In the middle ages, how common would the traditional bands of travelling gypsies be? I have to say I know next to nothing about this culture, apart from what I've seen in media. Wikipedia wasn't very helpful at first glance here.
What I really would like is a caravan of outcast travellers with strange pagan (at least as seen by the Catholic Church) way. Being inspired from the tv series Carnivale, I would really like something similar, only with set in Mythic Europe.
Any suggestions? 
Eirik
I've heard that gypsies proper didn't arrive in Europe until the later 1300's or later.
Hmm.. who else then? Some other group of outcast travellers maybe?
E.
I remember Hurlements, an old french rpg with a company of wandering troubadours that were in fact shapechangers, you'd have liked it, and maybe the idea will prove usefull
Well from what I can find on the web, it appears to be consistently noted that the Roma (gypsies) were more prevalent in Western Europe beginning in the late 14th century onwards.
Prior to that there is mention of them as slaves taken by the Romanians along with Tatars (Hungarians).
One reference I found goes back before that, though...
crystalinks.com/romapeople.html
Mostly they wouldnt be known outside Romania and Hungary at best in 1220; not, at any rate, as a recognisable nomadic sub-culture such as they later became known throughout Europe.
Yes, I was just thinking about a troupe of travelling players. If I'm right, there were players tied to courts and such, and there were groups touring around. I think this would work for the story I'm planning.
E.
Yep, I think wnadering minstrels and such is the best you could hope for. They weren't exactly "outcasts" per se however.
How were these minstrels seen in the eyes of the nobility? What about the Church?
E.