Fueling the crusade: The rugged diet of a medieval knight on campaign
Beyond the banquet hall: Uncovering the warrior’s real rations
When we picture a medieval knight, our minds often conjure images of grand stone castles and great halls brimming with lavish feasts. We see tables groaning under the weight of roasted swans, meat pies, and overflowing goblets of wine. While such banquets were indeed a part of a nobleman’s life, they represent only one side of the coin. The reality for a knight on a grueling military campaign, whether in the fields of France or the arid lands of the Crusades, was vastly different. His survival and effectiveness depended not on culinary artistry, but on a diet of pure, rugged function.
The gleaming plate armor and the finely balanced longsword were essential tools of war, but they were useless without the calories to power the man inside. The food a knight consumed on the march was as critical as his shield or his steed. It was a diet dictated by necessity, preservation, and logistics—a far cry from the comfort of the castle kitchen. So, let’s pull back the tapestry of legend and take a hard look at the food and drink that truly fueled the medieval warrior in the field.
The medieval baggage train: A kitchen on the move
Feeding a medieval army was a monumental logistical challenge. There were no refrigerated trucks, canned goods, or MREs. Every ounce of food had to be transported, preserved, or acquired along the way. This task fell to the baggage train, a sprawling procession of carts, pack animals, and camp followers that trailed behind the fighting force.
A wealthy knight or nobleman would have his own personal baggage, including servants, cooks, and a private supply of higher-quality food and wine. They might travel with live animals, such as chickens or even a cow, to provide fresh meat and eggs. However, the bulk of the army relied on centrally managed provisions. These supplies consisted almost entirely of non-perishable goods that could withstand weeks or months on the road.
Alongside the official supply train were the sutlers—merchants and vendors who followed the army, selling everything from extra food and ale to mending services and entertainment. For a knight with coin to spare, these mobile markets offered a welcome, if expensive, alternative to the standard, monotonous rations.
The staples of the march: The core of a knight’s diet
The foundation of a campaign diet was built on foods that were calorie-dense, long-lasting, and relatively portable. Variety was a luxury; reliability was the key. These staples formed the bedrock of the medieval soldier’s sustenance.
The ‘bread’ of war: Hardtack and other grains
The single most important ration was a form of bread known as hardtack or “biscuit.” The name comes from the Latin bis coctus, meaning “twice-cooked.” It was a simple, unleavened flour-and-water dough that was baked until it became incredibly hard and dry. This process removed almost all moisture, making it resistant to mold and allowing it to be stored for years if kept dry.
While an invaluable source of carbohydrates, hardtack was notoriously difficult to eat. It was often rock-hard and tasteless, earning it nicknames like “molar-breaker.” Knights and soldiers would have to soak it in water, ale, wine, or broth to make it chewable. Most commonly, it was broken up and added to a stew or pottage, where it would absorb the liquid and provide substance to the meal.
Beyond hardtack, sacks of grain like oats, barley, and rye were also transported. These could be ground into flour for baking a rough bread over a campfire or, more often, boiled into a thick porridge or gruel. This was a warm, filling, and efficient way to turn raw grain into a meal for many men.
Preserved proteins: The power of salt and smoke
Fresh meat was a rare treat on a long campaign. The logistics of herding and butchering animals on the move made it impractical for daily consumption. Instead, knights relied on meat and fish preserved through ancient methods: salting, smoking, and drying.
Salt pork and bacon were cornerstones of the campaign diet. Pork, being rich in fat, provided a huge number of calories essential for the extreme physical exertion of a warrior. Cured in a heavy brine or packed in barrels of salt, it could last for months. Similarly, salted fish—especially cod and herring—was a crucial provision. It was not only long-lasting but also essential for observing the Church’s meatless days (like Fridays), a practice that remained important even during wartime.
Beef was often preserved by being cut into thin strips and dried to create a form of jerky. Sausages were another popular option, as the combination of minced meat, fat, and spices, packed into a casing and then smoked or dried, created a portable and flavorful protein source.
The traveling larder: Cheese, pulses, and dried fruits
Other non-perishable items filled out the rest of the supply cart. Hard cheeses, like pecorino or parmesan-style cheeses, were ideal for travel. They were dense in fat and protein, packed with flavor, and resistant to spoilage. A knight could carry a hunk of cheese in his personal pack for a quick, energy-boosting meal.
Dried pulses—peas, beans, and lentils—were the unsung heroes of the medieval kitchen. They were cheap, lightweight, and, when rehydrated and cooked, provided a hearty base for the ubiquitous pottage. This one-pot stew was the daily meal for most soldiers. A typical pottage would involve boiling dried peas or beans with whatever grains, vegetables, and scraps of salted meat were available, creating a thick, nutrient-rich slurry.
For those on Crusade in the Middle East, dried fruits like dates, figs, and raisins were an important part of the diet. They were a fantastic source of quick energy from natural sugars and a welcome burst of sweetness in a diet dominated by salt.
Foraging and fortune: Living off the land
No matter how well-planned, official rations could run low, get lost, or be captured by the enemy. In these cases, an army had to live off the land. This practice, known as foraging, was a critical survival skill.
Soldiers would gather wild vegetables, herbs like wild garlic, onions, leafy greens, nuts, and berries. This required a working knowledge of local plant life to avoid poisonous lookalikes. Hunting provided a more substantial prize. While hunting in peacetime was often a right reserved for the nobility, on campaign, any game was fair game. Knights might take the opportunity to hunt for deer, wild boar, or rabbits to supplement the monotonous rations with fresh meat.
Unfortunately, “foraging” often had a darker meaning. It was frequently a euphemism for raiding and pillaging local farms and villages. An army on the move would strip the surrounding countryside of its livestock, grain stores, and anything else edible, leaving devastation in its wake. This was a brutal but accepted reality of medieval warfare.
Quenching a warrior’s thirst: Ale, wine, and water
Hydration was as important as food. However, finding safe drinking water was a constant challenge. Rivers and streams could be contaminated, and wells in captured towns were sometimes deliberately poisoned. As a result, water was often viewed with suspicion.
The solution for most was ale or beer. Known as “liquid bread,” these fermented beverages were a staple of medieval life. The brewing process involved boiling the water, which killed most pathogens, making it much safer to drink. Furthermore, it was a source of calories and nutrients. Soldiers were often given a daily ration of ale, which could be as much as a gallon per person.
Wine was also common, particularly for knights and nobles, and in regions like France and Spain. It was often stored in wooden casks or leather wineskins. Like ale, its alcohol content made it safer than water. On the march, wine was typically watered down to make it last longer and to ensure the soldiers remained sober enough to fight.
The Templar exception? A note on the monastic diet
For the Knights Templar, diet was not just about sustenance; it was an expression of their monastic discipline. The “Latin Rule,” the code that governed their order, laid out specific dietary regulations. It stipulated that they eat in pairs from a single bowl to foster brotherhood and humility.
Their rule restricted the consumption of meat to three times a week. This was to prevent the sin of gluttony and promote a life of austerity. On other days, their diet would have consisted of vegetable stews, cheese, bread, and plenty of fish. This monastic discipline set them apart from the more secular knights, whose diets were limited only by their wealth and supply.
Of course, the rigors of a campaign likely required some flexibility. It’s probable that these rules were relaxed when the knights were engaged in active, grueling warfare, where every calorie was desperately needed. Nonetheless, the principle of a simple, shared, and disciplined diet remained a core part of the Templar identity.
A diet of pure function
The diet of a medieval knight on campaign was a world away from the chivalric romances. It was a gritty, monotonous, and functional affair, designed for one purpose: to keep a warrior on his feet and ready to fight. It was a testament to the ingenuity of medieval logistics and preservation techniques, turning simple ingredients like flour, salt, and dried beans into the fuel for conquests.
So the next time you envision a knight clad in his magnificent uniform, remember the humble, hardened biscuit and the salty bacon that powered his legendary deeds. For in the world of medieval warfare, victory was won not just with steel, but with bread and brine.