The Middle Ages

This refers to the long period of history from the year 476 (the fall of the Roman Empire) to 1500 approximately.

This was a time of castles and peasants, guilds and monasteries, cathedrals and crusades. Great leaders such asJuana de Arco and Carlomagno were part of the Middle Ages as well as events such as the Black Plague and the rise of Islam.

Life in the country. The Manors (Castles)

In the Middle Ages most people lived on a manor in the country. A manor was a village with a castle, a church and some land around it. The king gave land to his most important noblemen and bishops. In return, they promised to give the kingsoldiers for his armies.

The Peasants

The lowest people of society were the peasants. They didn't have their own land, but they got land from the lords . The lords also gave them protection.

Peasants worked on the land and produced the goods that the lord needed. But they did not have a very nice life. They had to pay a lot of taxes and give the lord much of their harvests.

Poor people didn't get very much to eat. They had to eat dark bread because white bread was only for the king and his family. Only rich people had meat to eat.

Peasants lived in rustic country huts; the family animals, such as a cow, may also live inside the home. The home was usually dark, smoky from the fire, and uncomfortable.

The Knights

The knights were nobles who also fought in battles and tournaments. There were three types of soldiers during the Middle Ages: foot soldiers, archers, and knights. The knights were armored soldiers who rode on horses. Only the wealthiest nobles could afford to be a knight. They needed very expensive armor, weapons, and a powerful war horse.

The Nobles

Lords, ladies and were called nobles. Knights were also nobles. They had a much higher status in medieval society than that of the peasants. The peasants served the nobles and were controlled by them.

A Lord had complete authority over his lands and the people who lived on his lands.

A Lady had very few rights. She was expected to marry whoever her father chose and could be married at an age as young as twelve years old. Her responsibilities were to care for the household, and raise children.

A Knight served his lord during times of battle, which was frequent. He enjoyed more freedoms and rights than peasants, but his life was always dangerous.

The castles were beautiful from the outside, but they were damp, smelly, and cold on the inside. They were built to protect the lords and ladies, not to be comfortable.

The Power of the Church

Catholic Church got so much power in the Middle Ages. The Pope had even more power than the very same Kings. Local bishops also got a lot of power, influence and, above all, wealth. Because the leaders of the Church were almost always nobles, they received lands and wealth from the king, and also peasants who served them. Other nobles often paid them tributes in hopes of obtaining the grace of God...

As the Middles Ages went on, Priests, Bishops and Church in general obtained such a high power in society that they even decided on political decisions of their kingdoms.

Life in the Cities

City life was very different from country life, but it wasn't much easier. The cities were crowded and dirty. A lot of people worked as craftsmen and were members of a guild. Young boys would serve as apprentices for seven years learning a craft. Other jobs in the city included servants, merchants, bakers, doctors, and lawyers.

City homes were very crowded and usually everyone slept in the same room. They were usually dirty, unhealthy and provided a narrow (very small) space for their occupants.

Did children go to School?

Very few people attended school in the Middle Ages. Schools didn't exist as we know them today.

Most peasants' children learned their job and how to survive from their parents.

Some children learned a craft through their parents' lessons.

​

Only rich, princes or noble children often learned through personal teachers in individual or small-group classes. They would go to live in the castle of another lord where they would work for the lord, learning about how a large manor was run.

There were some schools run by the church. Here students would learn to read and write Latin. The first universities also began during the Middle Ages.

Between Ancient and Modern

In 476CE, warriors attacked the city of Rome and ended more than 800 years of glory for the "Eternal City." Historians mark the fall of Rome as the end of ancient history. The next one thousand years were called the Middle Ages. The Latin term for Middle Ages is "medieval."

The beginning of the Middle Ages is often called the "Dark Ages" because the great civilizations of Greece and Rome had fallen. Life in Western Europe during the Middle Ages was very hard. Very few people could read or write and nobody expected conditions to improve. The only hope for most people during the Middle Ages was their strong belief in Christianity, and the hope that life in heaven would be better than life on Earth.

The Dark Ages were anything but dark in other parts of the world. The Muslims in the Middle East and North Africa studied and improved on the works of the ancient Greeks while civilization flourished in sub-Saharan Africa, China, India, and the Americas.

Europe began to experience great change by about 1450. Within one hundred years, Columbus had sailed to America, literacy spread, scientists made great discoveries, and artists created work that still inspires us today. Historians call the next period of European history the "Renaissance," or the "rebirth." The Renaissance is the beginning of modern history.

The Black Death

The epidemic arrived in Europe by sea in October 1347 when 12 Genoese trading ships docked at the Sicilian port of Messina after a long journey through the Black Sea. The people who gathered on the docks to greet the ships were met with a horrifying surprise: Most of the sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those who were still alive were gravely ill. They were overcome with fever, unable to keep food down and delirious from pain. Strangest of all, they were covered in mysterious black boils that oozed blood and pus and gave their illness its name: the “Black Death.”

The Sicilian authorities hastily ordered the fleet of “death ships” out of the harbor, but it was too late: Over the next five years, the mysterious Black Death would kill more than 100 million people in Europe–almost one-third of the continent’s population.

---

​

Today, scientists understand that the Black Death, now known as the plague, is spread by a bacillus called Yersina pestis. (The French biologist Alexandre Yersin discovered this germ at the end of the 19th century.) They know that the bacillus travels from person to person pneumatically, or through the air, as well as through the bite of infected fleas and rats. Both of these pests could be found almost everywhere in medieval Europe, but they were particularly at home aboard ships of all kinds–which is how the deadly plague made its way through one European port city after another.

Not long after it struck Messina, the Black Death spread to the port of Marseilles in France and the port of Tunis in North Africa. Then it reached Rome and Florence, two cities at the center of an elaborate web of trade routes. By the middle of 1348, the Black Death had struck Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and London.

Today, this grim sequence of events is terrifying but comprehensible. In the middle of the 14th century, however, there seemed to be no rational explanation for it. No one knew exactly how the Black Death was transmitted from one patient to another–according to one doctor, for example, “instantaneous death occurs when the aerial spirit escaping from the eyes of the sick man strikes the healthy person standing near and looking at the sick”–and no one knew how to prevent or treat it. Physicians relied on crude and unsophisticated techniques such as bloodletting and boil-lancing (practices that were dangerous as well as unsanitary) and superstitious practices such as burning aromatic herbs and bathing in rosewater or vinegar.

Meanwhile, in a panic, healthy people did all they could to avoid the sick. Doctors refused to see patients; priests refused to administer last rites. Shopkeepers closed stores. Many people fled the cities for the countryside, but even there they could not escape the disease: It affected cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens, as well as people.

(Source: http://www.history.com/topics/black-death)

The Vikings

During the 900s, Charlemagne’s empire and Anglo-Saxon England were attacked by new invaders

known as Norseman, or Vikings (vı-k–engs). They came from the far northern part of Europe now called Scandinavia (skanduh na–ve–uh). They spread fear and destruction throughout western Europe. However, they opened up new trade routes and taught seafaring skills to other Europeans.

The Vikings captured parts of Britain and France. They ruled cities in Russia and set up colonies on islands in the North Atlantic. They even traveled to North America. Those who went abroad married the people they conquered and accepted a new religion and new customs. Others stayed in Scandinavia and set up the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

The Land

The Viking homeland of Scandinavia was an area made up mostly of forests and long, rugged coastlines. The southern part, known as Jutland (juht’ luhnd), or Denmark, had many natural harbors and was well suited for farming. It had large plains where the Vikings grew grains and pastured their cattle, sheep, and pigs.

The rest of Scandinavia was not as well suited to farming. The soil was rocky, and the growing season was short. The coastline, however, had many fjords (f e yo rdz’), or narrow bays. Because of this, the people turned to the sea to make a living.

Ships and Trade

The Vikings built ships with timber from the dense forests. These ships were large and well suited for long voyages. The bodies were long and narrow. The sides, where a single row of 16 oars was placed, were usually decorated with black or yellow shields. The tall bows were carved in the shape of a dragon’s head. This was supposed to frighten both enemies and the evil spirits of the ocean. The strongly sewn sails were square and often striped red and yellow. The ships bore names like “Snake of the Sea,” “Raven of the Wind,” and “Lion of the Waves.”

An awning in the forepart of the ship protected sailors from bad weather. They slept in leather sleeping bags and carried bronze pots in which to cook meals. Whenever possible, they cooked meals ashore to avoid the danger of a fire on board the ship.

The Vikings plotted their courses by the positions of the sun and the stars. They sailed far out into the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in search of good fishing areas and trade. They did most of their traveling and trading in spring after their fields were sown or in fall after their crops were harvested. They spent the long winters repairing their boats and weapons.

The Vikings were as successful in trade as the Phoenicians. Viking traders carried furs, hides, fish, and enslaved people to western Europe and the Mediterranean. They returned from these areas with silk, wine, wheat, and silver.

Viking Trade

The Vikings traveled very far in order to trade. They sailed to the Mediterranean and traded for Arabic silver coins. The Vikings then melted down the coins and used the silver to make jewelry.

Towns, Villages, and Jarls

Trade led to the growth of market towns in Scandinavia. These towns generally had two

main streets that ran along the water’s edge. Buyers and sellers set up booths along these streets where they showed their wares. The towns were protected on their land side by mounds of Earth surrounded by wooden walls with towers.

Most Vikings lived in villages scattered all through the country. Their houses were made of logs or boards. The roofs, which were made of sod-covered wood, slanted deeply to shed the heavy winter snows. Carved dragons decorated the roofs at either end. Each house had a small porch at its front that was held up by carved pillars.

Distance and the cold winters isolated the people of one village from those of another. Because of this, there was no central government. The people were divided into groups ruled by military chiefs called jarls (yahrlz). Some jarls were elected, while

others inherited their position. Sometimes, a jarl became strong enough to take over neighboring lands. When a jarl had enough land under his rule, he was looked upon as a king.

Daily Life

Family life was important to the Vikings. Most households had 20 to 30 members, including parents, grandparents, married children, and grandchildren. Families often fought bloody feuds to defend their honor. The payment of fines later ended such feuds.

The People

Viking warriors were called berserkers (ber zerk’ erz). They believed in a life of action and valued deeds that called for strength and courage. They fought to gain wealth, honor, and fame. They believed that a liking for war brought special honors from the gods.

To call their warriors to battle, the Vikings lit bonfires on the tops of mountains. Those who saw a fire would light a new one to spread the message. Warriors fought with battle axes, swords, and spears. Metal helmets decorated with animal figures protected their heads. Shirts made of iron rings and covered by a large cloth protected their bodies.

​Warriors preferred to die by their own hand rather than give their enemies the satisfaction of capturing or killing them.

The women encouraged their men to fight. A Viking groom bought his wife from her family on their wedding day. If he was not pleased with her, he could sell her. Yet, the position of Viking women was quite high. They took complete charge of the home. They could attend public meetings and talk with men other than their husbands. They could own property and get a divorce. Many Viking women grew herbs that were used as medicine.

Both men and women liked fine clothes. Men usually dressed in trousers and woolen shirts covered by knee-length tunics. Broad leather belts held the clothing in place. Sheepskin hoods and caps kept their heads warm. For special events, men wore red cloaks with brooches and carried decorated swords and daggers. Women also wore tunics held in place by a belt. They covered their heads with woolen or linen caps and wore large brooches, pins, and bracelets. Both men and women wore their hair long. The men took great pride in their mustaches and beards. Calling a Viking man “beardless” was an insult that could be wiped out only by death.

The Vikings had no schools. Girls were taught household skills, such as spinning, weaving, and sewing, by their mothers. Boys were taught to use the bow and arrow and to be good fighters by their fathers. Boys also memorized tales of heroes and gods and competed in games that tested their strength and endurance.

Religion

The Vikings worshiped many gods that at first were similar to the Germanic gods. Over time, they changed their gods to suit the hard life of Scandinavia. The Vikings believed that the gods were responsible for the weather and for the growth of crops. Since the gods liked to hunt, fish, and play tricks on one another, the Vikings viewed them as extra-powerful humans.

The Vikings bargained with their gods to get what they wanted. Priests offered sacrifices of crops and animals for the whole village. Most Vikings also had small shrines in their homes where they could pray or offer sacrifices.

The Vikings were proud of their gods and told stories of the gods’ great deeds. These stories later became written poems called Eddas (ed’ uhz). The Vikings also made up sagas (sah’ guhz), or long tales. At first, storytellers used to recite them at special feasts. One such tale took 12 days to recite. After 1100, the Vikings wrote down their sagas. With the coming of Christianity, however, the people lost interest in them. Many were forgotten or were forbidden by the Church. Only the people on the isolated island of Iceland passed on the old tales.

Early on, the Vikings spoke a language similar to that of the Germans. In time, the one language developed into four—Danish, Norwegian (nor we’ juhn), Swedish, and Icelandic. These languages were written with letters called runes (runz), which few people except priests could understand or use. The Vikings used the runes as magic charms. They wrote the runes in metal and carved them in bone in the hope that they would bring good luck. When the Vikings accepted Christianity, they began to write their languages with Roman letters.

Raiders and Adventurers

Scandinavia’s population kept increasing. By the end of the 800s, many Viking villages were overcrowded, and there was not enough food for everyone. Since there was no central government, the kings constantly fought one another and made life difficult for their enemies. Before long, many Viking warriors began to seek their fortunes in other lands. They set sail on their

long, deckless ships that were propelled through the water with oars. On them, the Vikings could safely sail the deep water of the Atlantic Ocean or the shallow rivers of Europe.

From Eastern Europe to North America

Viking adventurers traveled to and raided areas from east Europe to North America. Swedish Vikings crossed the Baltic Sea and traveled down the rivers toward what is now Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. They established a trade water route from the Baltic to the Black Sea and on to the wealthy city of Byzantium (bi zan’ te uhm). This water route became known as the Varangian (vah rahng e’uhn) Route. In 862, a Swedish chief named Rurik (ru ’ rik) founded a Viking settlement that became the Kievan Rus state.

Norwegian Vikings set up trading towns in Ireland, explored the North Atlantic, and founded a colony on Iceland. Led by an adventurer named Erik the Red, they founded a colony on the island of Greenland in 986. Then, Erik’s son, Leif Eriksson (lef er’ ik suhn), landed on the northeast coast of North America. He and his followers named the spot where they landed Vinland because of the wild grapes they found growing there. Today, the area is called Newfoundland (nu’ fuhn luhnd). The Vikings did not set up a colony in Vinland because it was so far away from home and because they were repeatedly attacked by Native Americans.

Most Viking adventurers, however, went to western and southern Europe in search of food and valuables. They disguised their ships to look like wooded islands by covering them with tree branches. Then they traveled far up the rivers to make surprise attacks. They stole goods, destroyed homes, burned churches, and killed or enslaved people they captured. All Europe feared the Vikings. In their churches, the people prayed, “From the fury of the Norsemen, Good Lord, deliver us!”