For the common folk, physical activity was less about formal exercise and more about the demands of daily life. Most peasants and laborers engaged in long hours of work on farms, in workshops, and in the homes of the wealthy. Their physical exertion was often tied to manual labor—plowing fields, carrying heavy loads, and performing tasks that req

During the Middle Ages, kings and nobles were often expected to display not only intellectual wisdom but also physical strength and prowess. Wrestling, in particular, was a popular activity among the nobility. It was a sport that tested both strength and technique, and many medieval monarchs were avid participants. King Henry I of England, for exam

In the medieval period, fitness was often considered a reflection of one's social position, occupation, and religious duty rather than a personal goal of health and wellness as we might think of today. People in the Middle Ages did not have modern gyms, fitness classes, or structured exercise routines. Instead, their physical activity was intertwin

Despite the power and influence of the Plantagenet family, the later years of their reign were fraught with internal strife and external threats. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485), a series of civil wars between the rival houses of Lancaster and York, both of which were branches of the Plantagenet family, significantly weakened the dynasty. The c