THE “REAL” MEDIEVAL TIMES:AN OVERVIEW

Klein // E402

“How did it get started?”

1066-1485 Began after the Norman (French) Invasion William the Conqueror takes the throne – 1st

Norman king of England

Feudalism - code of reciprocal obligations (legal, military) French influence

- lord = noble who owned land; granted it to vassals

- vassal = repaid lords with military service- fief = land

Eventually declined with growth of towns

Important Concepts

Chivalry – knightly code of virtues Honor, generosity, bravery, respect toward

women, help the weak, fairness to one’s enemies Courtly love: knight pledges himself to a

virtuous woman (often one who is married) – he performs brave deeds for her while she remains chaste/unattainable

Guilds – groupings of people engaging in a similar trade or skill Meant to control the flow and price of goods Rules for advancement from apprentice to

“master”

“What about Medieval Literature?” Started off written in Latin (clergy), then

French (educated class) English primarily spoken

Much was anonymously “written” – recycled stories

Miracle Plays – episodes from the lives of saintsMorality Plays – main character is confronted with issues that prompt him to lead a godly life

“What about Medieval Literature?” Romance – heroic prose/verse narrative

detailing the hero’s adventure Noble hero Code of chivalry Challenge & quest Supernatural elements Courtly love, damsel in distress Villain Pattern of 3s Fairy tale-esque

“What about Medieval Literature?” Arthurian legend (along with Geoffrey

Chaucer & the Robin Hood legend) established English as a literary language Sir Gawain & the Green Knight

Written in Chaucer’s time, around 1400 A.D.

Lost, then found and published in 1839

Considered the best of English Medieval Romances (except for Chaucer)

Uses alliteration

“What else is happening during this time?”

The Crusades (11th – 13th Cent. A.D.) Original goal to recapture Jerusalem from the

Muslims

The Magna Carta (1215 A.D.) Stemmed from disputes with King John over

kings’ rights Granted many rights to the common people and

limited the power of the king Established trial-by-jury and protection against

unjust imprisonment (habeus corpus)

“What else is happening during this time?”

The Black Death (14th Cent. A.D.) aka “bubonic plague” pandemic = epidemic across large region 24 million died within 1st 5-year period fever, aching joints, nausea,

vomiting, headaches most died within seven days