The Medieval Times

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The Medieval Times
The Medieval Times
1066 - 1485
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Table of Contents

• The Norman Conquest
• Feudalism Town Life
• Beckets Shrine at Canterbury
• Chivalry Romance
• Poetry Literature

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The Norman Conquest

• Normans were descendants of Vikings who
  originally invaded France , were devout
  Christians, originally established feudalism in
  France
• William, Duke of Normandy, was related to Edward,
  King of England
• Edward died in 1066 council of elders chose
  Harold II as King
• William of Normandy claimed Edward promised him
  the throne
• William took a few thousand Norman and French
  troops across English Channel to assert his claim
  by force
• called Battle of Hastings
• William killed Harold ? took throne on Christmas
  Day at Westminster Abbey
• William the Conqueror
• Bayeux Tapestry

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Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux Tapestry is a wool-on-linen embroidery 20
inches high and 230 feet long which records the
story of the Norman conquest.
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Feudalism Town Life

• All land belonged to Ruler
• Idea based on an exchange of property for
  personal service
• King kept land for himself, gave some to church,
  and parceled rest out to powerful supporters
  (Barons)
• Barons parcels called fiefs
• Barons had to pay fees and taxes
• Baron expected to supply knights to Kings
  service
• Knights owned smaller parcels of land called
  manors
• workers on manors lowest class of people called
  serfs
• Towns were self-sufficient provided all
  crafters for all their needs

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Beckets Shrine At Canterbury

• Henry II ends Norman rule
• Henry II very interested in law
• Law interest led to conflict with church in that
  he tried to curb privilege abuse by clergy
• appointed Thomas Becket (a friend) Archbishop of
  Canterbury thinking Becket would support him
• Becket went against Henry and appealed to Pope
• Henry enraged
• Henrys knights misunderstood Henrys anger and
  murdered Becket in his cathedral supposedly while
  he was in prayer

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Beckets Shrine at Canterbury Cont.
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Beckets Shrine at Canterbury Cont.

• Henry quickly condemned murder
• Tried to atone for murder by making a holy
  journey (Pilgrimage) to Beckets Tomb
• From there after, a pilgrimage to Beckets shrine
  at Canterbury became a common English means of
  showing religious devotion
• The characters in Canterbury Tales make such a
  pilgrimage

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Beckets Shrine at Canterbury Cont.
Worn steps at Shrine from pilgrims
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Chivalry Romance

• Chivalry Code of behavior that Medieval knights
  followed
• Originated from horse-mounted Calvary feudalism
• Knights were given land in exchange for duty
• Being a knight therefore became a social
  distinction usually limited to men of noble birth
• Knight was expected to be brave and loyal
  precursors to the code of chivalry
• Christianity and courtly love expanded code of
  chivalry

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Chivalry Romance cont.

• Examples of Chivalry
• religious piety and refined social graces and
  manners
• treat fellow knights and social inferiors with
  respect and benevolence
• Knights prohibited from attacking the unarmed
• Knightly ideals stressed that the good knight
  fight for glory and Christian purposes and not
  for mere profit or gain
• Courtly love the system that came to define
  relationships between knights and ladies in the
  feudal court
• A knight should devote himself completely to a
  married or betrothed woman at court.

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The Rules of Courtly Love

• Love is a certain inborn suffering derived from
  the sight of and excessive meditation upon the
  beauty of the opposite sex, which causes each one
  to wish above all things the embraces of the
  other and by common desire to carry out all of
  love's precepts in the other's embraces.
• 1. Marriage is no real excuse for not loving. 2.
  He who is not jealous cannot love. 3. No one can
  be bound by a double love.

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Rules of Courtly Love

• 4. It is well known that love is always
  increasing or decreasing. 5. That which a lover
  takes against the will of his beloved has no
  relish. 6. Boys do not love until they arrive at
  the age of maturity. 7. When one lover dies, a
  widowhood of two years is required of the
  survivor. 8. No one should be deprived of love
  without the very best of reasons.

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Rules of Courtly Love

• 9. No one can love unless he is impelled by the
  persuasion of love. 10. Love is always a
  stranger in the home of avarice. 11. It is not
  proper to love any woman whom one would be
  ashamed to seek to marry. 12. A true lover does
  not desire to embrace in love anyone except his
  beloved. 13. When made public, love rarely
  endures.

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Rules of Courtly Love

• 14. The easy attainment of love makes it of
  little value difficulty of attainment makes it
  prized. 15. Every lover regularly turns pale in
  the presence of his beloved. 16. When a lover
  suddenly catches sight of his beloved, his heart
  palpitates. 17. A new love puts to flight an old
  one. 18. Good character alone makes any man
  worthy of love.

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Rules of Courtly Love

• 19. If love diminishes, it quickly fails and
  rarely revives. 20. A man in love is always
  apprehensive. 21. Real jealousy always increases
  the feeling of love. 22. Jealousy and,
  therefore, love are increased when one suspects
  his beloved. 23. He whom the thought of love
  vexes eats and sleeps very little. 24. Every act
  of a lover ends in the thought of his beloved.

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Rules of Courtly Love

• 25. A true lover considers nothing good except
  what he thinks will please his beloved. 26. Love
  can deny nothing to love. 27. A lover can never
  have enough of the solaces of his beloved. 28. A
  slight presumption causes a lover to suspect his
  beloved. 29. A man who is vexed by too much
  passion usually does not love.

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Rules of Courtly Love

• 30. A true lover is constantly and without
  intermission possessed by the thought of his
  beloved.
• 31. Nothing forbids one woman being loved by two
  men or one man by two women.

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Medieval Romance

• Medieval Romance
• High adventure, religious crusade, conquest for
  lord, rescue of a captive lady, or any combination

• Characterized by
• idealization of chivalry
• Idealization of hero-Knight his noble deeds
• Knights love for his lady
• settings are imaginary and vague
• Derives mystery suspense from supernatural
  elements
• Uses concealed or disguised identity
• Repetition of the mystical number 3

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The Hero-Knight

• Characteristics of Hero-Knight
• Birth of great hero is shrouded in mystery
• He is reared away from his true home in ignorance
  of his real parents
• For a time his true identity is unknown
• After meeting an extraordinary challenge, he
  claims his right
• His triumph benefits his nation or group

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Medieval Literature and Poetry

• Geoffrey Chaucer
• wrote The Canterbury Tales
• first piece reproduced on printing process
• Ranks second only to William Shakespeare as
  Englands greatest writer

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Ballads

• Ballad a folk song that tells a story
• Robin Hood was a popular topic
• became associated with May Day festivities

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Review

• The Duke of Normandy who took the English
  throne by murdering Harold II was nicknamed?
• The battle begun by William the Conqueror was
  called the Battle of ___________________.
• The ________ _________ is a wool-on-wool linen
  embroidery depicting the Norman Conquest.
• Land owned by knights was called _____________.
• The class system in the Middle Ages was called
  ________.
• The lowest class in feudalism were known as
  __________.
• __________ ____________ was killed in the
  Canterbury Cathedral while in prayer by Henry II
  soldiers due to a misunderstanding.

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Review Continued

• Becket is buried in the _________________________.
  
• A holy journey is known as a ___________________.
• The characters of what novel make the pilgrimage
  to Beckets Shrine?
• The _________ __________ is the first government
  document that influenced the peoples voice in
  law-making decisions.
• The civil war fought for the throne by Henry VI
  of Lancaster and Richard of York was known as
  ______________________.

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Review Continued

• The code of behavior followed by knights was
  called ____________.
• Two examples of chivalry would be?
• Courtly love is?
• Three example of courtly love is?
• Two characteristics of Medieval Romance is?
• A Medieval romance usually entails what event or
  combination of events?
• Two characteristics of a hero-knight are?
• The first university built was ___________________
  .
• The second university built several years later
  was called_________?
• What purpose did the printing press serve?
• A work in which characters and setting are
  symbolic is called an ______________________.

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Review Continued

• Langlands allegories were especially concerned
  with what?
• Who is the author of The Canterbury Tales?
• How is Geoffrey Chaucer compared to William
  Shakespeare?
• A poem told to the playing of the instrument
  known as the lyre was called ________________?
• The two categories of Lyric poetry are __________
  and _________________.
• Secular topics include?
• Religious topics include?

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Review Continued

• A folk song that tells a story is also known as a
  ________________.
• ___________ ____________ was a popular topic of
  May Day ballads.
• Early dramas included _______________ plays which
  retold the lives of _______________ or told
  stories from the ______________.
• ____________ plays depicted the the life of an
  ordinary person faced with people who symbolized
  vices or virtues. They were allegorical and
  taught lessons.
• The End