Medieval Era Flashcards
What Years did the Medieval Era Take Place?
1066-1485
How did Medieval Era begin
Battle of Hastings
What was Battle of Hastings about
Norman invasion of William the Conqueror - over illegitimate son of duke of normandy
Effects of Battle of Hastings
Imposed the Feudal system and brought Court life to England
Feudalism
A socio-political structure in which weak monarchy attempts to control the lands of the realm through reciprocal agreements with regional leaders
Court Life
Culture from France; includes Chivalry (derived from word for horse - Cheval)
How do you become a knight
Inheritance, or valor in battle
Steps to Knighthood
Page, Squire, Knight
Page
son of a knight (age 8) - strengthened body, rode horses, wrestled
Squire
Age 15 to 16, served meals, polished equipment, tended horses, and dressed knights
Knight
age 18-21, “knighted” at age 21
Tournaments
These started in france, and they displayed courage and skill through jousting and running of the quintain
Characteristics of a knight
fight bravely, fair play, keep word, treat equals with courtesy, respect ladies, had arranged marriages
Medieval Dress
Made of sulk, linen, satin, burlap, cotton, often dyed with plants and purple was most expensive color to make
Women’s Dress
Modest, wore elaborate headpieces
Women’s hair
Only young virgins wore long hair, married women wore hats, headresses, and braided hair
Food and Eating
Two, gradually three meals a day, only knives and spoons, and common cup
Medieval Rules of Table Etiquette
No: spitting across table, loud burps, blowing nose on tablecloth, loud sips, picking teeth with knife
Hygiene
washed hands before meal and after bathroom, baths were not very often and were in wooden tubs using water heated over fire
Life expectancy
At birth - 17 years, most people lived to be around 3-
City of London
Compact and Crowded, had London bridge and Westminster Hall, very insanitary as rakers had to clean rubbish of streets and smelled very bad
Types of Houses
Castles, Knight’s manors, Houses of middle class, Serf huts
Castles
made of mortar, stone, and wood, have moats and killing grounds
Knight’s manors
varied according to income, made of stone, sometimes brick or daub, roof was made of slate/tile, and floors were made of wood
Peasant homes
few rooms, sheltered family and livestock, made of timber
Languages
French (aristocracy), Latin (church and law), Middle English (commoners)
Education
10% of males were literate, literate men had royal or church affiliation, and literacy was higher in city
Oldest Universities
Oxford - 1167
Cambridge - 1209
Religious ORders
Monks, Friars, Nuns, Parsons, Pardoners
Religion
1200s- Catholic Church is only Christian religion and is powerful
1300s- Catholic Church isn’t as powerful due to corruption and other ppl getting wealthy
Black Death
(1348-49), Killed 1/2 to 1/3 population of London, shortage of labor, people reached middle class, bacteria carried by rodents
Symptoms of Black Death
high fever, aching limbs, vomit blood, swell lymph nodes, dead
Black Death “cures”
Incense, oils, lotions, church bells, charms and spells, flagellants, bloodletting
Peasant’s Revolt
Led to increased rights for serfs, reduced work led to demand for higher wages and fewer hours - serfs stormed tower and killed leaders
Hundred Years War
lasted 116 years, england vs France, increased English nationalism
War of the Roses
Bloody civil war between House of Lancaster (red rose) and House of York (white rose), Henry Tudor becomes king and starts Tudor dynasty
