The Medieval Period

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The Medieval Period

• 1066-1485 AD

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1066

• The year the Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons at
  the Battle of Hastings.
• William the Conqueror, a Norman (French), was now
  King of England.

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I. Norman Rule in England

• The A-S culture and Norman/French culture
  blended.
• Normans ruled less than 100 years
• 1. Brought Feudalism land divided among noble
  barons. Knights served barons. Lowest class were
  the serfs or peasants.

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II. The Royal Houses of Plantaganet, Lancaster,
York

• 1154-end of Norman Rule, beginning of Royalty
• Plantaganet Rules
• 1. 1st one-Henry IIIncreased Kings power and
  took it from the barons.
• a. wanted also to lead Roman Catholic
  church. He had Archbishop Thomas Becket of
  Canterbury murdered 1170.

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Continued..

• 2. 1215-King John signed Magna Carta. In this
  document, he agreed not to raise taxes without
  consent of barons.
• 3. OthersRichard the Lionhearted, John, Edward
  I, Richard II (last one)

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C. Lancaster Rulers

1. 3 Kings Henry IV, V, VI
2. Henry VI-went insane-gave rule to uncle, the Duke
   of York, while he recuperated.
3. 1455-Henry VI got better, wanted throne back.
   Duke fought wonwar 30 years. War of the Roses

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D. York Rulers

1. 1st one-Edward IV-encouraged Wm. Caxton to make
   printing press.
2. Edward V-only 12 yrs old when he takes
   throneUncle Richard III takes overkills Ed V
   and his brotherthen takes throneRichard III
   killed in battle b/c of this.
3. Henry Tudor takes over, distant relative of
   Lancasters.

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Chivalric Live in Medieval England

1. Knights fought French, journeyed to Holy Lands,
   jousted in tournaments.
2. Chivalry ideal knights must live byhonorable,
   courteous, generous, brave, skillful in battle,
   respectful of women, helpful to weak.

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IV. Religious Life

1. Roman Catholic Church all belongedBarons,
   Knights, serfs
2. Knights fought for Churchcrusades for Holy Land
3. Cathedrals were built during this time
4. Those who went on Crusades were influenced by
   Moslems, natives of the Holy Land, through Arabic
   numerals, Algebra, and Arabic medicine.

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V. City Life

1. 1349Black Death/Bubonic Plague killed 1/3 of the
   people of England.
2. After plaguecities sprung up everywhere
3. Work Guilds formed
4. End of Knighthoodinvention of gunpowder.

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VI. Storytelling

1. Romances stories with a blend of chivalry,
   touches of love, magic marvels
2. Folk Ballads stories sung by common people.

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VII. Pilgrimages

• -long trips/journeys to holy places, popular in
  Medieval Christianity.
• -pilgrims travel long distances to toms of saints
  or other shrines (Rome, Holy Land)
• -pilgrims ask for divine assistance, give thanks,
  ask for miracles, do penance, show devotion.
• -they felt pilgrimages were essential to
  Christian beliefs
• -some still take pilgrimages today.

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Canterbury, England

• About 50 miles SE of London
• Major destination for English pilgrims
• Site of Beckets murder in 1170
• People flooded to Cathedral to pay respects.

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Geoffrey Chaucer

• 1343-1400
• Son of a wealthy merchant
• Became a page in a royal house
• Soldier, diplomat, royal clerk
• 1359 captured during war, and his ransom paid by
  the king
• Traveled extensively throughout his employment

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Chaucer continued

• Father of English Poetrypoems have never gone
  out of print was even popular in his own day.
• Buried in Westminster AbbeyPoets Corner

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Frame Tale
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The Canterbury Tales

• The story of a group of 29 pilgrims (plus the
  narrator) from varied walks of life who are
  traveling from London to the shrine of Saint
  Thomas a Becket at Canterbury (about 50 miles).
• The tales are stories they tell to pass the time
  as they travel.
• Pilgrims are gathered at The Tabard, an inn, at
  the beginning of the poem.

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• Each pilgrim was to tell 2 tales on the way to
  Canterbury, and 2 on the return journey.
• Prologue to The Canterbury Tales describes each
  pilgrim.

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Pre-reading Vocabulary

• Absolution
• Accrue
• Adversity
• Apothecary
• Astrology
• Privy
• Relic
• Wend
• Intoning
• Penitents

• Chivalry
• Ecclesiast
• Eminent
• Felicity
• Parley
• Pestilences
• Sanguine
• Ulcer
• Solicitous

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More Vocabulary

• Gobbet
• Mantle
• Palmers
• Amend
• Array
• Broad
• Dumb
• Tillage

• Fortune
• Wend
• Mercenary
• Consort
• Choleric
• Prevarication
• Pardoner
• Tithes
• Wallet

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Vocabulary with Definitions

• Wend-to travel
• Chivalry-the qualities of a perfect knight, such
  as courtesy, bravery, helpfulness, respect for
  women
• Intoning-saying or reciting in a singsong
  chanting
• Solicitous-full of concern

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• Penitents-persons who regret and want to make up
  for wrongdoing
• Absolution-formal forgiveness of sins
• Eminent-famous outstanding
• Accrue-to come as an increase or addition
• Sanguine-having a healthy, reddish complexion and
  a cheerful manner

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• Felicity-happiness a source of happiness
• Pestilences-highly contagious and dangerous
  diseases plagues
• Adversity-misfortune trouble
• Mercenary-a person who works only in order to
  make money
• Consort-a companion wife or husband
• Choleric-bad-tempered
• Prevarication-the act of lying evasion

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• Amend-improve
• Apothecary-druggist
• Array-a large group or collection
• Astrology-the planets positions supposedly
  determined the best time to treat a patient
• Broad-bluntly plainly
• Dumb-silent

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• Ecclesiast-clergyman
• Fortune-fate
• Gobbet-piece
• Mantle-cloak cape
• Palmers-pilgrims who wore palm leaves as a sign
  that they had visited the Holy Land
• Pardoner-a clergyman licensed by the Pope to
  collect money for the Church

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• Parley-a discussion, as with an enemy
• Privy-secretive
• Relic-an object cherished for its association
  with a saint or holy person
• Tillage-plowing
• Tithes-payments made to the Church consisting of
  one-tenth of a persons income
• Ulcer-open sore
• Wallet-pack knapsack