Have you ever heard of knights? Or of big castles with tall towers? All of this really existed – a long, long time ago! This time is called the Medieval period or Middle Ages. In medieval times, real knights lived who wore heavy armor and rode on horses. There were magnificent castles where kings and princesses lived. People lived completely differently than we do today.
Would you like to know how life was back then? Then come along on an exciting time journey to the Middle Ages!
What Are the Middle Ages?
The Middle Ages was a very long time before us – about as if you would live to be 1000 years old! It began around the year 500 and ended around 1500. That’s already very, very long ago.
The name “Middle Ages” means “the time in the middle.” It was the time between ancient times (which is even older) and our present time.
Back then there were no cars, no cell phones, and no internet. But there were knights, castles, and many exciting adventures!
Three Parts of the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages was so long that researchers divided it into three parts – like three big chapters in a book:
- The Early Middle Ages (500-1000): New kingdoms emerged
- The High Middle Ages (1000-1300): Most castles were built
- The Late Middle Ages (1300-1500): America was discovered
Castles – Like Giant Stone Palaces
Castles are the coolest buildings from the Middle Ages! Imagine: huge houses made of stone, as big as several schools put together, with thick walls and tall towers.
How a Castle Looked
A castle had many different parts. Around everything was a big, high wall – like a giant fence made of stone. The tallest tower was called the keep. From up there you could look far into the land and see enemies from far away.
In the courtyard – that’s like a big garden – stood many small houses. There was the kitchen, the stable for horses, and often also a small church. The most important people lived in the most beautiful building, the great hall.
When strangers wanted to come to the castle, they had to cross a drawbridge. That’s a bridge you can pull up – like a flap! And behind it was a heavy gate that could be lowered.
Who Lived in the Castle?
Many more people lived in a castle than you might think! There wasn’t just the castle lord’s or lady’s family, but also many other people. Cooks prepared the food, others looked after the horses, and guards made sure no bad people came.
Children who lived in the castle had many playmates. Boys learned early how to fight with swords and ride horses. Girls learned how to run a large household and sew beautiful things. But they also had time to play – with wooden toys or hide-and-seek in the castle’s many corridors!
Knights – The Heroes with Heavy Armor
Knights are probably the most famous people from the Middle Ages. But how did someone actually become a knight? And how did they really live?
How to Become a Knight
You didn’t just become a knight. You had to learn for a long time! At seven years old, boys from wealthy families went to strangers and were called pages there. They learned to read, write, and how to behave properly.
At 14 years old, they became squires and helped a real knight. They learned how to fight, how to care for heavy armor, and how to ride horses. Only at 21 years old could they become knights themselves – that was a big celebration!
The Life of Knights
Knights didn’t fight all day long. Many also had land and had to take care of it. They watched over the farmers who lived on their land and made sure everything was in order.
The heavy armor you know from movies was only worn by knights when fighting or at important celebrations. In normal life, they wore lighter clothing. A complete suit of armor was super heavy – as heavy as four big school backpacks full of books!
Tournaments – Fighting for Fun
Not all fights were serious. At tournaments, knights fought against each other for fun. Most popular was jousting – where two knights rode toward each other with long lances and tried to knock the other off his horse.
These tournaments were like big folk festivals. People came from everywhere to watch. There was music, dancing, and delicious food. The winners got great prizes and everyone cheered for them.
How Normal People Lived
While knights and kings had a good life, it was much harder for most other people.
Farmers in the Countryside
Most people in the Middle Ages were farmers. They lived in the countryside and grew food – grain, vegetables, and fruit. They also had animals like pigs, cows, and chickens.
The life of farmers was hard. In spring they had to plant seeds, in summer tend their plants, in autumn harvest, and in winter make do with what they had gathered.
Many farmers belonged to a rich lord or lady and had to give them part of their food. In return, they protected them when there was war.
Craftspeople in the Cities
In the cities there were many different craftspeople. Blacksmiths made tools and weapons, bakers baked bread, and others made beautiful fabrics.
If you wanted to learn a craft, you had to practice for a very long time. First you were an apprentice and learned the simple things. Then you became a journeyman and worked for different masters. Only at the very end could you become a master yourself.
Cities in the Middle Ages
The cities back then looked completely different from today. They were much smaller, but very colorful and lively.
How a City Looked
Most cities had a high wall around them that protected against bad people. The streets were narrow and often muddy because there were no stone roads yet. The houses stood very close together and were mostly built of wood.
The most important place was the marketplace. There all people met. They bought and sold things, and there was also much to see: jugglers did tricks, musicians played beautiful songs, and storytellers told exciting fairy tales.
Life Without Electricity and Running Water
Life in the city was exciting but also difficult. There was no electricity and no water from the tap. People had to get their water from wells and work by candlelight in the evening.
Bathing was difficult and expensive. Most people washed themselves completely only rarely. When many people got sick, it spread quickly because everyone lived so close together.
What People Ate
Food in the Middle Ages was completely different from today. Most people ate simple but healthy things.
The Most Important Food
Bread was the most important food of all. Poor people ate dark bread, rich people ate light bread. Along with that there was porridge made from grain, warm soups, and vegetables like cabbage and turnips.
Meat was expensive and was only available on special days. More people could eat fish. Cheese and butter were also important to keep people strong.
Big Celebrations
On special days there were really great meals! Rich people held big feasts with many courses. There were roasted birds, game from the forest, and sweet cakes.
The way of eating was different from today. People ate mainly with their hands and a knife. There were no forks yet! Spoons existed only for soups. Everyone brought their own knife, and several people often shared one plate.
Festivals and Celebrations
People in the Middle Ages worked a lot, but they also liked to celebrate!
Church Festivals
The church was very important to people. Christmas and Easter were celebrated in a big way. Every city also had a special saint who was supposed to protect it. On that saint’s feast day, there was especially beautiful celebrating.
On such days, nobody had to work. All people came together, went to church, and afterward celebrated with music and dancing.
Other Festivals
There were also festivals that had nothing to do with the church. When someone got married, they celebrated for several days. When a baby was born, the whole neighborhood rejoiced.
The seasons were also celebrated. In spring there were May festivals, and in autumn people thanked for the good harvest.
Exciting Inventions
In the Middle Ages, many important things were invented that we still use today.
Books for Everyone
The most important invention was printing. Johannes Gutenberg found out around 1450 how to make books quickly. Before that, every book had to be written by hand – that took a very long time!
With his movable letters made of metal, he could suddenly make many books at once. This allowed more people to learn to read and knowledge was spread faster.
Other Great Inventions
There were many other useful inventions:
- Eyeglasses helped people who couldn’t see well
- Clocks showed time more accurately
- Windmills used the wind to grind grain
- Better plows helped farmers with their work
Experiencing the Middle Ages Today
Although the time of knights is over, you can still experience it!
Visiting Medieval Festivals
Today there are many medieval markets and knight festivals. There you can see real knight armor, try medieval games, or shoot with bow and arrow. Often there’s also delicious food like back then.
Many children also celebrate their birthday with a knight party. All guests can dress up like knights and castle ladies and have their own adventures. For such special celebrations, a beautiful invitation with knight pictures can be particularly cool. There are even websites like eventpage.ai where parents can easily make great invitations for knight parties.
Games from the Middle Ages
Many games from long ago can still be played today! Diabolo, walking on stilts, or playing with a hoop was already fun for children in the Middle Ages.
You can also make cool knight things: paint coats of arms, make knight helmets from cardboard, or build simple flutes yourself.
Why Children Find the Middle Ages So Great
The Middle Ages is so exciting for children because it was a time full of adventures. There were brave knights, evil dragons (in the stories), beautiful princesses, and powerful wizards.
The big castles and shining armor just look fantastic. Children can imagine being knights themselves and experiencing exciting adventures.
What We Can Learn from the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages also shows us how people used to live. They didn’t have as many things as we do today, but they could still build wonderful castles and invent great stories.
It also shows us that people have always been brave, worked hard, and took care of their families – just like today.
Medieval Times Explained for Children: An Exciting Era
The Middle Ages was a very special time. It was sometimes hard and difficult, but also full of exciting stories and brave people.
For children, the Middle Ages is like a big fairy tale book – full of knights, castles, princesses, and adventures. It shows us that people of all times have dreamed, fought, and done great things.
The next time you see a castle or read a book about knights, you might think about how life really was back then. The Middle Ages is long over, but the stories and adventures live on in our imagination!
Maybe you’ve gotten excited about being a knight yourself or visiting a castle? The Middle Ages is waiting to be discovered by you!
