Perhaps Being a Knight in Shining Armor Wasn’t All It Was Cracked Up to Be

You had the long period of training and service as a page and then as a squire on the path to knighthood. You had the the arduous, hazardous, and almost certainly physically painful training to become a warrior in the service of your liege lord. As a knight , you had the inevitable hazards associated with active wartime service in a medieval army. You could expect a significant amount of your time to be spent away from the comforts of home and hearth in service to your liege lord. And you have to face the very real pains of heartbreak? Really?!

Unless you are a fan of the literature of the period, you may not have given much thought to the day-to-day struggles of the people of the Middle Ages. And with the fairy tales that portrayed the handsome prince living "happily ever after" with his princess, you may not have given much thought to the relationship woes of the people of that time. At most, you may recall the tragic love triangle between King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Lancelot. But the people of the Middle Ages were people and they doubtless faced some of the same challenges, trials, and tribulations that we face today. Obviously they were familiar with broken hearts.

Interestingly enough, the physicians of the day saw heartbreak as more than just feelings. And while today's medical and psychological experts take heartbreak as a potentially serious concern with a physical component, the contrast is interesting.

I am certain that the affliction wasn't limited to the nobility and people of means, by the way. There were doubtless broken-hearted peasants. It was probably tough to be the poor resident of a tiny village and to see the object of your thwarted desire every day. Personally, I think there is a lot to be said for being able to lose yourself in a larger community or even the possibility of moving away should you choose to do so. But that almost certainly wasn't an option for people tied to the land and service to a noble. For that matter, that wasn't likely to be an option for a simple mounted warrior either.

If you are interested in learning more about how the people of the Middle Ages viewed heartbreak, click on the link below and read the article. Now, if you will excuse me, I have an appointment for a bloodletting. 😉

https://theconversation.com/being-lovesick-was-a-real-disease-in-the-middle-ages-70919