Like so many things that get this label (torture, the death penalty, witch hunts, etc.) there is not a lot of evidence of bullfighting in the middle ages.
Like those other wonderful things, this sport is fucking early modern.
I've read comments defending this "sport". They're all pretty dumb.
- It's a proud tradition of Spain. You just don't understand their/our culture!
- Americans complain about this but don't mind eating hamburgers. Hypocrites!
- The bulls have a great life until the fight, much better than conditions in most farms.
- Humans > Animals.