Were men allowed to decline to take arms and fight if they were not proffesional soldiers?i.e. farmers/poets/famous artists like bards or actors: were those people allowed to refuse to take part in a war?
About women: were they conscripted too in extreme situations?
I am most curios about Europe middle ages, but other parts of the worlds are welcome to the discussion.
Thank you in advance!
You may find these answers helpful. Keep in mind that the system of raising armies differs between times and places. Society changes a lot in the 1,000 years that we refer to when we speak of 'The Middle Ages'. With that said, Medieval armies weren't raised through universal conscription in practice. The linked answers below include explanations of how medieval armies where raised in the 'high' and late middle ages.
How William the Conqueror Raised his Army by u/Rittermeister
Did Medieval Armies consist of 'conscripted' peasants? by u/Rittermeister