Entertainment in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages peasants had many holidays, they were free from doing their work around eight weeks per year, Christmas day, Easter, Mayday, etc. Some outdoor entertainment in which they participated during holidays were: archery, colf (the ancestor of golf), bowls, hammer-throwing, quarter-staff contests, etc.

Peasants also entertained themselves by playing many board games. Some of these included: Chess, Nine-Men's Morris, and other games.

Rich people like the kings or noblemen were entertained by jugglers, jesters, jousting competitions, sword duels, feasts, and much, much more. Some kings participated in the contests.

Another way that people entertained themselves was to watch mock battles held by kings for the people's delight. In some of these battles, some men were sometimes injured or even killed.