Transcript Slide 1

W
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The Feudal System during
the Middle Ages
•
Almost all the churches that were
built during the Middle Ages were made of
stone. A little wood was used on these
churches. It was used on the ceilings, floors,
and doors.
• The church provided spiritual guidance and a
place were people could get an education.
Stained glass windows were used as a
teaching method. The windows would tell
bible stories and the lives of the saints.
The only universal European institution was the church.
• It was very rich and powerful during the Middle
Ages.
• The church was organized like a government
with laws. It even collected its own taxes. Some
of these taxes went to help the poor. Most of
the taxes were spent to build beautiful
churches.
• All the power within the church’s hierarchy was
in the hands of the local bishops.
• The nobles and the church worked together to
control the common people. They wanted
everyone to practice Christianity in a certain
way.
Being a monk was one way to stay alive during the
Middle Ages. Some young nobles became monks to
avoid a life of constant battling. Monks lived in
monasteries or abbeys. They worked and prayed.
Women could also serve a religious life as a nun.
Monks were often teachers who taught
noble children. Some monks worked
the land of the monastery, growing
vegetables, herbs, and fruit. Some
even had the job of praying for
everyone else.
Women in the Middle Ages
The women of the Middle Ages were totally
dominated by the male members of their family.
The women were expected to instantly obey not
only their father, but also their brothers and any
other male members of the family.
Any unruly girls were beaten into submission
and disobedience was seen as a crime against
religion.
Noble Women
•The education concentrated on the practical as opposed to
academic. Young noble women as young as seven girls
would be sent away from their home to live with another
noble family.
•She was taught manners and etiquette, including how to
curtsey and how to mix with the greatest nobles in the land.
•Time would be spent learning how to dance and ride.
•Archery were also taught to young noble women.
•These young girls were expected to act as servants to the
older ladies of the castle.
•The duties of the young noble
women would be to look after
clothes and the assist ladies with
their dressing and coiffure.
•Some housewifely duties such as
preserving fruits and household
management would be taught, to
prepare them for their duties as a
married woman.
•High ranking young women would
take on the role of ladies-in-waiting
and were taught French.
•Young noble women would also be
taught the principles of the Medieval
Code of Chivalry and Courtly Love
and would join the spectators at
jousting tournaments.
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Women and Marriage
• Women had very little choice in who her husband
might be.
• Marriages were frequently arranged so that both
families involved would benefit.
• Marriages would be arranged to bring prestige or
wealth to the family of noble women.
• Marriage for love was a rare occurrence.
• Women were expected to bring a dowry to the
marriage. A dowry was an amount of money, goods,
and property that the bride would bring to the
marriage.
• The law gave a husband full rights over his wife,
whether she was a Noble woman or a commoner.
She effectively became his property.
• A wealthy marriage of a Noble woman was
celebrated by nine days of feasting and jousting.
Married Women
• After marriage women were expected to run the
households but their main duty was to provide
children.
• Large families were the norm in the Middle Ages as
the mortality rate for children and babies was so
high.
• Many woman made arrangements for the care of
their children in case they themselves died during
childbirth.
• The life expectancy of a woman in the Middle Ages
was just forty years.
• Most Medieval woman would become pregnant
between 4 and 8 times.
• A woman during the Middle Ages would expect to
lose at least one child.
Appearance of Women
• The appearance of a woman during the Middle Ages
was important.
• A woman aged quickly during this era due to
constant child bearing.
• The diet of noble women during the Middle Ages
lacked Vitamin C which resulted in bad teeth and
bleeding gums.
• To retain the look of youth, a woman might even dye
her hair yellow with a mixture of saffron, cumin seed,
celandine and oil.
• Face make-up was applied to acquire a pale look.
• A pale complexion was so desirable that women
were bled to achieve the desired look.
• Face paint made from plant roots and leaves was
also applied.
Hairstyles
•Long hair and curls hair were
common for the medieval
hairstyle.
•In medieval times women who
had a high status in the society
always wore long hairs. Long hair
was a kind of a distinguishing
factor for the society status.
•For most women the hairdos
were curly in appearance, and
they also attached the golden
balls at the end of strands.
During the medieval times the
common people used minimal
fancy items to decorate the hair.
Some of them also used hair
braiding. A lot of styles of hair
braid were used during that
times.
The Age of Consent
• The romance of Courtly love was completely
opposite to the practicalities of Medieval
marriage.
• With parental permission it was legal for
boys to marry at fourteen and girls at twelve.
• A betrothal often took place when the
prospective bride and groom were as young
as 7 years old and in the case of Higher
nobility many were betrothed as babies.
• But a marriage was only legal once the
marriage had been consummated.
Weapons of the Middle Ages
•There were basically two types of armed men during
the Medieval era who used different weapons available
during the Middle Ages, Knights and the Foot soldiers,
who included the Archers.
•The Medieval men-at-arms held weapons according to
their status and position which was determined by the
Feudal system.
•The weapons, weaponry, armor and horse of the
Knight were extremely expensive.
•Lords were expected to provide soldiers who were
trained in a variety of Middle Ages weapons.
•Knights were supported by their soldiers .
Siege Weapons
The Battering Ram and the Bore were
used to literally 'batter' down, pound,
punch and shake and drill into castle
gates, doors and walls
The Ballista was similar to a Giant
Crossbow and worked by using
tension.
The Mangonel launched Missiles
The massive Trebuchet consisted of a lever
and a sling and was
capable of hurling stones
weighing 200 pounds with
a range of up to about 300
yards
This siege weapon
was designed to
protect attackers and
their ladders whilst
storming a weak area
of the castle wall. The
tower was usually
rectangular with four
wheels and a height
equal to that of the
wall, or sometimes
even higher.
Polearms - This type of Medieval weapon
consisted of a razor-sharp blade
mounted on a wooden shaft, or pole
which was between 4 and 14 feet long!
Battle Axes
• These weapons were designed as
single and double-handed battle axes
• Used as a close contact weapon in the
early Medieval period of the Middle
Ages
• It could be hurled as a missile
Mace
• This Medieval weapon was an armor-fighting weapon
• Used as a close contact weapon and also used from
horseback
• The shaft was made of either wood or metal
• The lethal head was made of stone, iron, bronze or
steel - with flanged or knobbed additions
• The mace weapon could be mounted on either a long
shaft, measuring up to 5ft or a short shaft measuring
1ft.
The Lance
• The Lance was a long, strong,
spear-like weapon touse on
horseback.
• The spear develop into the
Medieval Lance and was also a
popular weapon used during
jousting tournaments.
• The lance was made of wood,
usually ash, with a metal tip
made of iron or steel similar to a
spear head.
• Knights would paint their lance
to match the colors of their livery
or coats of arms.
• The weapon measured from 9 to
14 feet in length.
The Shield
Medieval Shields were
developed protect a
knight or soldier from
the direct blows from
the weapons of their
enemies. Shields used
during the Middle
Ages were also used
as bludgeoning
weapons.
Middle English Dictionary
<http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/med/>
• pilgrim (n.) Also -gram, -grem, -grum, pilegrim,
pilgerim, pilegrin, pillegrim, pygrymes & pelgrim, grem, pelegrim, peilegrim & pulgrim.
[OF peligrin, pellegrin, vars. of pelerin.]
• 1a.
(a) A person who travels to a holy place; a pilgrim; also
fig.; (b) pilgrimes wede (wedes, clothes, clothing) the
clothing of a pilgrim; ~ staf, a staff carried by a pilgrim;
appareillen in pilgrim(es wise, to dress as a pilgrim; (c)
a crusader; (d) one who journeys about to preach, a
missionary; (e) in proverbs.
• 1b.
A traveler, wayfarer; also fig.; also, a wanderer,
wandering beggar.
Con’t
2.
(a) An alien, a foreigner, a stranger, a sojourner; an exile
for the Christian faith [quot.: c1384]; ben ~, to dwell as a
foreigner or sojourner; taken ~, receive (a foreigner) as a
guest; (b) as adj.: alien, foreign; (c) an unorthodox
doctrine; as adj.: unorthodox.
3.
Fig. A man or soul as an alien, a sojourner, traveler, or
pilgrim; esp. one whose home or destination is heaven,
etc.
4.
Astrol. A planet which occupies none of the positions in
the zodiac that could heighten its influence.
5.
(a) The name of a drinking cup; (b) in the name of a horse;
(c) as surname and place name.
Geoffrey
Chaucer
•Geoffrey Chaucer, an English poet, was born
about 1342. (Historians are uncertain about his
exact date of birth.)
•Geoffrey came from well-to-do parents,John
Chaucer and Agnes Copton, who owned several
buildings in the vintage quarter in London.
•Not much is known about Geoffrey's school
career. He must have had some education in
Latin and Greek.
•Out of school he went on as a page in the household
of the Countess of Ulster. Chaucer rose in royal
employment and became a knight of the shire for Kent.
•As a member of the king's household, Chaucer was
sent on diplomatic errands throughout Europe.
•From all these activities, he gained the knowledge of
society that made it possible to write The Canterbury
Tales.
•Chaucer died in October 1400.
•He was buried in Westminster Abbey in London.
Pilgrims Passed To and Fro to
Canterbury
An old map of Canterbury
A few Pilgrims on their way
to Canterbury…
• Knight– a distinguished soldier and
gentleman
• Squire– the Knight’s son, also a soldier
• Yeoman– the servant of the Knight and
expert bowman
• Prioress– the mother superior of a
convent
• Nun’s Priest– her Chaplin and secretary
• Friar– a begging monk
• Merchant– a successful businessman
The Oxford Cleric
• Man of Law– a successful lawyer
Konrad Peutinger
• Franklin– a landowner and epicure
• Wife of Bath– an excellent weaver and
wife
• Pardoner– he sells phony relics and
forgiveness
• Geoffrey Chaucer– the observer of the
pilgrimage
• Harry Bailey– the host of the Tabard Inn
CANTERBURY
TALES
BY
Geoffrey
Chaucer
WRITTEN between
1387 and 1400
Prologue
• lines 1 – 18
• follow in Middle English and in modern
English
1
Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
When April with its sweet-smelling showers
2 The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
Has pierced the drought of March to the root,
3
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
And bathed every vein (of the plants) in such liquid
4
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
By which power the flower is created;
5
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
When the West Wind also with its sweet breath,
6
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
In every wood and field has breathed life into
7
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
The tender new leaves, and the young sun
8
Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne,
Has run half its course in Aries,
9
And smale foweles maken melodye,
And small fowls make melody,
10
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
Those that sleep all the night with open eyes
11
(So priketh hem Nature in hir corages),
(So Nature incites them in their hearts),
12
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
Then folk long to go on pilgrimages,
13 And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
And professional pilgrims to seek foreign shores,
14
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
To distant shrines, known in various lands;
15
And specially from every shires ende
And specially from every shire's end
16
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,
Of England to Canterbury they travel,
17
The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
To seek the holy blessed martyr,
18
That hem hath holpen whan that
they were seeke.
Who helped them when they were sick.