What did the do for fun?

1. Music and Dance:

- Music played a vital role in medieval society. People enjoyed singing, playing musical instruments, and dancing. Instruments such as lutes, harps, bagpipes, shawms, and drums were popular.

2. Storytelling and Poetry:

- Medieval people loved listening to stories and poems. Traveling troubadours, minstrels, and storytellers would recite epic tales, romances, and humorous stories to entertain the masses.

3. Jousting and Tournaments:

- Knights participated in jousting competitions and tournaments, where they demonstrated their combat skills and bravery. These events were often grand spectacles that drew large crowds.

4. Feasts and Banquets:

- Elaborate feasts and banquets were held in castles and manors. Meals were accompanied by music, dancing, and performances by jesters and acrobats.

5. Hunting and Hawking:

- Hunting was a popular pastime among the nobility. They would go after deer, rabbits, wild boars, and even bears. Falconry, or hawking, was another favored hunting method involving trained birds of prey.

6. Games and Sports:

- Medieval people enjoyed various games and sports, such as archery, wrestling, fencing, and throwing competitions. Board games like chess and backgammon were also popular.

7. Pageants and Festivals:

- Religious and secular festivals were held throughout the year. These celebrations often included processions, fairs, and theatrical performances.

8. Mystery Plays and Moralities:

- Mystery plays and morality plays were religious dramas that conveyed moral lessons and depicted Bible stories. They were performed in churches and public squares.

9. Miracle Plays:

- Miracle plays celebrated the lives and deeds of saints and the Virgin Mary. These performances were often grand spectacles with elaborate costumes, music, and stage sets.

10. Swordplay and Martial Arts:

- Knights and soldiers trained in sword fighting and various martial arts techniques to improve their combat skills. These practices also served as a form of entertainment.

11. Theater:

- Theater productions were popular in some regions, with actors performing satirical plays, farces, and comedies.

12. Folk Arts and Crafts:

- Many people engaged in folk arts and crafts, including embroidery, weaving, carving, woodwork, and pottery.

13. Reading and Writing:

- Reading and writing were pastimes for the educated elite. Books were often expensive and scarce, so those who could read were privileged.

14. Religious Pilgrimages:

- Religious pilgrimages to holy sites were undertaken for spiritual reasons, but they also offered opportunities for travel and cultural exchange.

15. Public Baths:

- Public baths were popular places for socializing and relaxation. They offered hot and cold water, massage, and sometimes additional services like entertainment and food.