Middle Ages Research Project

The Dark Medieval Times

“We owe to the Middle Ages the two worst inventions of humanity- romantic love and gunpowder,” said Andre Maurois around the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Middle Ages was a period of time in which Feudalism existed and took place in Europe. Also, the Black Death created many problems for the people living during the fifth century. Religions were also an important part of the Middle Ages. Throughout the Middle Ages, Feudalism and the Black Death created a dangerous place to live; meanwhile, religions created a place for peace and salvation.

Feudalism

Feudalism was a type of system that was used in Europe during the Middle Ages, the 8th century, which was a type of hierarchy. This type of government system gave people land and protection in exchange for having to work and fight for the government. Feudalism had different roles and responsibilities for people that lived in Europe during the Middle Ages. The different positions that were included in this system were barons, bishops, nobles, serfs, peasants, priests, knights, and kings. 

The feudal system was organized into 3 different classes which were the peasant class, the nobles and the king. The peasant class, which were the bottom class, consisted of the peasants and serfs. These people lived in small villages. Most of the people living during the medieval times were peasants; they were the most needy people during this period of time. Serfs weren’t slaves, but they were similar to them. Serfs couldn’t own any property and even needed the lord’s permission to marry someone or go away from the land. However, the barons and nobles were the middle class. The noble class owned most of the land and they were able to have direct contact with the king. This means they were very powerful and dominant. Lastly, the king and the lords were the top class which were the most powerful and significant people in the feudal system.

Furthermore, the peasants were the ones that suffered the most in the feudal system. For example, they lived in small villages and were the poorest people in this system. On the other hand, the group of people that were the most beneficiated were the lords because they owned most of the land. The author stated, “The lords owned everything on their land including the peasants, crops, and village,” in the article “Middle Ages: Feudalism”

At last, Feudalism ended because of the deadly plague, The Black Death. Most of the people that were part of the feudal system in the medieval times had passed away because of it. Feudalism started in the ninth century and ended in the fifteenth. This means that it lasted for about six centuries (600 years). 

The Black Death

The Black Death created several problems for the people living during the Middle Ages. This plague lasted about eight years, it started in 1353 and ended in 1346. The black death was named after its huge effects during the middle ages. The total number of people killed by this deadly plague was around seventy-five million people. The author wrote “The Black Death is believed by most historians to have wiped out approximately one-third of the European population. This depopulation had a variety of effects.” (History…)  As the article stated, the plague created many problems.  For example, the end of feudalism. Many people who worked in the feudal system died, this is one of the main reasons why the feudal system ended. Many people also believed that this deadly plague was a punishment from god.

The Black Death had three different types of diseases: the Bubonic Plague, Pneumonic plague and the Septicaemic plague. The first signs of catching the plague were lumps in your armpits. Then, black spots appeared in your body; including, the arms and thighs. Most died just after three days from being sick, sometimes without even having a fever. The bubonic plague created fever, headaches, weakness, and swellings to the people that caught it. The pneumonic plague was the second most common form of the disease. This manifestation was contagious (meaning that it could be transferred from one person to the other) but it wasn’t very dangerous.

 Lastly, the Black Death had a third type of disease called the Septicaemic plague. This plague was the most dangerous of them all. Because it created a massive effect on your body, like damaging your inner organs, it had almost a hundred percent mortality rate. 

Religions

Religions were a very important part of the Middle Ages. The most popular religion during this time was Christianity. It was the time where the best cathedrals were built. Additionally, Catholic Churches started to build universities in Paris, Tubingen, Cambridge and Oxford. During this time, Catholic Churches were the only churches that existed in Europe and had its own laws. 

The Christian religion was very dominant during the Middle Ages. This led to people having campaigns against non-christians. They were mostly led by bishops, scholars, and warriors who did everything they could to create a world without other religions besides christianity including Muslims, Jews, and Pagans. The author stated, “Anti-Semitic hatred was increased among the common masses by quoting biblical texts which put the blame of the crucifixion of Christ on the Jews.“ (Religion…) This shows that the Christians during this time were blaming the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus. Later on, the christian church was in charge of the Law of Europe during the Middle Ages. The church penalized religious offenses like heresy, black magic (sorcery), disloyalty, and sexual sins. Most of the time, they punished these offenders by forcing pilgrimage or create a spiritual focus that will lead to encounter with God, and confession. Additionally, The church used jurisdiction in collaboration with the secular courts and had the authority to protect widows, orphans, and other defenseless people.

The Church leaders, bishops and archbishops, were mostly in the king’s council and had leading roles in the government. Bishops were mostly wealthy during the Middle Ages, and ruled over an area of land called the “diocese” that they owned.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, The Middle Ages created an unsafe environment for people to live in. Feudalism existed during the Middle Ages and created unfair rules and roles for people. Additionally, many people died during this period of time because of the dangerous plague: The Black Death. However, religions created a calm environment for their believers. 

Works Cited 

“History of Black Death.” All About History. /allabouthistory.org/history-of-black-death.htm. Accessed 23 

February 2024.

“Middle Ages Feudal System.” Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_feudal _system.php  

Accessed 22 February 2023. 

Newman, Simon. “Religion in the Middle Ages.” The Finer Times Excellence In Content. 29 May 2012, 

www.thefinertimes.com/religion-in-the-middle-ages#google_vignette. Accessed 23 February 

2024.

Ross, David. “Feudalism and Medieval Life.” Britain Express. www.britainexpress.com 

/History/Feudalism_and_Medieval_life.htm Accessed 7 February 2023.

“The Black Death.” History Learning Site. 5 March 2015, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval-engla 

nd/black-death-1348-1350/. Accessed 23 February 2024.

“The Middle Ages Interactive.” Annenberg Learner. www.learner.org/series/interactive-the-middle-ages/. 

Accessed 23 February 2024.