Literacy rates in medieval times were not what they are today, but they’re still routinely underestimated. Most places, including peasant villages, would have had some people around who could read.

Then again, it also depends heavily in what part of the middle ages you are talking about. Early, high and late middle ages were almost different worlds in many regards.

It’s almost as if that term was made up to put a name on something that wasn’t Roman times or now

(Mind you, now being 16th century Italy)

now being 16th century Italy

I think that’s incorrect, actually. By my calculations, we’re at LEAST a dozen years farther along than that!