Culture of the Middle Ages

1. Culture of the Middle Ages Samantha Stavropoulos and Kate Michels

2. What were the Middle Ages? • 500-1500 A.D.- Began after the fall of Rome • No central power or government during the time • Named the middle ages because it was the middle time in between the Roman Empire and Renaissance • Life was difficult because of poverty, and most of the population was impoverished • The closest thing to a form of government was manorialism, or rule over peasants by a lord

3. Background on Christianity • 30 B.C.- Jesus Christ established Christianity • 64-68 A.D.- Christians were seen as a threat to the Roman Empire, so Emperor Nero began to prosecute them • 313 A.D.- Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire • 1378-1417- the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches was complete • Great Schism was caused by Pope Urban IV

4. Faith in the Middle Ages-The Catholic Church • Imposed taxes and had its own land and laws • Accepted gifts and donations: that was how people got into Heaven • Excommunicated (banned from the church) non-believers • Started to translate the Bible-led to want for education and knowledge • This thirst for intelligence also influenced literature • The pope was infallible(incapable of error) and had power over all religious and political matters • The priests drank, gambled, and kept mistresses

5. Background on Islamic Religion • Practiced in mainly Spain, Middle East, and North Africa • There was little contact between Christians and Muslims • Islam was founded by Muhammad in the 7th century • It is a monotheistic religion based off the teachings of the Qur’an and the 5 Pillars of Islam

6. Islam During the Middle Ages • Almost all of the people of Spain were Muslim, but the rest of Europe was Christian • Both Christians and Muslims viewed the other badly, and they did not often encounter each other • Despite the cultural divide, Muslims added to the knowledge in science and technology • Islamic scribes translated Roman and Greek texts, contributing to the want for knowledge

7. Background on Knights • Duty: to learn how to fight and serve their Lord • Expected to guard the castle and support his lord in Middle Age warfare • Must train as a page, then a squire before becoming a knight • Trained for many years • They practiced their skills in tournaments of jousting • At the end of Knighthood ceremony, they would take the title of sir

8. Chivalry • Chivalry was the knightly system of the Middle Ages • The chivalric orders were first used against non-Christian states • It was a moral system that introduced ideal qualities such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women • Ideas of chivalry were written in poems, ballads, writings, and literary works • Myths such as Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table show the medieval code of chivalry

9. Chivalry-The Knight’s Code • Chivalry was used for knights in combat and in overall life • When knights were sworn in, they had to agree to the code • The Knights’ Code of Chivalry emphasized faith, charity, justice, sagacity, prudence, temperance, resolution, truth, liberality, diligence, hope, valor • The Knights’ Code was also related to defending God, showing the lack of separation between church and state

10. Literature • Literature flourished during the middle ages • There was a lack of paper, so calf’s skin and parchment were the typical choice • The books and illustrations were done by hand by monks • Romance novels and epic battles were written and described along with fiction and poetry • The spread of literature was also influenced by troubadours

11. Troubadours • A troubadour was a traveling musician • They spread news and entertained nobles • The stories they sung were about chivalry and romance, or battles and recent news • Troubadours assisted in the spread of literature, except instead of written stories they were spoken, then later on written down

12. Jongleurs • Jongleurs were assistants to the troubadours • They juggled, danced, and did acrobatics along with the singing and instrument playing • They also performed acts of stupidity which eventually led to jesters • The man on the left is the jongleur because he is acting oddly with additional flutes in his mouth

13. Questions • Why were they called the Middle Ages? • What was chivalry? • What were the troubadours?

14. Works Cited • http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-religion.htm • http://www.freeessays.cc/db/21/emr39.shtml • http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1661946?terms=religion+in+the+middle+ages • http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/history/muhlberger/2805/christ.htm • http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/614382?terms=middle+ages+ • http://eawc.evansville.edu/essays/seaman.htm • http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/knights-code-of-chivalry.htm • http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/troubadours.htm • http://www.medieval-life.net/literature_main.htm • http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/ • http://www.ais.org/~bsb/Herald/Previous/95/science.html • http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/islamicgeo.htm • http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-music/jongleurs.htm • http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-knights.htm

15. Works Cited: Picture Sources • http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2007/05/01/1178028959_6791.jpg • http://www.tattoosymbol.com/articles/celtic-cross.jpg • http://www.pioneertroubadours.com/images/troubadoursPic.jpg • http://jameswmiller.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/knighthood.jpg • http://www.wall-maps.com/Classroom/Atlas/worldSpreadOfIslam750.gif • http://www.wall-maps.com/Classroom/Atlas/worldSpreadOfIslam750.gif • http://religioncompass.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/11th-century-north-african-qur_an-in-the-british-museum.jpg • http://heraldictimes.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/knights-tournaments.jpg • http://lacsknights.pbworks.com/f/christianity%20map.gif • http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/images/medieval-musicians.jpg • The picture on slide 1 was found in clip art