Medieval Period

1
Medieval Period

• Historical, Religious, Literature Background

2
Medieval History

• 1066 The Battle of Hastings William of Normandy
  conquered King Harold (Saxon king)
• William the Conqueror became the king of England

3
Medieval History

• William and Norman kings ruled two lands
• Barons caused trouble
• Henry II (Plantagenet) ruled as one of Englands
  ablest kings
• Henry II clashed with the church which had too
  much power
• Sent Thomas Becket to Canterbury to instill royal
  policy instead Becket sided with the Pope.
• 1170 four men killed Becket in Canterbury
  Cathedral
• Henry II made a pilgrimage to Canterbury

4
Medieval History

• Richard I went overseas to gain land, which put
  England in debt
• Barons forced King John to sign Magna Carta (no
  taxation without representation)
• Eventually created Parliament (elected freemen)

5
Medieval History

• The Black Plaque (killed 1/3 of population in
  England) 1348-1349
• Peasants revolt
• 1453 Richard appointed King, which caused a war
• War of the Roses Lancasterred rose, Yorkwhite
  rose

6
Medieval Society Feudalism

• king owned all the land and allowed trusted
  nobles, his barons and bishops, to use and govern
  parts or fiefs of the land in exchange for
  service as knights
• arrangement provided for safety and defense in
  these violent times
• community would form around a baron and his manor
  
• entertainers such as jongleurs and troubadours
  provided additional services.

7
Medieval Society Peasant Life

• Peasants worked the land and produced the goods
  that the lord and his manor needed
• They were protected, but were heavily taxed and
  were required to give much of what they harvested
  to the baron
• barons held all rights and power of life and
  death over those under him

8
Medieval Society Education

• Education was an expensive privilege only the
  rich, nobility, or religious orders could afford.
  
• A young man could be apprenticed to a craftsman,
  who he would serve without pay as he learned the
  skills of the trade.
• A skilled apprentice became a journeyman who
  worked more for himself and was paid some.
• A jury of guild members would judge this
  masterpiece and, if worthy, would then designated
  a Master.
• Serfs could only expect to be servants or
  farmers, although some rose by their inner
  abilities

9
Medieval Society Guilds

• Craft Guilds
• Protect the rights of workers (our modern day
  unions)
• Laborers such as weavers, tanners, carpenters
  (etc.)
• Also sought to promote quality in workmanship

• Merchant Guilds
• Promote businesses in towns
• Some took over town governments (like our city
  council)

10
Medieval Society Women

• Women did not have many rights
• expected to stay home, serve their family, and
  not involve themselves in politics.
• In emergencies, they would hunt for food and
  fight to defend their homes and castles
• Some women entered religious orders as nuns and
  thus were able to participate in writing and
  scholarship.

11
Medieval Society Religion

• 11th to 13th century Crusades
• John Wycliffe opposed all form of wealth among
  the clergy directed translation from the Bible
  into English

12
Medieval Literature

• Blend of Latin (associated with the Church) and
  French (associated with the government) blended
  to form Middle English
• 1454 Johann Gutenberg perfected the printing
  press

Whan that Aprill with his shoures sote The
droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote, And
bathed euery veyne in swich licour, Of which
vertu engendred is the flour

• Translations
• When April with its sweet showers has pierced
• the drought of March to the root,
• and bathed every vein in such liquor
• from whose power the flower is engendred