Middle Ages: Overview

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1 # Name Date Middle Ages: Overview Score: Source: The Middle Ages [ ] The Middle Ages encompass one of the most turbulent periods in English History. Starting with the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest, and when in 1066, William the Conqueror effectively took all of the lands from the Saxon English and gave them to French nobles. The English Middle Ages then saw the building of the great English castles, including the Tower of London, which helped the Normans to retain their hold on England. The start of the Crusades heralded in the Middle Ages. This included the founding of the Knights Templar. The Domesday Book and the Magna Carta was created. The Kings and Queens of the Middle Ages including Richard, the Lionheart and great Plantagenet Kings from Henry II ( ) to Edward III ( ). The Hundred Years War between England and France. The Medieval Kings and Queens of the Royal Houses of Lancaster and York and the Wars of the Roses. The Middle Ages Feudal System and the terrible Black Death really did plague the period of the Middle Ages. The Renaissance began with the Elizabethan Era, the Tutors reign, which included Henry VII. William Shakespeare was a famous playwright of the Renaissance Period. Definition of the Middle Ages in England The Middle Ages are so called as the middle period between the decline of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. The early Middle Ages are often referred to as the Dark Ages. The Middle Ages are also referred to as the Medieval era. Definition of the Middle Ages dates in England [ ] There is some variance in the views and definition of the dates, which encompassed the Middle Ages. The events in England from the Battle of Hastings in 1066 starts the Middle Ages, and ends with the emergence of the English Renaissance period with the Tudor dynasty in To put this into perspective, and for ease of reference, the periods in English history have been categorized as follows: Neolithic - Stone Age ( BC) The Bronze & Iron Age ( BC)

2 The Romans (600 BC AD) The Dark Ages - Anglo-Saxon England (410 AD AD) The Middle Ages ( ) The Renaissance Period in England starting with the Tudor Dynasty ( th Century) Life in the Middle Ages What was life really like in the Middle Ages? The life of all the classes was dominated by the feudal system. What was village life and general daily life like during the Middle Ages? The daily life of a noble, lord, a knight, a noblewoman, a peasant, a peasant woman, a monk and a nun varied quite a bit. The jobs and occupations dictated the quality of life during the Middle Ages. Life in the Middle Ages also included entertainment, music, dance, and Medieval sports. Middle Ages Religion Christianity, religion and the church played an important role in life in the Middle Ages. In Europe during the Middle Ages the only recognized religion was Christianity, in the form of the Catholic religion. The lives of the Medieval people of the Middle Ages were dominated by the church. From birth to death, whether you were a peasant, a serf, a noble a lord or a King - life was dominated by the church. Various religious institutions became important, rich and powerful. The lives of many Medieval people were dedicated to the Catholic church and religion. In the Roman Empire, Christians had been persecuted, many of who were killed and thus became martyrs to the Christian religion. The prosecution of adherents to the Christian religion ended during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Emperor Constantine I (AD ca AD 337) of the Roman Empire legalized Christianity and Constantine the Great proclaimed himself as an 'Emperor of the Christian people'. Most of the Roman Emperors that came after Constantine were Christians. Christianity then became the official religion of the Roman Empire instead of the old Roman religion that had worshipped many Gods. In the 5th century, the Roman empire began to crumble. Germanic tribes (barbarians) conquered the city of Rome. This event started the period in history referred to as the Dark Ages. The period of the Dark Ages saw the growth in the power of the Christian Church, which was then referred to, as the Catholic religion. During the Dark Ages and Early Middle Ages the only accepted Christian religion was the Catholic religion. The word Catholic derives from the Middle English word 'catholik' and from the Old French 'catholique' and the Latin word 'catholicus' meaning universal or whole. Early Christians, such as Saint Ignatius of Antioch, who was martyred in c110, used the term 'catholic' to describe the whole Church - the literal meaning being universal or whole. Any other sects were viewed as heretical. The Catholic religion was seen as the true religion. The Christian church was divided geographically between the west (Rome) and the east (Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch). With it's own laws, lands and taxes The Catholic church was a very powerful institution, which had its own, laws and lands. The Catholic Church also imposed taxes. In addition to collecting taxes, the Church also accepted gifts of all kinds from individuals who wanted special favors or wanted to be certain of a place in heaven. The power of the Catholic Church grew with its wealth. The Catholic Church was then able to influence the kings and rulers of Europe. Opposition to the Catholic Church would result in excommunication. These meant that the person who was excommunicated could not attend any church services, receive the sacraments and would go straight to hell when they died. In 1054 there was a split between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches prompted by arguments over the crusades. This split was called the Great Schism. The Great Western Schism occurred in Western Christendom from This was caused by an Italian pope called Pope Urban IV being elected and establishing the papal court in Rome. The French disagreed with this and elected a French Pope who was based in Avignon. The schism in western Christendom was finally healed at the Council of Constance and the Catholic religion was referred to as the Roman Catholic Religion. The History of the Middle Ages with Timelines, Key dates and Events The Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest The Bayeux Tapestry The Doomsday Book

3 The Magna Carta The Hundred Years War between England and France The Black Death The Wars of the Roses and the Battle of Bosworth The Great Schism of 1054 and the Great Western Schism Feudalism Feudalism in England was established by William the Conqueror and the Normans following the defeat of the English Anglo Saxons at the Battle of Hastings in The system and structure of feudalism had been well established in Europe for some time and the Normans imposed feudalism in England. Feudalism was based on the exchange of land for military service. King William the Conqueror used the concept of feudalism to reward his Norman supporters for their help in the conquest of England. Life lived under the Medieval Feudal System, or Feudalism, demanded that everyone owed allegiance to the King and their immediate superior. Feudalism had a dramatic effect on England and Europe during the Middle Ages. The pyramid of power, which was the Feudal system, ran to a strict 'pecking' order - during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages everyone knew their place. The emergence of the Medieval Feudal System of the Middle Ages affected all spheres of Medieval society: a land-based economy, the judicial system and the rights of the feudal lords under the feudal system and the lack of rights for the serfs and peasants. The lives of everyone were effected by the feudal system: the vassals and their grant of a fief for their Oath of Fealty and their Commendation ceremony, the serfs, the villains and the peasants who toiled on the lands. The system of farming under the feudal system and the opportunities for knights to make their fortune Middle Ages - Crusades in the Middle Ages Pilgrimages to Jerusalem were made by people in the Middle Ages who had been guaranteed their safety in the city. In 1065 Jerusalem was taken by the Turks and Christians were treated so badly that throughout Christendom people were stirred to fight in crusades. Middle Ages Knights The Middle Ages was dominated by the feudal system and the role of the knights and their servants. Their life, living conditions, clothing, weapons, training, armor, tournaments and jousts were all regimented. The Knights Templar organization was also formed during the Middle Ages. Knighthood Training. Included about 14 years of training. The Knights Code of Chivalry, rules about Courtly Love and Knights Tournaments was all learned by candidates Knights Templar The crusades saw the emergence of religious knights including the Knights Templar, the Teutonic knights and the Hospitallers. The members of the orders of Religious knights were both monks and knights; that is, to the monastic vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience they added a fourth vow, which bound them to protect pilgrims and fight the infidels. Middle Ages Weapons Every man was expected to be able to use weapons during the Middle Ages. There were basically two types of armed men during the Medieval era: knights and foot soldiers, which included the archers. Middle Ages weapons and the training of soldiers during the Middle Ages included knights weapons, the quatrain, Pell Training, Pell Mell and the Butts. The Medieval shields and the Medieval swords including the broadsword, the Falchion sword, the great sword, the long sword and the Scimitar. The different types of pole arms that were used as weapons during the Middle Ages including the lance, the Halberd, the Pike, the pole axe and spears. Other weapons included battle-axes, batons, maces, the billhook, caltrops, the flail, the quarterstaff, the war hammer, the longbow, the crossbow and other types of bows and their arrows.

4 Middle Ages Castles Until 1066 there were no castles. William the conqueror (King William I of England) introduced Norman castles to England when he defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in These Norman castles gave the Normans of 1066 power bases from which they could subjugate the English population. The Motte and Bailey Castles were first built in timber and then in Stone. Middle Ages castles illustrate the strength, magnificence and power of the Medieval warlords and their fortresses. Middle Ages Concentric Castles were built by King Edward I. The famous Middle Ages Castles include the Tower of London, Warwick Castle, Leeds Castle, Windsor Castle, Caernarvon Castle and the Chateau Galliard. Middle Ages Torture We are all horrified and at the same time fascinated by Middle Ages torture. The castles of the Middle Ages with their dark dungeons increase the growing curiosity about torture during the Middle Ages. The torture chambers and the various torture devices used during the Middle Ages included the Rack Torture, Scavengers Daughter, The Brank or Scold's Bridle, Ducking Stool, Torture by Dislocation, Iron Balls Torture, Water Torture, The Boot Torture, Branding and Burning Tortures, Brodequins, Thumbscrews and the Pillory. Different types of execution methods included being burned at the stake, execution by quartering, execution by the wheel, execution by hanging and being hung, drawn and quartered. Middle Ages - History of the Famous People Famous Middle Ages people include great nobles, religious leaders, artists, scientists, military leaders, inventors and explorers including: Marco Polo - famous explorer Kublai Khan - Mongol leader and Emperor of China in he Middle Ages Johann Gutenberg- famous inventor Frederick Barbarossa - King of Germany and Crusader Joan of Arc - Lead France to victory during the Hundred Years War Peter the Hermit - Religious Crusader Robert the Bruce - Famous King of Scotland William Wallace - Braveheart hero of Scotland Thomas Becket - Saint and Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Aquinas - One of the greatest theologians of the Catholic Church Roger Bacon - Scientist, inventor and philosopher Jack Cade - Leader of English rebellion Lambert Simnel - A pretender to the throne of England Perkin Warbeck - A pretender to the throne of England El Cid - Famous Spanish hero Tamerlane - Leader of the Monguls William Tell - hero of Switzerland John of Gaunt - famous Plantagenet Prince Peter Abelard - Medieval Scholar and lover of Heloise Blondel the Minstrel - the famous Medieval minstrel of legend Robin Hood John Wycliffe Middle Ages Clothing Middle Ages clothing and fashion like everything else was dictated by the Pyramid of Power, which was the Middle Ages Feudal System. Medieval clothes provided information about the status of the person wearing them.

5 Middle Ages Women and Medieval Queens and Princesses The lives of Middle Ages women were dependent on their role and status. All women were expected to be subservient to the men in their family. Middle Ages - Middle Ages Food The people of the Middle Ages loved their food and drink. Middle Ages Food changed considerably during the Middle Ages. Up to the start of the Middle Ages when William the Conqueror and the Normans invaded England the only real influence on the types of food consumed had been from the Romans. The violent times of the Dark Ages led to a primitive society lacking in elegance or refinement. Early Middle Ages Food was basic and the ingredients were home grown. This all changed in 1066 with the Norman Conquest and between when Europeans looked to the Eastern World and joined in the crusades. The people of the Middle Ages enjoyed drinking, and as water was often unclean, it was a necessity. The poor drank ale, mead or cider and the rich were able to drink many different types of wines The French produced the first Recipe books. In 1306 The Little Treatise was written. The first English cookery book was written in 1390 called 'The Forme of Cury' which consisted of nearly 200 recipes 196 recipes contributed by the Royal cooks. Facts and information about the different types of foods eaten during the Middle Ages Medieval period including the meat, fruit, fish and bread. The Normans were influenced by French food and also Scandinavian food. The Normans were known to document recipes although generally they passed form the master cook to the apprentice. The tastes of the Norman nobility were far more sophisticated than the English. The Normans also enjoyed feasts and special occasions when lavish meals and food could be served. The influence of the Crusades had a startling effect on Middle Ages Food. Kings, Knights, Lords and other crusaders had traveled 3000 miles to reach the Holy Lands. And during their travels they were introduced to the spices, which were added to different foods by different cultures. These new ideas about Middle Ages food were brought back by the Crusaders, and new foods and spices were introduced to the European menu. The elegance of the Far East, with its silks, tapestries, precious stones, perfumes, spices, pearls, and ivory, was so enchanting that an enthusiastic crusader called it "the vestibule of Paradise". A change in culture started to emerge. Travel certainly broadened the mind of the Crusaders, who developed a new and unprecedented interest in beautiful objects and elegant manners. It must be remembered that the preparation of Middle Ages Food was of special interest to the women of the era, many of whom accompanied men on the Crusades. The preparation and content of Middle Ages food underwent a 'sea change - into something rich and strange'. The economy of the Middle Ages changed. Various goods were exported from the Far East including spices. It became a status symbol to serve food with herbs and spices. As they were exported, these spices were expensive. The differences of The Middle Ages Food consumed by the Upper and Lower Classes changed significantly. The poor could not afford the new range of spices. Middle Ages Food varied according to status and according to the Middle Ages period. And in the early Middle Ages era even meat was a sign of wealth. The amount of food available in the Middle Ages world changed in The Black Death spread across Europe with devastating effect. The population of the Middle Ages dropped - the Black Death claimed a third of the World's population and 200 million people died. The Black Death reached England by 1346 and ravaged the land for nearly 60 years. The Black Death resulted in a far smaller population, more food was available and even the poor were able to eat meat. Kings in the Middle Ages From The Normans ruled the English after their victory at the Battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror King William Rufus King Henry I Queen Matilda King Stephen From the Plantagenet Kings of England ruled the English during the Middle Ages.

6 King Henry II King Richard I King John King Henry III King Edward I King Edward II King Edward III From the Royal Houses of Lancaster and York became Kings of England. Websites: