The king [Conrad III of Germany] besieged the city of the duke Welf of Bavaria, which was called Weinsberg, and accepted its surrender, having granted with royal magnanimity permission to the wives and other women found there that they might take with them whatever they could carry on their shoulders. Taking thought both for their loyalty for their husbands and the safety of the others, they disregarded their household goods and came down carrying the men on their shoulders. When Duke Friedrich said that such things should not happen, the king, showing favour to the women's cunning, said that it would not be fitting to change his royal word.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Weinsberg
Credit to "goswamitulsidas" at the Evil Empire for the image and text, which was evidently copied from somewhere else. More info on the painting: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Volz_weiber_weinsberg_retusche.jpg
Kids could probably ride the backs of the men.