Not every day was a workday for a knight. When there were no wars to fight or castles to save, knights found many ways to amuse themselves.
But even when they were having fun, they were also practicing skills to use in battle.
One favorite sport was hunting. With bows and arrows, hunters tracked wolves and fierce wild boars through the forests that surrounded most castles. The animals they shot—from small birds to deer—provided meat for the castle table and served as target practice for the knight. Another popular way to pass the time was hawking. Knights and ladies tamed and raised hawks and then taught them to catch small birds.
But perhaps most fun of all was the tournament, a series of mock battles that lasted many days. The tournament was both a game and a way of practicing for war. The events gave the knight a chance to show off his skills before a huge crowd of fellow knights and fine lords and ladies. Let’s join the knights as they amuse themselves.
