Middle Ages Research Project

Arely Montelongo

Encounters 6

Ms. Damante

April 8, 2022

The Dark Middle Ages

Introduction

Did you know that during the Middle Ages people didn’t get to choose their hairstyles it depended on their social class? Hairstyles weren't a decision to make among the people because the government chose it for them depending on their social class and what they did for the community. An important component during the middle ages was Feudalism, a government system that was also described as a legal, economic, military that was used in Europe. A caste system was also used during the middle ages that divided people into social groups that defined what they did. During the medieval times fighting was also going on between France and England because of a disagreement of who becomes king and gets the land. Feudalism, the Hundred Years War, and hairstyles made the Middle Ages a unique period in time.

Feudalism

Feudalism was a basic government that was used during the middle ages and took place in Europe.This meant that the country was not ruled by only one person but in command of many people. During the Middle Ages people were separated into unfair social groups from higher classes to the lowest. For example, king/queen’s, nobles, knights, and peasants.The manor was run by a local lord he had and lived in a big house and people would come to celebrate or to get protection. The King could not control all of the land on his own so he divided up among the barons, in exchange the barons pledged their loyalty and soldiers to him. When the king died his first born son would take over the throne.Then, was the Bishop according to the “Middle Ages Feudal System” ,“the Bishop was the top church leader in the kingdom and managed an area called a diocese.”. The Catholic Church was very important in the Middle Ages because of that , the Bishop’s were getting power.Bishop’s were getting really rich because the church was only getting 10% of everyone's money. According to the “Middle Ages Feudal System” , “The barons and nobles controlled large areas of land,this was called fiefs.”. They immediately reported to the king and were very dominant. The lords ruled the local manors.They owned everything in their land. The knights could be called to battle at any moment by their Baron. Approximately 90% of the people who worked during the Middle Ages worked on the land were peasants.they worked hard and mostly the whole day mostly all of them died before reaching the age of 30.

The Hundred Years War

The Hundred Years War was a fight between England and France and happened during the Middle Ages between the years (1337- 1453).The war started when Charles IV from France died in the year 1328 and he didn't have any son or younger brother to take over the throne. While in England Edward The III believed that he had the right to become king of France through his mother. But the French did not want a foreign king; the disagreement between the two led to war. France was way stronger than England.According to the article “ Hundred Years War for kids' ' ,” France had an alliance with Scotland and Bohemia, while England was supported by parts of the Low Countries and by some regions in France.``. The English had gotten a victory at sea in the Battle of Sluys which stopped France from invading England. Then after most of the wars were in France, England won the Battle of the Crecy 1346. Between 1348-1356 there was a bit of fighting due to the Black death which killed way more people in England than in France. After that the Black Prince won a major victory. Then, John II of France was captured during one of the battles. According to the article '' Hundred Years War for kids'' , “A truce in 1360 gave England about one quarter of France.” . The war was called the Edwardian War. The war started again in 1369, France won some of the land back previously given to the English. From 1389-1415 a peace was called; this second part was called the Caroline War. The most famous part of the war was in 1415. France won a war thanks to his longbowmen. A part of the French nobility is said to have been killed. King Charles was going insane and was unable to rule and most of his sons died at a very young age. Chales VII volunteered to be king but the French did not let him because they believed that someone else was his father. After England won the Battle of the Verneuil and the French army won the Siege of Orleans, the Battle of the Patay, and the Treaty of Arras. France won the Hundred Years War with 300 cannons made and were sent.

Hairstyles

During the early Middle Ages many varieties of hairstyles existed and were very popular. Women from the upper classes would commonly wear buns or braids and accessorize it with metallic wires and silk ribbons; sometimes they would add bands of flowers and leaves. People in Germany made hairstyles so important that they considered it a symbol of authority and power. Men would most commonly tie their hair at the top with a high knot. Women had long tresses and used bands and braids to prevent their hair falling on their faces. Women commonly had long hair to arrange in different hairstyles, rarely they would have short hair. Important components were the braids, plaits, and up-dos. Later on the coiled buns were introduced and used on each side of the head. For men a great importance was their hair and shaving a person's hair was considered a form of humility. Monks shaved their heads from the middle and left a strip of hair around it. Medieval men commonly had short hair which was combed to the front without a parting. Boys symply had their head shaved.For the nobility, children would have to let their hair grow long and part it from the middle. Girls would put their hair into two braids on each side of their head with a part in the middle. Two plaits were brought to the neck and brought to the top of the head which were tied together this was used for the working classes. Medieval royalty had their very long and occasionally grew beards. Beards were popular during the middle ages but lost their importance. But long hair remained until the late medieval ages. Kings had long hair parted from the middle of the and also had beards. Short hair gained popularity due to the fact that it was not appropriate for church. The most common religious hairstyle is called tonsure, it is a round bald spot shaved off at the top of the head, it is considered a symbol of authority . A popular women's hairstyle was the filet that was worn for unmarried women. The English wore a gable hood which used embroidered lappets. Men preferred long flowing hair although it continued to decline later throughout the middle ages. Some of the Middle Ages hairstyles still exist today.

Conclusion

Many questions about the Middle Ages are still left unanswered and are yet to be solved, due to the fact there is much to go through. People went through many unfair things, from them not choosing their hairstyles and getting put into a social class that they didn’t get an opinion on, to innocent people getting killed during a war. From the dark and scary times, the Middle Ages, many topics are still left to be learn about what happened during the medieval period.

Works Cited

“Hundred Years War.” Ducksters.www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages/hundred_years_war.php

Accessed 14 February 2022.

“Hundred Years War Facts For Kids.” Kiddle. https://kids.kiddle.co/Hundred_Years%27_War

Accessed 7 February 2022.

“Medieval Hairstyles.” Medieval Hairstyles. www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-clothing/me

dieval-hairstyles/ Accessed 17 February 2022.

“Medieval Hairstyles.” Medieval Hairstyles.www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-clothing

/medieval-hairstyles/ Accessed 17 February 2022.

“Middle Ages Feudal System.” Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_feudal_

system.php Accessed 7 February 2022.

Ross, David. “ Feudalism And Medieval Life.” Britain Express. www.britainexpress.com/History/

Feudalism_and_Medieval_life.htm Accessed 7 February 2022.

Middle Ages Collage