An Introduction to the Middle Ages

An Introduction to the Middle Ages Ms. Warnberg

William the conqueror • Lead an invasion of England after his cousin once removed, King Edward the Confessor, dies. • Claimed he was the rightful king. • United the Anglo-Saxons. • Doomesday Book • Law & Order • Cultural Unity What was William’s title before he conquered the Anglo-Saxons?

Feudalism: Chain of Being • God • The King • Vassals & Lords • Knights • Serfs The king owned all the land. Lords were appointed by the king. They could grant land to vassals or be vassals themselves. Vassals received land from a lord in exchange for military service or other loyalties. They could be lords by distributing portions of their land to others. Knights served lords in battle. Vassals had to provide them. Serfs were peasants who worked the land that others owned.

Knights • Only wealthy knights could afford armor. • They received the title “sir”. • Chivalry and Loyalty • Loyalty to their lord was sealed with a kiss What do knights have to do with The Lion King?

Women During the Middle Ages • Could not serve as soldiers, therefore they had no political power • Subservient to all men (fathers, husbands, brothers) • Roles were to bear children and to take care of the house and fields How do women in the United States live compared to women in the Middle Ages?

Chivalry and Courtly Love • Chivalry: system of ideals & social codes governing the behavior of knights and gentlewomen • Oaths of loyalty to the king and lords were part of it • Adoring a lady would make one braver and nobler • Courtly love: means of self-improvement, nonsexual • Guinevere and Lancelot broke the code and ruined the system Dulcinea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayz50HeFJUU&feature=related What famous knight is represented on this slide?

Holy relics • Three Types of Relics • • 1st Degree: Actual body part of a saint or holy • person • – Ex.: finger, skull, hair, entire skeleton, etc. • • 2nd Degree: Item that was touched by and • belonged to the saint or holy person • – Ex.: clothing, shoes, jewelry • • 3rd Degree: Item that came in contact with the • saint or holy person • – Ex.: piece of his/her home, book, crucifix or rosary • • These are physical proof of religious faith • in the everyday world • – “Souvenirs” of holy people thought to have • religious significance & the power of God to • heal

Romance • A woman’s value was tied to the land she brought into a marriage • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight • Romance: a hero undertakes a quest to conquer an evil enemy (often with the help of magic) Can anyone think of a modern day romance?

The fall of Feudalism • As people moved to the city, a new class system developed that made the feudal system obsolete. • Upper, middle, lower • We see evidence of this in Chaucer’s work

Drama • • Performances of the plays was taken over by the trade guilds • – Groups of men of the same trade • – Pageant wagons or carts were movable stages on wagons that depicted different scenes of a skit and processed through the • town • • Modern-day parades are modeled after this • • Began in the Church – most of the • population was illiterate and plays taught • stories of the Bible • – Miracle Plays – Based on the legends of • saints • – Mystery Plays – Based on Biblical stories • • Passion Plays- reenacted the last week and • crucifixion of Christ’s life • –Morality Plays – personified virtues and vices

Thomas a’ becket • Archbishop of Cantebury • Prime Minister under King Henry II • “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” • King Henry’s knights murder Thomas. • Public outrage • Thomas a martyr • Tension between Catholic church and England

The Catholic Church • • Fosters cultural unity • • Continues to be a center for learning • – Monasteries- libraries and publishers • – Latin – international language of educated Europeans • – Pope- “King of Kings” his kingdom had no boundaries

Magna Carta- “Great Charter” • • King John was backed by the Pope but • English barrons forced him to sign the • document to curb the Church’s power • – Later it becomes the basis for English • constitutional law • • Trial by Jury • • Legislative taxation

Hundred Years’ War1337-1453 • • 1st national war between England & • France • • 2 British kings (Edward III & Henry V) • claimed the throne of France • – English lost • – English yeoman- small landowners form • nucleus of the army – replace knights • • Yeoman class, modern democratic England is • born

Joan of Arc1412-1431 • • Young French girl who had visions of Christ as a child • • Persuaded King of France to allow her to lead • the French army into battle – was told by God • she would be victorious • – Captured in Burgundy and sold to the English • – English turned her over to the Catholic Church for trial • – tried for heresy (speaking out against the Catholic Church and her beliefs), witchcraft, and wearing men’s clothes • • Burned to death and canonized as a saint • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gv2p2WZoUE

The Black Death:Bubonic plague • • 1348-1349 • • Spread by fleas and rats • • Reduced England’s population by a 1/3 • – Caused labor shortage • – Feudalism dies – serfs are freed • (Bring out your dead) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grbSQ6O6kbs • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFACHNd_AWs

End of the Middle Ages • • King Henry VII’s marriage reconciles • warring houses of York and Lancaster • – War of the Roses-over which house would • rule England • • York – red rose • • Lancaster-white rose • • Lancaster won – strong king started the • Tudor line – King Henry VIII’s family – • England’s Renaissance begins

An Introduction to the Middle Ages