The Middle Ages

Chivalry

Chivalry was very important in the Middle Ages. Chivalry is when you respect someone and their rights,

putting them before yourself. Most noblemen were chivalrous, or tried to be. An example of chivalry would be, if

a lord took off his cloak and put it over a puddle, so a woman wouldn’t get her dainty feet wet. That is a

chivalrous act, but don’t think that it only existed in in the Middle Ages. Acts of modern chivalry can include holding the door for someone, or even simple things like saying

please and thank you.

The Feudal SystemThe Feudal system was

constructed for one reason, security. The nobles wanted the security of maintaining control over their far-reaching land and everyone in them. So, they were forced to give power to local control. The peasants wanted to be safe from barbarians, thieves, and intruders from nearby lands. So, the upper classes controlled the lower classes to maintain what happens in their surroundings. This being, the feudal system.

KnighthoodBecoming a knight was an

honor to young men, but you didn’t just become a knight, you had to earn it. Before becoming a knight you must assist your lord, especially when the lord was in battle. Another step to becoming a knight was that you had to learn to handle weapons and ride a horse. Learning to hunt and hunt with falcons was an important part of his training, as well. Finally, the night before someone became a knight, he had to confess his sins and fast. With a touch of a blade, called the accolade, at his ceremony by his lord, he became a knight.

Illuminated Letters

illuminated Letters are letters with intricate

designs to make them stand out on a page. Monks usually created these letters in Bibles and other holy scriptures. Sometimes they would spend whole days and nights in the church trying to perfect their letters. The monks would write these by hand with pristine hand writing. Often the letters were gilded with silver or gold ink, which made them stand out even more. Must’ve been challenging!

People of the Middle Ages1. Priests- service performers at local catholic churches.2. Monks- religious men who lived together in Abbeys.3. Squire- young noblemen who train to be knights.4. Knights- horse riding soldiers of the middle ages5. Pope- The head of the roman catholic churches.6. Villeins- Farmers who work on manners.7. Troubadours- poets on musicians .8. Serfs- Farmers and house-wives.9. Guildsman- Weavers, goldsmiths, and craftsmen.10. Lord- noblemen who ruled over a small portions of land11. Merchants- Traders that sold goods.12. Nuns- Religious women, who lived a lot like monks13. Falconer- Trainers for hunting birds.14. Queen- Wedded to the King15. Jesters- Fools that entertained.16. Craftsmen- Blacksmiths.17. King- Ruler of most countries in Europe.18. Bishops- oversaw numbers of churches.19. Alchemists- studied natural laws.20. Noble Women- born into powerful families21. Barons- Chiefs of noblemen22. Crusaders- European Christians23. Heralds- originally messengers who wore their lords’ colors.