5 Myths Hollywood Still Gets Wrong About the Middle Ages

Hollywood loves the Middle Ages, but when it comes to historical accuracy, they often miss the mark. From knights in shining armor to the daily grind of peasants, filmmakers tend to choose spectacle over the nuanced reality of medieval times.

Here’s a countdown of the most persistent myths that movies perpetuate about this complex period, and the facts that will have you seeing the Middle Ages in a whole new light.

Myth 5: Everyone Wore Drab and Homogeneous Clothing

Myth: Whether they're knights or peasants, everyone in medieval films seems to wear the same type of clothes — knights are always in gleaming armor, and peasants in dull, rough textiles.

Reality: Medieval clothing was far more varied and vibrant than Hollywood suggests. Knights often wore a practical mix of chainmail, leather, and plate, not just the shiny, cumbersome armor seen in films like Kingdom of Heaven. Peasants’ attire also showed a surprising range of materials and colors, depending on local resources and fashion trends of the time. So no, not everyone walked around looking like they’d just rolled out of a burlap sack.

Myth 4: The Noble Savage

Myth: Medieval movies love their noble savages and barbaric tribes, portraying them as either brutishly simple or impossibly idealistic because of their isolation from civilization.

Reality: The so-called "barbarians" like the Celts actually had complex societies with rich artistic traditions and established legal systems. The idea that these groups were simple savages is a massive oversimplification. Even the Vikings, often shown only as raiders and warriors in films like The Vikings, were also skilled farmers, traders, and explorers who engaged in cultural exchanges with other societies.

Myth 3: Oversimplified Social Structure

Myth: The social structure of the Middle Ages is often depicted in black and white terms, with a rigid hierarchy and little room for mobility.

Reality: The feudal system was anything but simple. It was a complex network of mutual obligations, where not all vassals were knights, and lords had to provide protection and justice. Women also played significant roles, managing estates and engaging in trade, which challenges the typical portrayal of medieval women as merely passive figures.

Myth 2: Hygiene and Health Misconceptions

Myth: It’s a common scene in medieval films: everyone is covered in dirt, and no one ever bathes, perpetuating the myth of the filthy Middle Ages.

Reality: Contrary to the grimy faces and soiled garments often shown in movies, cleanliness was not a foreign concept. Medieval people bathed more frequently than films like Monty Python and the Holy Grail would have you believe. Public baths were popular, and many people bathed regularly. The idea that the Middle Ages were a time of rampant filth is largely a Hollywood fabrication.

Myth 1: Combat and Warfare Exaggerations

Myth: Hollywood can’t resist a good battle scene — the more dramatic and chaotic, the better. This often leads to depictions of medieval combat filled with lone heroes taking on hordes of enemies.

Reality: Actual medieval combat was much more about discipline and strategy than the frenzied skirmishes shown in movies like Braveheart. Battles were fought in tight formations, and the tactics involved careful planning and real strategy, including the use of terrain and protracted sieges rather than just storming castles at will.

Next time you watch a medieval movie, take the Hollywood portrayal with a grain of salt. The reality of the Middle Ages was far richer and more complex than the myths we often see on the silver screen. Whether it’s fashion, social structure, hygiene, or combat, there’s always more to the story than knights, castles, and dirty peasants!