The Middle Age And Society In The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages come into being around A.D. 500, which was after the western half of the Roman Empire collapsed. They lasted to about A.D.1400 and are referenced to as a period of time that experienced violence by Barbaric invasion, feudalism, disease, and strong feelings for faith. The Dark Ages, the Age of Feudalism and the Age of Faith are all appropriate titles, however the label that best fits is the Age of Faith because of the political, economic and social influence the church held.

(Keogh). After viewing hundreds of period photographs, about eighty percent of them feature solid colors, and tight fitting suits for both men and women. Overseas, leather was restricted to military use, so shoe designers were forced to be increasingly clever. Every imaginable material was to make shoes, reptile skins and mesh were the most successful substitutes.

It was fashionable to wear high double horn headdresses. Only wealthy people could hire tailors. Silk was worn to be seen just as much to be felt. “Looms wove the cloth in grid fashion, enabling them to stretch more effectively at certain angles than at others” (http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/clothing/) Popele sometimes wore loose linen or wool tunics like big baggy t shirts. Clothing became more complicated in the middle ages. In the 1300s, to make sure wealthy merchants were not confused with nobles, and craftsmen were not confused with wealthy merchants, laws were passed in towns and villages about what kind of clothes each group could wear. Wearing pants was originally a Germanic idea, and the Romans disapproved of it. But it gradually caught on anyway, especially among men who rode horses and in colder areas. Other men, especially noblemen, wore tights under their tunics. Outside, if it was cold, men wore wool cloaks. (http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/clothing/) Women mainly wore long sleeved linen dresses called chemises as underwear. Over the top they wore wool tunics with sleeves. Men wore long shirts and tunics, with stocking or

The Middle Ages began around A.D. 500, which was after the western half of the Roman Empire collapsed. They lasted to about A.D.1400 and are referenced as a period of time that experienced violence by Barbaric invasion, feudalism, disease, and strong feelings for faith. The Dark Ages, the Age of Feudalism and the Age of Faith are all appropriate titles however the label that best fits is the Age of Faith because of the political, economic and social influence the church held.

Once a person was accused of being a witch, the authorities needed concrete or tangible evidence before they would prosecute or put the accused to death. A guidebook published in 1486, called "Malleus

A low relief carving made in 410-407 BC, Nike Adjusting Her Sandal, was taken from a fragment of the parapet in the Temple of Athena Nike. As the goddess extends forward, her chiton slips from her body, and wings balance her stance. The covering lacks the pronunciation found in The Nike of Samothorace, as it drapes over her figure smoothly rather than extending texture. A direct reference to footwear and the importance of footwear can be extrapolated

There was a very clear line in between the wealthy and the poor. Peasants during the era wore layers of belted tunics, cloaks, hats, and boots or clogs for warmth. These types of clothing would never be seen on the wealthier class of people. Many fashion trends from the renaissance time period carried on from time period to time period and are very prevalent still today.

During Medieval times apparel determined ranking and class in society. The classes were split into three different estates. The first estate was made up of members of the church. The second estate was made up of knights and nobles. The third and last estate was made up of Peasants also known as the working class. Chaucer expresses in The Canterbury Tales how apparel differs in the first, second, and third estate.

At the time of the middle ages the Catholic Church was at the top of the feudal system as God was involved in mostly everything at the time. Many people who had been infected consulted a priest and asked to be cured as people believed that god was punishing them by infecting the society with the plague. When the priests were trying to cure a person of the infection they would also be infected as the disease would be passed in the air from coughing. What also weakened the power of the church was that many people prayed for friends and family or themselves to be cured to God, but as no one was ever cured they stopped believing God was real. Which made people stop listening to the people of the church and to stop going to church which weakened the power of the Catholic Church very

Clothing expression in medieval Europe, like all other forms of artistic expression at this time, found it's biggest outlet in the ecclesiastical field, as this was where all the money was to be found. The churches employed all the best builders and craftsmen in creating their great cathedrals, and art works. In clothing, the church dictated what sorts of materials were made, and brought into the area, what colors were in use, and what styles were used, influencing the secular as well as ecclesiastical dress. In the feudal system only great Barons and their families wore fine cloths, as clothing was a symbol of rank and importance. Each family made their own clothes, so fashion was very individualistic in style, and each family had their own characteristics. With an increase of wealth in the area, and the beginning of the crusades, new elaborate styles were introduced into the scene. Fashions became strange, and grotesque in nature reflecting the constant struggles and wars of the time, as fantasy and the grotesque generally influence social costumes accompanying times of war. Women in their headgear actually wore huge horns, like an ox, that towered above them and supported a veil, and men's shoes were peaked and extended six inches in front of them for common men, and a foot for gentlemen, and two feet for noblemen.

The Middle Ages was the period of European history from the 5th to the 15th century during the fall of the Western Roman empire. During the central Middle Ages, social, economic, and political structures were rediscovered and organized. Although Europe suffered disasters of famine and war in the 14th century the main social, economic, and political structures remained the same. Europe began to experience its revival between the 15th and 16th century. The Middle Ages ended with the Renaissance period. While Christians stressed the importance of individuality and human equality, secularism and individualism continued to rise and mark the Renaissance society. The middle classes and peasant populations both believed it was possible to change their standard of living. They no longer subjected to inflexible social position as they began to improve their social class and lifestyle through new ideas and hard work.

People in the middle ages were very religious. People believed that Roman Catholic Church represent God. The church had a big influence on the content spread in the Middle Ages, and they were content with religious or moralistic. The only religion recognized in Middle Ages Europe was Christianity and specifically Catholicism. Christianity in the middle ages dominated the lives. The life of the medieval people was dominated entirely by the church and many religious institutions gained power and wealth. It was single the larges institution in west of Europe. It touched everyone’s life no matter what rank in social class they lived in. Everyone in western Europe was Rome Catholic Christian at that time. From the reaches king all the way down.

The Middle Ages were a period in Europe dating from the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West, around the 5th century. However, the fixing of dates for the beginning and end of the Middle Ages is arbitrary. According to the Norton Anthology, "Medieval social theory held that society was made up of three 'estates': the nobility, composed of a small hereditary aristocracy,...,the church, whose duty was to look after the spiritual welfare of that body, and everyone else..."( Norton 76).

Things like clothing varied from each period. While during the Medieval times, it seemed as if the fashionable look was narrow and ease of the garment, whereas in the Renaissance, they used extravagant cloths and furs, along with padding for a broad silhouette. During the Renaissance, clothing molded you into the fashionable shapes and sizes.

Western European people had endured a series of changes during the late medieval period. Changes can be categorized into two aspects: politically and socially. On politics, Popes were not as strong as they were due to conflicts between the state and the church. Socially, people began to live a religion- dominated life, and experienced active sexism towards women. These changes, either positive or negative, have become an undivided part of European History.