Abstract

For a long time it has been thought that the Middle Ages were that dark period in history in which physical activities that were not exclusively for a military purpose had no place, due to the contempt for anything other than training the  body for chivalrous and religious ideals. Nevertheless, in our study we have looked at a 15th century chronicle, Relación de los hechos del muy magnífico e más virtuoso señor, el señor don Miguel Lucas, muy digno condestable de Castilla (Deeds of the Constable Don Miguel Lucas de Iranzo), which gives a detailed account of  festivals and celebrations that were not only courtly but also popular. Hence its importance and historical relevance, since most of the texts of this time are confined to the nobility, so there are few references to the common people’s recreational activities.