The Medieval Child

Childbirth, Childhood and Adolescence in the Middle Ages

What do you think you know about Medieval Children?

Perhaps no other period of history has more misconceptions associated with it than the Middle Ages. The history of childhood is also full of misconceptions. Recent scholarship has illuminated the lives of medieval children as never before, dispelling many of these misconceptions and replacing them with verifiable facts about life for the medieval child.

In this multi-part feature, we explore various facets of medieval childhood, from childbirth through the teen years and beyond. We'll see that, though the world they lived in was very different, medieval children were in some ways very like the children of today.

 

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introduction: The Concept of Childhood

The Importance of Children
A Question of Affection

Part 2: Entry into the Medieval World

Childbirth
Baptism

Part 3: Surviving Infancy

Life for the Infant
Child Mortality
Infanticide

Part 4: The Playful Years

Training and Socialization
Discipline
Leaving Home

Part 5: The Learning Years

Schooling
University
Apprenticeship

Part 6: Teens at Work & Play

Service
Recreation

Coming soon: Part 7: Growing Up

 

For more on childhood in the Middle Ages, check out or index of resources on Medieval Children.

 

 

 

 

More at the Medieval History Site

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