The Norman Medieval Fair will take place this weekend, March 27 through 29. Before you go, brush up on some medieval sports that you can see at the fair.
Archery — Lower class men were required by law to practice archery in the Middle Ages. This sports served a double purpose, however. Along with entertainment, archery provided training for battle. Areas designed for archery training in medieval England were called ‘butts.’
Jousting — One of the best known medieval sports, jousting was also the most dangerous. Jousting involved two knights riding horses toward each other with long wooden beams called ‘lances.’ Men often were bruised, skewered and decapitated during jousting matches.
Melee tournaments — On a simulated battlefield, contestants would battle each other with blunted weapons. However, the tournaments were often poorly regulated, resulting in broken bones and internal injuries. Most men were more than willing to take part in these games, however, as a victory was rewarded with monetary prizes and notoriety.
Wild boar hunting — Many different forms of hunting were popular in the Middle Ages, but wild boar hunting was among the favorites. Men would pursue the animals with dogs and on horseback and use a long spear to skewer the boar. The boars would often fight back, however, with long, sharp tusks that could easily gorge a human.
Water tilting — Essentially a water-version of jousting, contestants would stand in boats, armed with poles, and attempt to topple the other knight into the water. Most people in the Middle Ages did not know how to swim, however, so drowning was quite common.
