Medieval Period
1066-1485
Characteristics of the Medieval
Period
Medieval Period was based on
feudalism
Feudalism was a hierarchy based on
the least powerful swearing
allegiance and loyalty to the person in
power above him.
It began with the serfs and ended with
the king and the Pope.
Characteristics of the Middle
Ages (cont)
• The Norman Conquest of England created a
powerful Anglo-Norman entity and brought
England into the mainstream of European
civilization.
• The feudal system centralized military,
political, and economic power in the
Crown.
Characteristics of the Middle
Ages (cont)
• The Roman Church transcended national
boundaries and fostered cultural unity
among Europeans.
• The rise of cities and towns freed people to
pursue their own commercial and artistic
interests.
Characteristics of the Middle
Ages (cont)
• The Magna Carta weakened the political
power of the Church and laid the
goundwork for later English constitutional
law.
• Exposure to Eastern civilization as a result
of the Crusades broadened Europeans’
intellectual horizons.
Characteristics of the Middle
Ages (cont)
• The ideals of chivalry improved attitudes
toward but not the rights of women.
• The rise of the yeoman class paved the way
for democracy in England.
• The bubonic plague created a labor shortage
that contributed to the end of feudalism and
to the passing of the Middle Ages
Bubonic Plague strikes England 1348
Called the Black Death– estimates
say that 10 to fifty percent of
Europeans died of the black death.
So many people died that there was a
shortage of labor which eventually
helped to bring about the middle
class.
Important Events and People in
the Middle Ages
William the Conqueror
William led the Normans against the
Anglo Saxons at the Battle of
Hastings.
He won and brought a new language
and methods of organization to
England.
Norman Influence on Language
• Before the Norman Conquest, the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons was Old
English. The language of England changed dramatically after the Battle of
Hastings. The three utilized languages were French, Latin, and Old English.
• The aristocrats spoke French while the church and legal professionals spoke
Latin. The remaining population, the common people, spoke Old English.
• Since the common people spoke Old English, the Normans needed to learn their
language in order to communicate with workers and with women to whom they
wanted to marry. The Old English speakers who portrayed social ambitions learned
French as a second language.
• During this transformation, French words enriched the English language. One
notable benefit from borrowing words lie in the increase of synonyms. Example;
the English word “heal” and the French word “cure” imply the same meaning.
Battle of Hastings, August 25, 1066
The Battle of Hastings was called one of the most influential battles of
all time because it brought the Normans to England.
For almost 200 years Western Europe under direction of the Popes
attempted to “recapture” the Holy Lands, especially Jerusalem.
William the Conqueror had everyone’s personal property catalogued so
he could tax it. The records were often called The Doomsday Book.
Catholic Church
• Most influential and powerful institution in
Europe.
• Dictated even the most insignificant details
of individuals’ lives.
• Participated in Inquisitions.
• Controlled intellectual thought until the
Renaissance.
• Place of power and education.
What did the Crusades do?
• Depopulated parts of Europe
• Introduced Europe to a more cultured, learned
civilization
• Opened trading routes
• Introduced Europeans to spices and perfumes
• Eventually broke the power of the Catholic
church (helped to) by ushering in the
Renaissance
Thomas a Beckett
Archbishop of Canterbury who was
murdered by the knights of Henry II.
Canterbury Cathedral honors this
English martyr. He also was the
martyr celebrated in the Canterbury
Tales
Henry II
Son of Maude (Matilda) Henry II inherited the
throne after Stephen. Although he is best
known as the monarch who caused the death
of Thomas a Beckett he ruled an extensive
empire, restored order, triumphed over the
nobility and fought the Church. He also
restored royal justice, the beginning of the
modern trial by jury. In short, he brought
efficiency and a degree of fairness to
government
Henry’s fight with the Church
Henry wanted to do away with the
concept of “benefit of clergy” or
immunity from the king’s justice. Any
wrongdoer who could read Latin
could claim to be a cleric. Also Henry
wanted to nominate his own bishops
Guilds
First labor unions made up of skilled
craftsmen. Guilds are the beginning
of the middle class.
Authors and Works of the Middle
Ages
Dante Aligheri
(writes Devine Comedy 1307)
Author of the Devine Comedy which
is comprised of The Inferno,
Purgatorio and Paradisio.
Decameron
Written by Boccaccio, the Decameron 1350’s is a
set of tales principally about love and the
corruption of the clergy. The Decameron is said to
have been an influence on Chaucer
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
(1375)
A tale about Arthur’s knights and the Round Table,
Sir Gawain accepts the Green Knights challenge to
exchange blows. The story might really be about
redemption and sin.
Canterbury Tales (written 1387)
Canterbury Tales was written in Middle English by
Geoffrey Chaucer who is often called the father of
English poetry. He is credited with making English
respectable. Until Chaucer most literature and
documents of importance were written in Latin.