This is a two-question post. Both pertain to traveling in the 15th Century. I'm specifically looking at people of middle to low social status in the medieval period - soldiers, peasants, etc.
My questions are:
I ask this because I've never really seen pictures/paintings/drawings of medieval people carrying large packs with lots of things in/on them outside of movies and video games.
As for sleeping arrangements, games and movies tend to depict bedrolls as a thing, but I'd just like to confirm if that is historically accurate. Also, I know tents for soldiers were a thing, but what about small parties, like 1-3 people?
I hope I'm not asking too much. Thanks in advance for your help. Cheers!
To begin, this post by cdesmoulins is a good explanation of medieval baggage. Travelers had satchels, bindles, pouches, etc.
For long journeys like this, the kind of non-soldier folk you'd be talking about would often be pilgrims; most peasants didn't need to travel such distances that they would need survival gear of any kind. Because they generally traveled light and may or may not have had animals to carry their baggage, they likely wouldn't be carrying things like pots and pans or tents. Bedrolls are a 19th century invention, as are shelter halves that can easily be assembled into pup tents; anyone who camped outside would generally be wrapping themselves in a blanket under shelter (the Scottish plaid is actually made for this!).
The reason this wouldn't be necessary is because, except for soldiers on the march, these travelers would rarely need to camp in the first place! Inns, taverns, and the homes of hospitable people were regularly available along most routes unless you were heading out deep into the countryside. Anyone with money could expect to stay the night in an actual bed whenever possible and possibly have a meal, while those without money would be sleeping outdoors and eating whatever they brought with them (generally bread, hard cheese, pies, and a skin of ale, wine, or water).