Medieval Life Facts for Kids
Facts about castles, knights, and medieval times
Knights had to begin training from about the age of seven — first as a page, then a squire, before finally becoming a knight around age 21.
Medieval castles were originally built from wood and earth — stone castles only became common after the Norman Conquest.
The Black Death killed roughly one third of Europe's entire population between 1347 and 1351.
Medieval people were not as unwashed as we often imagine — bathing was common, and many towns had public bathhouses.
A full suit of medieval plate armour weighed between 20 and 25 kg, but it was so well balanced that knights could run, jump, and even climb a ladder using only their hands while wearing it.
Gargoyles on medieval churches served a practical purpose — they were water spouts designed to direct rainwater away from the walls.
Medieval peasants didn't work every day — the Church calendar included over 100 feast days a year, which were effectively holidays.
The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is the oldest university in Europe still in operation today.
Medieval surgeons sometimes used mould to treat infected wounds — without knowing it, they were using something similar to penicillin.
Medieval people were not as short as we often think — average heights were not dramatically different from today, though they varied by region and class.