Were there books available in medieval times?

Question

Were books only available to royalty in the middle ages?

Answer 1

Yes there were books around during the Middle Ages but there weren't widely available to everyone. There were few people who could read and write. Royalty, aristocrats, the clergy and some of the wealthy merchant class would have read and had the ability to buy books. The printing press had not yet been developed so books were hand written. There are some lovely examples of illuminated writings at the monastry of Cassino in Italy.

Answer 2

There were, apart from Ancient Books from Greece, Alexandria and Rome books were painstakingly written out by Monks. The majority of books were used by the Church who also set up the Universities as centers for learning.

Answer 3

Yes, there were, but in many times and places, few people could read. Charlemagne pushed education among his people. Books were laboriously written by hand and often had illustrations. Monasteries had books, mostly religious ones. All too often, there were "book burnings" of ones that disagreed with someone's beliefs. Much knowledge was lost as a result.

Answer 4

yes, before books were handwritten but then the printing press was invented by a guy named John Wyclife (I think.)

Answer 5

not too man folks were literate, but there was a few books, mostly religous

Answer 6

And the churches/monks, too, so they could write prayers.

Answer 7

i think so but maybe the material is not paper