That's Entertainment
Have you seen the jester
or the travelling fair whilst you have been playing Stronghold?
They are very useful arrivals at your castle because of the high
bonus points. They were just as welcome in medieval times when
entertainers came to the castles to relieve the monotony of
castle life for both lords and peasants.
Most entertainment would take place in the hall of the castle or
in its grounds. People from a wide area would come to see the
visiting minstrels, players and mimers. Some of the entertainers
would be a permanent fixture at the grandest castles and
palaces.
A minstrel sang songs of great battles, myths, honour, chivalry and, of course, love … frequently in French. He would accompany himself on instruments such as a harp or a lute. He would expect to be fed and sometimes given gifts such as clothes in return for his performances. He would have to pay the lord to be allowed to play in the local villages where he would sing satirical songs about the local lords and stories of Robin Hood and other peasants' heroes, all in English.
A jester usually stayed at one castle. His job
was simple - to make his lord laugh. He wore funny clothes in
bright colours with bells attached and was expected to be witty,
twisting words and making puns. Frequently he could also juggle
and do acrobatics.
Other visiting entertainers included musicians who entertained by playing instruments such as lutes and bagpipes; acrobats and tumblers; contortionists and jugglers who would use all kinds of things for juggling including daggers.
As well as visiting entertainers, the
castle inhabitants would play games such as blind man's buff,
chess and tell stories.
Outside the castle, hunting and hawking were
popular pastimes for the lord and his knights.They would hunt
with dogs or hawks through the woods and, frequently, across
peasants' fields ruining their crops. Even the ladies used to
ride with the hunt often having their own falcons. They were led
by the master of the hunt.
Archery contests would take place at the butt
(archery range) but the most popular outdoor entertainments were
tournaments and jousting both among the knights and the watching
lords and ladies. They included mock battles and competitions,
both between individuals and teams. They were magnificent
occasions with feasting and music but also a good practice for
real warfare. The contestants used shortened lances and blunt
swords, but serious injuries still often occurred. The most
elegant lady would be chosen as queen of the joust and would give
the prize to the winning knight.
A travelling fair would visit once or twice a year and usually
set up in the open space outside the castle gates. Villagers
would come from miles around to soak up the atmosphere and,
maybe, buy a few extras. Travelling merchants set up stalls
selling items such as cloth including silks and brocades, leather
gloves and slippers, swords and 
daggers, leather and candles, many of
the items coming from abroad. The villagers could only look at
the finest items but pedlars would come too and lay out their
wares on the ground, selling items within the means of the
peasants; there were booths selling hot pies and mulled wine and
there were entertainers such as acrobats, jugglers, musicians and
even performing animals like bears.
The peasants also enjoyed
bull and bear baiting, morris dancing, wrestling, cock fighting
and even football and a primitive form of tennis.
The lords and peasants knew how to enjoy themselves in their different ways and the entertainment was important to help them forget the harshness and violence of their lives.
Written and researched by GillB*. Archery & joust pictures created by & used with the permission of Lord_ako.