Middle Ages

• Middle Ages / Medieval World

  The period of time from the crowning of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor in 800 A.D. to the beginning of the Renaissance in about 1400 A.D.
• The Middle Ages form a link between the ancient world of the Romans and the Modern world
• Primary Sources from the Middle Ages include Ruins of Castles, Bayeux Tapestry, Doomsday Book, Monks Manuscripts, Pictures painted at the time
• Vikings


  • From Scandinavia, attacked Ireland, England and other parts of Europe in the 8th and 9th centuries A.D.
  • Some settled in North East France where the locals referred to them as "North men"
  • Eventually became known as the Normans
• The Normans conquered England

  1066 A.D.
• The Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland


  1169
• Feudal System


  Land ownership system where the king gave land (called a Fief) to his most powerful subjects (Barons and Bishops) in return for their help in controlling and defending it
• Becoming a Vassal


  1. Lord receiving the land knelt before the king and swore to be true, loyal and supportive

  2. Undertook to provide Knights and soldiers for the king in time of war

  3. Promised to give the king hospitality, should he visit with his entourage
• Becoming a Knight


  1. Page (at age 7) learned to serve at table and good manners

  2. Squire (at age 14) began serious combat training, cared for the Lord's armour, practised with sword/shield/lance, accompanied the Lord into battle as a flag bearer

  3. Knighthood (at age 21) spent the night before in a Vigil of prayer, took a vow of Chivalry, was dubbed a knight by the Lord
• Motte and Bailey Castles


  • Earliest castles, built of wood
  • Motte was a large mound of earth with steep sides, with a house and timber fence on top
  • Bailey was a flat area enclosed by a ditch, fence and moat, containing lodgings, stables, workshops and kitchens
• Stone Castles


  • More expensive to build, only the king/Barons/Bishops could afford them
  • Had a stone tower (Keep) where the Lord lived
  • Huge Bailey enclosed by a Curtain Wall, with a Moat beyond
  • Battlements, Towers, Drawbridge, Portcullis for defence
• Lord of the Castle


  • Organised the business of the castle, kept his territory under control, carried out the king's wishes
  • Presided over law courts, settled disputes, hunted for meat
• Lady of the Castle


  • Ensured the smooth running of the castle
  • Organised the stores, food and drink, servants
  • Spun flax and wool, responsible for her daughter's education
  • Checked the accounts and money from the estate
• Attacking the Castle


  1. Besieged the castle

  2. Used catapults to launch missiles like rocks, fireballs, dead bodies

  3. Used scaling ladders, siege towers, battering rams

  4. Tried to tunnel under the walls
• Manor


  • The land the village was around, under the control of the Knight who lived in the Manor House
  • Rented much of the land to peasants and employed a Bailiff to run it
• Types of Peasants


  • Freemen (paid money rent, free to move around)
  • Serfs (paid rent with crops and labour, tied to the same Manor for life)
• Medieval Towns


  • Centres of trade, grew up in places like the coast, river crossings, near castles or monasteries, where trade routes met
  • Granted Royal Charters by the king to elect their own council, have their own courts and hold markets
  • Surrounded by high walls with gates controlling entry
  • Church and marketplace at the centre
• Merchants and Craftsmen


  • Main groups in medieval towns
  • Merchants were richer and often controlled town politics
  • Craftsmen had workshops in their houses
• Becoming a Guild Member


  1. Apprentice (began at age 14, lived with Master craftsman, learned skills of the trade)

  2. Journeyman (at age 21, worked freelance for anyone, paid by the day)

  3. Master craftsman (had work assessed by the Guild, presented a "master piece")
• Romanesque Churches


  • Rounded arches over doors and windows
  • Thick walls and pillars supporting the roof
  • Small windows set in the thick walls
• Gothic Churches


  • Pointed arches over doors and windows
  • Slender walls and narrow pillars supporting the roof
  • Huge tall windows including "Rose Windows"
• Medieval Monasteries


  • Monks and nuns devoted their lives to God
  • Ran hospitals, schools, guesthouses for travellers, self-sufficient farms
• Main Monastery Buildings


  • Church
  • Almonry
  • Cloisters
  • Refectory
  • Infirmary
  • Chapter house
  • Scriptorium
• Becoming a Monk

  1. Novice (learned the Rule of St Benedict, helped with work)

  2. Took vows of Poverty, Chastity, Obedience

  3. Wore a Habit and had a Tonsure haircut

  4. Life organised around Prayer (Divine Office) and Work
• Principal Monks


  • Abbot (head of the monastery, elected by the other monks)
  • Novice master, Guest Master, Almoner, Infirmarian (helped the Abbot run the monastery)
• The Black Death plague spread across Europe, killing 30% of the population


  1345 - 1348
• The Black Death brought an end to life as it had been lived during the Middle Ages
• Feudal system


  The way the land was owned and how society was organised in the middle ages
• Medieval manor


  • Where the local lord lived
• Peasants

  1. Farmed the land around the village

  2. Received land from the lord in return for working for free on his private land (serfs)

  3. Did not give free labour to the lord but still had to pay taxes to the lord and priest (freemen)
• Priests

  • Lived beside the church in the centre of the village
  • Peasants paid them one tenth of their crops (tithes)
• Religion was very important to people in Medieval Europe
• Medieval Europe was almost entirely Catholic
• People lived in constant fear of going to Hell if they disobeyed God and the Church's teachings
• Christendom


  The kingdom of Christ, Europe during the Medieval period as almost everyone was Catholic
• Pope


  • Leader of the Christian Church in Western Europe
• Church structure


  1. Divided into parishes and dioceses with priests and bishops

  2. Local priest baptised, married and buried everyone in the parish

  3. Bishop built a big church called a cathedral in each diocese
• Many churches were very impressive and meant to help people think of heaven and show God their devotion to Him
• First stone churches were built


  1000 AD
• Romanesque Church


  • Round arches
  • Square Towers
  • Dark and gloomy interiors
  • Roof is held up with heavy round columns and thick walls
  • Very small windows and little light gets in