Medieval Games

Early Medieval Games

Outdoor games in the Middle Ages were chaotic and less organized compared to most of today’s games. There were no set rules and safety precautions so the games often took a bloody turn.

Medieval Games – Stoolball was a medieval game that is similar to rounders

Players could get injured and, in more extreme cases, die. Jousts (combat between two knights) and tournaments (mêlée combat between two teams of knights and their squires) were games that started around the 11th century.

The nobility and village folks also enjoyed playing non-brutal games ‘mostly board games, through which they could time in peace.

Popular Indoor Medieval Games

The most esteemed medieval board games included the likes of Alquerque (a strategy game that inspired Checkers), hazard, shuffleboard, chess, and backgammon.

An early version of the dice, called the knucklebone, was likewise an early source of enjoyment. Even the Romans played with it. Players had to throw several knucklebones in the air and catch as many as possible using the back of their hands.

Medieval Games like Alquerque were popular indoor medieval board games

Other variants of the game required players to pick up as many bones as they were able to from the ground while one piece was thrown up.

Medieval people loved complicated board games like Fox and Geese and Rithmomachia (The Philosopher’s Game). The latter involved complex arithmetic computations and was a strategy game in every sense of the word.

Games like Ritmomaquia quadrat were popular in medieval times

Medieval Games History

To break off their humdrum way of life, people in the Medieval period invented a number of games. They had to entertain themselves to stave off boredom ‘a common human affliction’. They started with banquets, feasts, fairs, and carnivals.

In a bid to increase the level of local entertainment, such occasions expanded until they covered more vigorous outdoor activities. These festivals were usually held during special Christian holidays including Christmas, Easter, and the feast days of various saints.

Popular Outdoor Medieval Games

Medieval people, regardless of status and position in the feudal system, enjoyed playing outdoor games.

• Hunting
• Archery
• Hammer-throwing
• Horseshoes – won based on proximity to the target
• Tennis – reminiscent of contemporary handball games
• Skittles – a predecessor of the ten-pin bowling
• Colf – Medieval version of the modern golf
• Stoolball – similar to the cricket game
• Horse races
• Shinty – ancestor of hockey
• Gameball – Medieval football
• Wrestling

People in the Middle Ages were just as sporty as the people today except that they played less controlled and more challenging outdoor games. Jousting and tournaments were the all-time favorite sports among the nobility. The former required the participation of two knights (often representing different lords), both decked in armor and equipped with a shield and a blunted lance.

The horsemen would charge at each other from opposite ends. The first one to unseat the other would be declared the winner. Jousting events served as a platform for knights to display chivalry usually by tying their lady’s scarf around their sleeves. This meant that he would be her champion.

In the early phase of knight tournaments, the melee was the main sport of the occasion.

The Tournament mêlée was some of the bloodiest games in history. Two teams of knights, as well as their squires, battled it out on the field to the cheers of nobles and villagers. Unlike jousts, most tournaments prohibited the use of horses. The participants chose any kind of weapon for defense and offense. The results were often brutal.

Many jousts and tournaments were commissioned by royals and members of the nobility. They had to be in attendance during such games to hand out rewards or support their subordinates.

Medieval Games *Royals and Nobility

Hunting was among the few sporting events that noblewomen participated in. This outdoor game was also exclusive to members of royalty and nobility. Peasants did not own a vast amount of land to hunt as they pleased. Nobles rode horses and used their train dogs to capture their prey.

Games For Nobles *Falconry

There were no established rules. Besides dogs, they also trained winged creatures like hawks and birds of prey to make hunting easier which is known as Falconry.

Medieval Games – Peasants Lower Classes

Peasants or serfs had more opportunities to play all kinds of games. The types of outdoor games they played lacked sophistication and were generally rough. However, they were more varied and creative than the games normally played in noble quarters.

Thus, card games like All Fours, Ruff, and Piquet came into existence. While the serfs went about their daily activities, their children played hide-and-seek, tag, and other simple games.

Summary of Medieval Games

Medieval games were a great source of fun and entertainment. Not only did they make Medieval life less monotonous, but they also contributed to the flourishing of Medieval culture.

Although the rules or appearance may have changed, many of the games played in the Middle Ages have continued to exist in today’s era.