Middle Ages (330- 1500)

Middle Ages (330- 1500)

● Title page
● Social (Esther)
● Economic (Andrea)
● Political (Sarah)
● Cultural: literature(Andrea) , fine art (Sarah), music(Esther)
● Technological events (Andrea)
● Garments (Esther, Sarah)
● Costume accessories : jewelry (Andrea), hairstyles, hats(Esther), armor(Andrea),

makeup(Sarah)
● Movie review and clip

SOCIAL

- In our village, more than 90% of the people are peasants. Most of the population are farmers.
They live in very small house with 1-2 rooms and must be shared by all family members.
Therefore, the houses are very crowded and loud. For some houses, farm animals may sleep

inside the house. In the Middle Ages, the royalty class such as kings, queens, princes, princesses
have the most power; dukes and barons come second. After the hereditary nobility, come non-
hereditary nobility such as knights, peasants, and freemen. Lastly, serfs, slaves, and monks are in
the low class.
- In the Middle Ages, both men and women work hard for a living. Men, are the head of the
family, so must take care of the land and do the hard-physical work such as carpentry and
farming. Women also work hard even though they are paid less than men. However, no one
complains about discrimination because women must obey male members of the family. Wives
usually help husbands by doing garden work such as growing fruits and vegetables, and taking
care of the animals at the farm used to make food such as chickens for eggs and cows for milk.
Wives must do all this hard work while taking care of their children as well which results in most
women dying before the age of 40. Moreover, women often partake in the cottage industries like
manufacturing textiles, baking and brewing. However, wealthy women do not need to do all the
hard work, because they have servants and wet nurses who do all the work. Women in poor
families marry in their 20s whereas the women from rich backgrounds, marry when they are
teenagers. Poor women tend to get married later, because they are expected to work for their
families first. If the daughter gets married, it means the parents will lose one person who could
help make ends meet. For nobles, most marriages are arranged in their early teens.
- In this era, as we are catholic, from birth to death, the church is a vital part of our entire life.
Whether we are in the upper or lower class, life is controlled by the church; this means it is very
powerful and has many laws. Even though there are a lot of laws that control our lives, we all still
attend church events and enjoy ourselves there. The church also runs hospitals and monks and
nuns help the poor mostly by providing food. However, during our free time, we entertain
ourselves by playing games, sports, gambling, bear and bull baiting, hunting, and hawking.
Peasants of course are not allowed to hunt on the lord’s land; the consequences might even be
death sometimes. Rich people often spend time at banquets which are well-known events for
wealthy members. The party often goes till the morning; entertainers can include musicians,
acrobats, fire eaters and even jesters who provide much-needed comic relief for the upper-class
members at home or royalty gathered at court. Children in this era often play sports, chess, and
archery which is also a popular way to acquire food in the form of game. Little girls have dolls
but boys have more masculine objects such as toy wagons. Mothers usually teach girls how to
sew and cook. Moreover, few youngsters go to school to learn subjects like Latin but obviously,
depending on the family, children’s education varies.
- Middle age roads are covered in dirt and mud and men travel by horse if they can afford it.
Women often travel by wagon but due to the bad roads, it is quite uncomfortable to travel. Also,
people travel by water as well and it is faster, cheaper and more comfortable than travelling on
land. However, the rudder was only invented at the end of the13th century.

ECONOMIC

POLITICAL

Events
● The new capital city of the eastern Roman Empire: Constantinople (during the 4th
century)
● The Merovingian rule begins in the years 481 - 511
● The Carolingian rule begins in the year 751
● Charlemagne is crowned the Roman emperor by the pope (in the 8th century)

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5XIyWLEqa2oC&printsec=frontcover&dq=medieval+laws
&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=medieval%20laws&f=false

CULTURAL
During the earlier medieval period, the liturgical genre, predominantly Gregorian
chant done by monks, was monophonic ("monophonic" means a single melodic line,
without a harmony part or instrumental accompaniment).
http://www.lordsandladies.org/middle-ages-music.htm
http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/middle/index.html
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Medieval_Music

http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/music-in-the-middle-ages.html

Fine Arts
Paintings are distinguished by the visual storytelling, expressiveness and dynamics. They
often have themes of religious literature, war and politics. A work of art is literally a powerful
way to convey a message or purpose. Religious art can even have a spiritual effect on the
viewer. There are many paintings and statues of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child, which has
been inspirational for many people.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=500jDQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=medieval+fine+
arts&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

In the year 1210 , windows have round geometric patterns. Later on, patterns start to
intersect and change shape.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=GFReqRIMXdwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=medieval+fine
+architecture&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjr58rL_4fXAhVH9mMKHcLPBn4Q6AEILTAB#v=
onepage&q&f=false

MUSIC
- Music is an important part of life at this time. Medieval music is an era of Western music,
sacred for the church. Music is mostly characterized by romance and courtly love but also
influenced by Arabian love songs. Several instruments are used such as the flute, jaw harp,
bowed lyra, hurdy-gurdy, harpsichord, psaltery, and dulcimers as string instruments. Moreover,
woodwind instruments are also very popular. As the name implies, most like flutes, trumpets,
cornetts, oboes, tubas, bombard, shawms, flageolets and crumhorns are mostly constructed from
wood. Shawm instruments may very well continued in use in Europe till perhaps even the 17th
century and they come in various shapes and sizes. There are also Bas and Haut instruments; Bas
is the low volume and Haut is the high volume. Often Haut instruments are played outdoors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZCw75PhgIc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MozkVrpJTE

TECHNOLOGICAL EVENTS

GARMENTS
● The Byzantine style dress began in the 4th century

● People of higher status generally wear full length tunics, whereas those of lower
status wear tunics that fall to the knees with a belt

● Decorative Details: Clavi stripes of Roman origin, round motifs, rectangular or star
shape medallion, strips of ornate patterns including embroidery, appliques and
stones,

● Silhouette becomes more fitted by the year 1000
● Men wear an under tunic, outer tunic and hoses, which cover the legs. Tunics have

decorative patterns at the hems, sleeves and yokes.
● Emperors and empresses wear scarves known as “pallium”, which are long and

embellished in jewels. These are worn draped across the front and over the arm.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=h1s8K0_hCfoC&pg=PA185&dq=medieval+cosmetics&hl=
en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=medieval%20cosmetics&f=false

- In the Middle Ages, the richer you are, the more clothing you own, and most clothing is
made from wool and undergarments from linen. In the early part of the century, often the rich men
wore woolen tunics with a hem around the waist and a woolen cloak over the shoulder. Rich
women also wear a woolen cloak and a dress, and a linen under skirt with a linen headdress to
cover her hair. On the other hand, peasants’ garments are basic and less decorative. Men wear
stockings and tunics and women wear long, garments with sleeveless tunics and wimples.

COSTUME ACCESORIES

http://hair.lovetoknow.com/alternative-hairstyles/womens-medieval-hairstyles

Cosmetics
Women generally use cosmetics to look younger, enhance their looks or adjust the colour or
shape of their face. Cosmetics can also be used for to cover blemishes and imperfections.
An important beauty ideal in Europe is pale skin and rosy cheeks. Women whiten their faces
with white powder and rose water. Possible ingredients to produce white powder are
sprouting wheat, white lead known as ceruse and herbs and lye and fat. Soaking flowers in
water (for example, rose water) or wine is a common way to make perfume.
Perfumes are used a great deal in Rome. There are many kinds of scents, including myrrh,
pomegranate, cassia and cinnamon.
Roman women also whiten their faces, darkly outline their eyes, and redden the lips and
cheeks. Soot or mostly lead is used as eyeliner. Colouring lips and the face comes from red
plants of animal fat. To dye dark hair red or blonde, lye and henna are used as bleach.
Another important component to beauty is personal hygiene. Ingredients like lupin seeds,
rootstock of iris, honey, eggs and herbs can be used to wash the skin. Skin is always kept
plucked or shaved, oiled and waxed.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=aDhOv6hgN2IC&pg=PA173&lpg=PA173&dq=medieval+c
osmetics+women&source=bl&ots=u5mzLVxcsh&sig=cTuK6xklf1v11CPZbYqeSr9HUEU&hl=
en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-
0riX34fXAhVmF2MKHdVnBXc4ChDoAQg2MAM#v=onepage&q=medieval%20cosmetics%2
0women&f=false

https://books.google.ca/books?id=h1s8K0_hCfoC&pg=PA185&dq=medieval+cosmetics&hl=
en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=medieval%20cosmetics&f=false

HATS

- In our town, we can recognize which class people belong to by just looking at their hats.
For example, monks often wear linen head-warmers or coifs, a light fabric cap held on the
head with a string under the chin. Peasants wear straw or felt hats, warlords wear a
bascinet which is kind of like an iron or steel skull cap. Nuns, and peasant women wear
wimples which cover a woman’s neck and chin entirely and noblewomen wear butterfly
hats. In the latter part of this century, women often wear hair ribbons, tied into the hair for
important occasions. Hair is usually hidden from viewers under the wimple due to
religion which values modesty and piety. Later, coiled buns on the side of the head and
hair parted in the middle becampopular. –

- Franks according to Sidoine Apollinaire “tied up their flaxen or light-brown hair above
their foreheads, into a kind of tuft, and then made it fall behind the head like a horse's tail.
The face was clean shaved, with the exception of two long moustaches. They wore cloth
garments, fitting tight to the body and limbs, and a broad belt, to which they hung their
swords." These same people, however, occasionally “doffed the war coat and the leather
belt, and assumed the toga of Roman dignity. More than once their flaxen hair was shown
to advantage by flowing over the imperial mantle, and the gold of the knights, the purple

of the senators and patricians, the triumphal crowns, the fasces, and, in short, everything
which the Roman Empire invented in order to exhibit its grandeur, assisted in adding to
that of our ancestors." Another unusual practice was that the “hair [was] never cut from
the heads of the Frankish kings' sons. From early youth their hair [fell] gracefully over
their shoulders … parted on the forehead, and fall[ing] equally on both sides; it [was]
with them a matter to which they [gave] special attention." We are also told that they
sometimes sprinkled their hair with gold-dust, and plaited it in small bands, which they
ornamented with pearls and precious metals.

MOVIE CLIP

● Robin Hood movie(2010)
● The Canterbury tales

WORK CITED