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The Medieval Period in England 1066 - @1500 1066-Battle of Hastings William the Conqueror of Normandy defeats King Harold Bayeux Tapestry commemorates victory: Took 10 years to complete (women) (20” high and @230 feet in length Housed in Bayeux France Trends of the Medieval Period Changing politics Changing society Changing attitudes about religion The Domesday Book Wm. The Conqueror ordered all property recorded in order to establish control Ejected many AS lords and replaced with his own people Established the feudal system of government as was practiced in much of Europe Feudalism for Dummies A lord manages an estate that is farmed by serfs (some bound to the land, some not) They pay rent (portion of crops or goods) in return for the lord’s protection Relationship SUPPOSED to be for their mutual advantage (noblesse oblige) People on the estate and surrounding villages are entwined and supported by the affairs of the estate. Results of Norman Invasion Changing English Language Changing English Society French is official language English spoken by common people Feudal system of government instituted (Class system) Significance: Introduces much new vocabulary (Film about this later in the week) Significance: less freedom for poorer classes Women lose legal and social status Four Major Groups in Society Those who fought (knights from the nobility & the nobility) Those who prayed (clergy) Those who labored (peasants & artisans) Those who traded (merchants/traders) The Nobility Inherited land OR Feudal Vassals who rose in status Lived off labor of others The Nobility Higher/Greater *Great landowners *Dominant power in their regions Ex. Dukes, Earls Lesser Nobility/Landed Gentry *petty landlords *descendants of minor knights *Wealthy merchants who rose form serfdom (Often married daughters of the nobility) Often owed allegiance to one of the Greater Nobility Wars & Battles = Profit The Crusades The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) *Brought fame, honor, glory *Riches, plunder, lands Nobility looked down on Merchants – outside normal feudal order; gained wealth in unfamiliar ways Peasants – cowards who ran away at the first sign of battle and needed protection because they couldn’t fight for themselves Nobles as Knights Part of the Bellatores (those who fought) Chivalry (from F. Cheval=Horse) Only nobles serve as knights because only nobles could afford horses, arms, armor, etc. Knights: Code of Chivalry Code of conduct ruling a knight’s behavior involving LOYALTY, COURTESY, CHASTITY, AND GENEROSITY If found guilty of conduct unbecoming his rank, was stripped of rank, sword might be broken, spurs hacked off by the king’s cook Knighthood Start training at 7-14—PAGE (serving boy in a noble household) 14-21-SQUIRE (train in horsemanship, arms, manners, liberal arts)—served as a knight’s valet or assistant 21+ KNIGHT (dubbing—Usu. involved bath of purification, confession, communion, prayer vigil) Causes: Decline of the Nobility Climate changes (crop failures/less income) Depopulation re: Black Death—fewer workers on manor estates & better jobs in town Military Changes—Longbows & gunpowder make chivalry obsolete Alliance of wealthy towns with king (didn’t need feudal protection) Merchant Class Dyers, weavers, carpenters, vintners (wine merchants), weavers, tanners, armorers, etc. Members of closely controlled Guilds, forerunners of modern trade unions Guilds: set quality controls, punished violators, set wages and prices, protected consumers Entry is difficult Merchant Class Apprentice, journeyman, master Can become a selectman—a kind of town councilman—an increase status Many very wealthy Religious Life: Interesting facts Religion played a major role in the lives of all classes. Clergy ran schools, hospitals, and held many governmental posts as scribes. Life in a Monastery Farmed own food Often made own goods (clothes, etc.) Monastic vows: POVERTY, CHASTITY, OBEDIENCE Types of contact with laity 1) feeding the poor, 2) Tending the sick, 3) Teaching in Monastic Schools, 4) Acting as “supplemental” pastors, preachers, confessors A note about celibacy Until the Gregorian reforms of the 11th century, parish priests could live with women in a marriage-type relationship, and priests’ concubines and illegitimate children were accepted in the community. Religious Life: Interesting facts However, there was much corruption in the clergy as well. Celibacy was instituted in Europe during the early middle ages as a means to keep wealth within the church. Many clergy abused their privileges and preyed upon the fears of their congregations to get more money. Life as a member of the “secular clergy” High Clergy: Cardinals, Archbishops— often wealthy members of the nobility Middle Clergy: Urban priests—often well educated, made a comfortable living Low Clergy: Parish priests Majority of clergy—poorly educated & underpaid Basic requirement: Be able to say mass Poor: many held second jobs as teachers, artisans, farmers Religious Life: Interesting facts While the religious life is an “open estate” many nuns and priests were unmarriageable sons and daughters of the nobility (no land, too old, intractable, etc.) or were children used to gain power and wealth for the family (i.e. became abbots or abbesses) or were scholars seeking to be highly educated. This explains why some of them were not motivated to live their lives according to their religious vows. The church—filled with saints? Many members of the clergy had high ideals and made great personal sacrifices, BUT Or sinner? There was much corruption in the clergy. Celibacy was instituted to keep wealth within the church. Many clergy abused their privileges and preyed upon fears of congregation to get more money. Relics Bits of “the true cross” The bones or hair of a saint These relics were said to posses mystical properties and were sold at high prices as a sort of religious good luck charm. Reliquary Other forms of corruption Pardons & Indulgences: Clergy would sell pardons for grievous sins to those who could afford it and give heavy penances to those who couldn’t. Threatening people with excommunication (severing ties with church) or interdict (denying sacraments) for petty reasons The Seven Deadly Sins Lust Gluttony Wrath/Anger/Hatred Sloth Avarice/Greed Pride Envy Clerical Court Members of this estate were not subject to the “law of the land,” only church law Henry II tried to institute “common law” for all. This would place criminous clerks in double jeopardy (said the church) Archbishop Thomas a Beckett Sided with the church instead of Henry Killed while at prayer in Canterbury Cathedral (martyrdom) Canterbury became a holy shrine The Norman Style Cathedral More solidly built Characteristically curved “Norman arches” Canterbury Cathedral The seat of religion in the South The most important Cathedral—seat of the Archbishop Dates from 597 A.D. Wells Cathedral Seat of the Bishop of Bath & Wells Famous for its architectural fix— an ingenious bit of Medieval engineering The Scissor Arches The Clock Medieval atstronomica l clock Represents preCopernican view of the universe Bishop’s Palace Water flows from St. Andrew’s Well at a rate of 40,000 gallons per second. The moat holds 4 million gallons Used to sanitize the streets of Wells The Gothic Cathedral Known for its “soaring” arches Took many lifetimes for craftsmen to build York Minster Cathedral The seat of religion in the North Largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe York Minster Cathedral Carvings Gargoyles & Grotesques Beautiful Stonework The Green Man Literacy in the Middle Ages Only the very wealthy and the clergy were literate Art (sculpture, stained glass windows, pictures) was meant to instruct, especially about scripture Almost all books at this time are written in Latin The Wycliffe/Lollard Bible (1377) Only the wealthy and clergy were literate, especially in Latin John Wycliffe published a Bible in English Thought people should have access to the Bible— VERY CONTROVERSIAL People believed that Bible needed to be interpreted by priests If people could read the Bible, it would give them dangerous sentiments about not being under the authority of the church. John Wycliffe After his death, Pope ordered his bones, dug up, ground up, and thrown into the river! Stained Glass Windows Books of Hours (illuminated) Bestiaries Books of animals, real and imaginary (Pelicans were reputed to feet their babies from their breast—in Hamlet, Shakespeare makes reference to “the kind life rend’ring pelican”) Unicorns Mermaids The Camelleopard Some tales of animals from “exotic” regions inspired “combination names” A Medieval Illuminated Torah: Mamonides Mishneh Thorah (1472) A Medieval Illuminated Qur’an (1304-1306) Bedford Book of Hours (The Duke prays before St. George) 1423 World View LIFE: earthly pilgrimage through a changing world WHEEL OF FORTUNE: represented personal or public changes that seem random or drastic HEAVEN: unchanging reward, comfort in the face of an unpredictable and risky world Wheel of Fortune World View People believed (on the main) that you had been set down in the “estate” that God intended for you. (Noble, peasant, etc.) This severely limited social mobility based on merit as we often see in our own society. Exceptions: the clergy, the merchant class had relatively more mobility EVERYTHING revolved around religion, BUT Life was exceptionally brutal and violent Medieval Justice & Penalties Three ordeals—fire, water, combat Fire: carry a hot iron bar for a set # of paces. If the resulting wound didn’t get better, you were guilty. Water: The water ordeal=toss a tied up person into a body of H20. If they floated, they were guilty Medieval Justice & Penalties Trial by combat: Might makes right GUILTY? *Thieves hands cut off *Women guilty of murder faced strangling & burning *Hunting in royal parks—ears cut off *Drawing and quartering Cheaper to do the above than to jail the guilty. http://www.medieval-castle-siege-weapons.com The Black Death The Plague Transmitted through flea bites and infected rats Doctors treated the plague wearing. . . Medicine in the Middle Ages Examine urine Bloodletting (doctors were sometimes called “leaches”) Medicine in the Middle Ages The four humors (see handout) – disease caused by an imbalance Apothecary: medieval pharmacist Surgeons = often same person as the barber Entertainment for Various Classes Nobility: courtly romances (tales of great figures such as King Arthur), sermons, lays Clergy: sermons and stories of saints’ lives, chants, religious songs & Chants Commoners: folk ballads and folk tales (no exact dates because oral tradition) BUT There was a great deal of overlap: courtiers enjoyed ballads, priests wrote lays, and everyone loved tales of King Arthur