The Medieval, or Middle, Ages in Europe have often been called the Dark Ages, since they seem to have been lacking in many ways. However, the Church was always shining the light of the Gospel in even the darkest of places. “In the very bosom of this doomed society, a power remained which was capable of giving meaning to the drama, of bringing order out of disorder, of integrating the Barbarians into civilization and of using their youthful energies to restore the world to vigor and health. This…

There are many terms used to describe the period after the fall of Rome and before the Renaissance, three main terms being the Middle, Medieval, and Dark Ages. In general, these terms are used interchangeably, but are these fair substitutions? In recent years the term “Dark Ages” is becoming less and less acceptable as a phrase which describes the span of years it is meant to refer to. The use of the term “dark” implies a period of stagnation, which is becoming a questionable concept. In particular…

Women withstood a multitude of limitations in the medieval era. Due to the political, social, and religious restrictions women encountered, historians neglected to realize that they demonstrated agency. The female experience is something that has been overlooked until recently. Unfortunately, without the knowledge of how women found ways to exert their power, we are experiencing a deficit of knowledge in this period. Through the close examination of the primary sources: The Gospel of Mary, Dhouda’s…

The Punishments of the Medieval Era When Shakespeare was born in 1564, Queen Elizabeth had taken power a mere 6 years prior, and her justice system was very different from ours. In this paper, I hope to explore some of the ways punishments were different, such as how many crimes had individual punishments, often times depending on how severe the crime was. I will also go in-depth to one of the most infamous cases of the medieval period. Imprisonment was very rare. If you were in jail…

Between the years 500 A.D. and 1400 A.D., a time referred to as the Middle Ages occurred in Europe. This era began as the Roman Empire collapsed, following the disorder that occurred because of the destruction of the Romans. During this dark time, there was much disorder. Eventually, this time period led to the rise of feudalism, the immense power of the Roman Catholic Church, and many advancements in architecture, literacy, and art. The variety of events that occurred in this period allowed historians…

Food is an essential need in order to survive. Medieval food took a turn during the Middle Ages. Different foods were put in groups to be consumed according to the social rank of individuals. Noble’s diets would be unquestionably different than the peasants. Religion also played a significant role on food during the Medieval Times. People celebrated large banquets and feasts during this Era. During the Medieval Era, there was a difference in food that was consumed by the rich and poor. The diet…

Life in the Medieval Era Living in the medieval time period was not as glamorous as it is often portrayed; peasants and serfs led hard lives, however, kings, lords, and knights lived lavishly and at the expense of those under them. In this paper you will read about all of these lifestyles, as well as the castles in which these lords and kings lived in. Mainly castle designs, fortifications, and siege tactics will be revealed to you; yet there are several sections, dealing with the lifestyles…

for new types of artwork to be produced. Artwork during the Early Medieval era, Romanesque era, and Gothic era demonstrates how local and imported ideas intermingle to produce new things. In order to fully express the idea of cultures integrating local ideas with ideas of other cultures to form new artworks, focusing specifically on architecture will allow for the theme to be fully justified. During the dynamic Early Medieval era, which dates back to 500-1000 BCE, European identity was developed…

The Medieval Era The Medieval era is so easily generalized into the three orders of those who fight, those who work, and those who pray, or even simply divided into the privileged and unprivileged. These distinctions are important, for the ability of the church and manor to influence a peasant's actions and to take a peasant's earnings was obviously a central component of a peasant's life. However, when peasants constituted such a sizable majority of the population (over…

been a very important aspect of one’s life. It influences the education one can receive, what work they are eligible to do, and their position in their world as a whole. In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer explores a variety of positions in medieval society through his characters. The feudal hierarchy Chaucer explored over 600 years ago such as the clergy, the middle class, and the nobility are all comparable to the societal classes of today’s world. The first, and most influential class,…