2. Brainstorm what you know about the Medieval Times (the Dark Ages):  What was life like back then? What are some key technologies they did not have?  What comes to mind when you think about “chivalry”?  What do you know about knights/castles?  What do you think the church (the Catholic Church) was like back then?  How were women/peasants treated?

3. NEW NOTES

4.  A time period in European history (roughly 500 – 1500 AD) marked by the fall of the Western Roman Empire (the end of Antiquity) and lasting until the beginning of the Renaissance.  Divided into three periods: Early, High, and Late  “Medieval” is an adjective used to describe things associated with the Middle Ages.  Some scholars, especially those during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, viewed the Middle Ages as the “Dark Ages”, a time when civilization was mired in superstition and ignorance

5.  The idea of estates, or orders people belonged to, was encouraged during the Age  Clergy  Spoke Latin, purpose was to save everyone’s soul (priests, bishops, nuns…etc.)  Nobles  Spoke French (after Norman Invasion in 1066), purpose was to protect—allow for all to work in peace—and provide justice (kings, dukes, barons, knights…etc.)  Commoners  Spoke English, purpose was to feed and clothe all above them (peasants/serfs)

6.  The economic system of much of the Middle Ages (800-1100)  Commoners (peasants) lived on a feudal manor. The lord of the manor gave his vassals land to farm.  In return, the vassals received protection from roving bandits. Yet they were taxed and had to surrender a portion of their crops to the lord.  Serfs, on the other hand, were basically slaves. They were bound to the land they worked, unable to leave (though they did own possessions).  Feudalism - basis of the society. created ties of obedience and loyalty between the vassals and their lord.

7.  A product of feudalism, chivalry was an idealized system of manners and morals  The Medieval knight was bound to the chivalric code to be loyal to…  God  his lord  his lady  Attributes of Chivalry: benevolence (kindness), brotherly love, politeness, honor, courtly love, protecting the defenseless

8.  Provided guidance through well known commandments:  Seven Deadly Sins  Pride (vanity)  Wrath (anger)  Envy (jealousy)  Gluttony (over-eating)  Sloth (laziness)  Lust  Greed

9.  The medieval philosophy that fate is capricious (constantly changing). One minute you could be up and then the next minute you’re down.  Believed to be turned by the goddess Fortuna (Fate). Notice again the mixture of pagan and Christian beliefs.

10.  The pervading philosophy also known as the “Geocentric Model”, meaning that the universe is centered on the earth.  People of the Medieval period loved order! Remember the Three Estates, the Seven Deadly Sins—a place for everyone and everyone in that place.

13.  Is chivalry towards women a good thing? Or does it increase sexism because women are treated differently than men? Explain your answer in a half-page paragraph.

14.  Marked by catastrophe: many wars, famines, and diseases (The Black Death)  There was a revival in classical Greek and Roman ideals when scholars from Constantinople sought refuge in Italy from the Ottoman Turks  The fall of Constantinople (the Eastern Roman Empire), the invention of printing, and the rise of colonialism marked the end of the Middle Ages

16.  spreads along trade routes  kills 1/3 of the population  the plague outbreaks occur through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance  The Plague provides for continued growth in cities  Afterwards, hundreds of new jobs available  Many debts “died off” with creditors  also contributed to society’s culture

18.  Latin was the language of the Roman Catholic Church, which dominated Europe  The Church was the only source of education  Thus, Latin was a common language for Medieval writings.

19.  Catholic clerics were the intellectual center of society in the Middle Ages, and it is their literature that was produced in the greatest quantity.  A notable amount of Medieval literature is anonymous. Medieval authors tended to re- tell stories they heard or read rather than invent new stories.

20.  An allegory is a figurative mode of representation conveying a meaning other than the literal. (example: Animal Farm where the animals represent the Communist Party, The Chronicles of Narnia where Aslan represents Christ)  Much of Medieval literature relied on allegory to convey the moral of the story.

21.  This relationship was modeled on the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord.  The knight serves his courtly lady with the same obedience and loyalty which he owes to his liege lord.  She is in complete control; he owes her obedience and submission

22.  A quest is a hero’s journey towards a goal. It requires great exertion from the hero, and the overcoming of many obstacles.  The hero's must obtain something, or someone, by the quest and with this object return home.  The knight's love for the lady inspires him to do great deeds or quests in order to win her favor.

23.  “Courtly love" was not between husband and wife because it was an idealized sort of relationship that could not exist within the context of "real life" Medieval marriages.  In the Middle Ages, marriages amongst the nobility were typically based on practical and dynastic concerns rather than on love.

24. Attributes of Chivalry: benevolence (kindness), brotherly love, politeness, honor, courtly love, protecting others who cannot protect themselves Is chivalry dead or alive? In what ways? What are some ways we can encourage chivalry?

25.  Heroism  from both Germanic and Christian traditions  Divine decent or accomplished  Presentations of idealized behavior  literature as moral lesson  loyalty to king  chivalry  use of kennings (especially in Beowulf )  A figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun. Example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle.

26.  Romance  Knights/Chivalry  A narrative in prose or verse that tells of the adventures and heroic exploits of chivalric heroes  exploits of knights  often a supernatural element involved  Christian message  concern with salvation and the world to come  no interest in social change  until the late 14th century  Chaucer signals new thinking, up-ending social order