Medieval entertainment
Many people kept the Middle Ages entertained. There were more entertainers beside jesters. There were mummers, who were costumed dancers. They also had minstrels, troubadours, acrobats, jugglers, and conjurers. They played board games like Chess, The Philosophers Game, Shovelboard, Knucklebones, Tables, Nine Men’s Morris, Alquerques, Fox and Geese, and Hazard. Certain games like Chess we still play today. Another type of entertainment was sports. Like Chess, we still play some of these sports of the past today. Some of the sports were Archery, Bowls, Colf, Gameball, Hammer, Hurling, Horseshoes, Quarter, Skittles, Stoolball, and Wrestling. Colf is the ancestor of golf, Gameball is a simple game of football, Hurling is similar to hockey, Skittles is an ancestor of bowling, and Stoolball is the ancestor of cricket.
The upper class jousted and had feasts or banquets. Banquets of the Middle Ages were elegant and huge. The Crusaders had helped the feasts by bringing spices and new flavor to these celebrations. Musicians would also play music while dancing took place. The jousting tournaments were not just for training the knights in the tournaments, but they represented their land and lord. They were also great entertainment for local people too. The knights were not only expected to fight but dance too. Entertainment freed people from work for about eight weeks out of the year.
The upper class jousted and had feasts or banquets. Banquets of the Middle Ages were elegant and huge. The Crusaders had helped the feasts by bringing spices and new flavor to these celebrations. Musicians would also play music while dancing took place. The jousting tournaments were not just for training the knights in the tournaments, but they represented their land and lord. They were also great entertainment for local people too. The knights were not only expected to fight but dance too. Entertainment freed people from work for about eight weeks out of the year.
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