Pigs may not be the first animals that come to mind when thinking of medieval politics and warfare, but these humble creatures played surprising roles across urban life, justice systems, and even battlefields. From scavengers cleaning city streets to symbols of royal power, pigs left an indelible mark on medieval history—often in the most unusual ways.
In medieval cities, pigs were a common and useful presence, serving as scavengers that cleaned the streets by consuming waste and refuse. Known as gyrovagi or “wandering” pigs, these animals were integral to the daily life of urban centers, rooting through garbage and leftover food in alleys and streets. Though they played a positive role in sanitation, their constant presence often brought them into direct interaction with humans, and sometimes these interactions became the stuff of legend or historical record. From tragic accidents to political symbols, pigs left their mark on medieval history in ways both surprising and profound.
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1. Royal Tragedy by a Pig: The Death of King Philip of France (1131)
The young king Philip of France (1116–1131), son of King Louis VI the Fat, being killed by a boar. (British Library, Royal 16 G VI f. 309)
One of history’s strangest royal deaths involved a king, a horse, and an unexpected pig encounter on the streets of Paris. The tragic accident involving King Philip of France (he wasco-ruling with his father), is documented in various chronicles of the time. The Capetian king was thrown from his horse when it was startled by a pig running through the streets. Philip’s death had far-reaching consequences for the royal family, causing a shift in the line of succession and leaving a lasting impact on French history.
2. Putting Pigs on Trial: The Pig Trials of the Middle Ages
Illustration from Chambers Book of Days depicting a sow and her piglets being tried for the murder of a child.
Medieval society didn’t just hold humans accountable—pigs, too, faced the consequences of their actions, sometimes standing trial for crimes that shocked local communities. One of the most famous cases occurred in Falaise in 1386, where a sow was found guilty of killing a child and was publicly executed. These bizarre trials reveal a complex relationship between medieval humans and animals, treating pigs as both valuable contributors to daily life and beings subject to the same laws as people.
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3. Boars, Battles, and Royal Ambition: The Wild Boar of Richard III
Boar Badge of Richard III from Bosworth Field – Portable Antiquities Scheme / Wikimedia Commons
Richard III’s emblem, the fierce white boar, became a symbol of his strength and ambition, embodying the brutal world of royal claims during the Wars of the Roses. Emblems and heraldry were powerful tools in medieval propaganda, and Richard’s association with the fierce boar projected his martial prowess and royal legitimacy to his supporters and rivals alike.
4. Fire and Fat: Pigs in Siege Warfare
In siege warfare, where every resource was leveraged, pigs offered a surprising edge with their fat, which could turn into a devastating weapon. During the Crusades, at the castle of Crac des Chevaliers, pig fat was reportedly used to start fires and weaken enemy fortifications. This unusual tactic made pigs a critical part of certain military strategies, as their fat proved particularly effective in causing flammable damage to wooden structures under attack.
5. Folklore Meets History: The Saxon Pig Herd of Peterborough
Legends often blur with history, and in the case of Peterborough, a herd of pigs became unlikely heroes during a Viking invasion, distracting the attackers and allowing the town’s defenses to rally. According to the Peterborough Chronicle, this unexpected intervention bought the town’s defenders enough time to prepare, highlighting the importance of livestock in both daily survival and the stories of resilience that would become local lore.
Dr Lorris Chevalier, who has a Ph.D. in medieval literature, is a historical advisor for movies, including The Last Duel and Napoleon
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Further Readings:
Dolly Jørgensen, The Medieval Pig, Boydell & Brewer, 2024
Michel Pastoureau, Le Roi tué par un cochon, Editions Points, 2018
E.P. Evans, The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals (1906)
Michael Jones, Bosworth 1485: The Battle That Transformed England (2014)
David Baldwin, Richard III (2012)
Sir Steven Runciman, A History of the Crusades (1951)
Christopher Tyerman, God’s War: A New History of the Crusades (2006)
Michael Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (2000)
By Lorris Chevalier
Pigs may not be the first animals that come to mind when thinking of medieval politics and warfare, but these humble creatures played surprising roles across urban life, justice systems, and even battlefields. From scavengers cleaning city streets to symbols of royal power, pigs left an indelible mark on medieval history—often in the most unusual ways.
In medieval cities, pigs were a common and useful presence, serving as scavengers that cleaned the streets by consuming waste and refuse. Known as gyrovagi or “wandering” pigs, these animals were integral to the daily life of urban centers, rooting through garbage and leftover food in alleys and streets. Though they played a positive role in sanitation, their constant presence often brought them into direct interaction with humans, and sometimes these interactions became the stuff of legend or historical record. From tragic accidents to political symbols, pigs left their mark on medieval history in ways both surprising and profound.
1. Royal Tragedy by a Pig: The Death of King Philip of France (1131)
One of history’s strangest royal deaths involved a king, a horse, and an unexpected pig encounter on the streets of Paris. The tragic accident involving King Philip of France (he wasco-ruling with his father), is documented in various chronicles of the time. The Capetian king was thrown from his horse when it was startled by a pig running through the streets. Philip’s death had far-reaching consequences for the royal family, causing a shift in the line of succession and leaving a lasting impact on French history.
2. Putting Pigs on Trial: The Pig Trials of the Middle Ages
Medieval society didn’t just hold humans accountable—pigs, too, faced the consequences of their actions, sometimes standing trial for crimes that shocked local communities. One of the most famous cases occurred in Falaise in 1386, where a sow was found guilty of killing a child and was publicly executed. These bizarre trials reveal a complex relationship between medieval humans and animals, treating pigs as both valuable contributors to daily life and beings subject to the same laws as people.
3. Boars, Battles, and Royal Ambition: The Wild Boar of Richard III
Richard III’s emblem, the fierce white boar, became a symbol of his strength and ambition, embodying the brutal world of royal claims during the Wars of the Roses. Emblems and heraldry were powerful tools in medieval propaganda, and Richard’s association with the fierce boar projected his martial prowess and royal legitimacy to his supporters and rivals alike.
4. Fire and Fat: Pigs in Siege Warfare
In siege warfare, where every resource was leveraged, pigs offered a surprising edge with their fat, which could turn into a devastating weapon. During the Crusades, at the castle of Crac des Chevaliers, pig fat was reportedly used to start fires and weaken enemy fortifications. This unusual tactic made pigs a critical part of certain military strategies, as their fat proved particularly effective in causing flammable damage to wooden structures under attack.
5. Folklore Meets History: The Saxon Pig Herd of Peterborough
Legends often blur with history, and in the case of Peterborough, a herd of pigs became unlikely heroes during a Viking invasion, distracting the attackers and allowing the town’s defenses to rally. According to the Peterborough Chronicle, this unexpected intervention bought the town’s defenders enough time to prepare, highlighting the importance of livestock in both daily survival and the stories of resilience that would become local lore.
Dr Lorris Chevalier, who has a Ph.D. in medieval literature, is a historical advisor for movies, including The Last Duel and Napoleon
Further Readings:
Dolly Jørgensen, The Medieval Pig, Boydell & Brewer, 2024
Michel Pastoureau, Le Roi tué par un cochon, Editions Points, 2018
E.P. Evans, The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals (1906)
Michael Jones, Bosworth 1485: The Battle That Transformed England (2014)
David Baldwin, Richard III (2012)
Sir Steven Runciman, A History of the Crusades (1951)
Christopher Tyerman, God’s War: A New History of the Crusades (2006)
Michael Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (2000)
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