted themselves and kept falcons.
Jousting was probably the most famous sport and the most exciting game to the nobles and lords. Two knights would wear a suit of heavy armor and sit on a horse holding a long weapon. The main objective was to stab each other.
Archery matches were common as well. They were usually arranged months in advance. Towns would verse other towns. Spectators became very excited over matches. It was common for contests in running, jumping, cudgeling, and wrestling to be offered to the lower classmen who attended the match. Feasts were also held while watching the matches.
Outdoor activities such as swimming was another favorite. Horse and chariot racing also continued in circuses. Teams were tied to religious beliefs and politics. Gladiator games were replaced by tournaments for knights. It was intended for prizes and entertainment for the queen and king. It wasn't meant to kill, but some men were. Only rich men fought in the tournament. The fall of the Roman Empire ended gladiator fighting, but fighting animals still continued. Men were convicted and executed in this manner for entertainment. This tradition still continues, as bullfighting is popular in Mexico and Spain.