The Medieval World

A preview of the developments and innovations that make the medieval period exciting; the rise of the university system; manuscript production; the construction of majestic cathedrals; medieval and modern people are more alike than different.

How the heritage and ideals of the Roman Empire shape the early Middle Ages; how Christianity evolves to its position of power within the Roman Empire; how Germanic peoples from outside the empire "Germanize" both Rome and religion.

Visiting the fourth-century moment when Christianity becomes the dominant religion of the Roman Empire; how the religion changes after Roman rule ends; focusing in particular on the conversion of various communities beyond the borders of the empire.

The societies that develop out of the Roman Empire are really "hybrids" of Roman, Christian and Germanic elements; how examples from Anglo-Saxon England reveal this blending; how the values and ideals of these cultures are combined.

Examining this expression of medieval piety; observing the daily life of a monk following the "Rule of St. Benedict"; comparing this Roman or Benedictine form of monasticism to the very different Celtic model practiced in Ireland.

The empire of the Franks is ruled first by the Merovingians and then by the Carolingian dynasty; Charlemagne changes the face of medieval Europe; how Charlemagne brings about a flowering of art, architecture, literature, music and education.

Italy lays popular claim to the word "Renaissance"; marveling at the changes introduced by Charlemagne; how he successfully brings about an unprecedented flowering of art, architecture, literature, music and education.

Situating the Western medieval world in context with the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world; how Byzantium differs from the western Roman Empire; how Islam places pressure on both the Byzantine and western European medieval worlds.

The expansion of the Vikings beginning in the late eighth century is swift, violent and far-reaching; the impact of their raids on various European societies, particularly that of the Franks; the unique aspects of their culture.

Considering the man whose rule in many respects mirrors that of Charlemagne; he resolves the Viking threat; he consolidates the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms; he implements a program under which learning, education and the arts flourish.

Experiencing the tumultuous reshaping of Western Europe; exploring factors such as the emergence of powerful new leaders, invasions, a population explosion, changes in Europe's economy and technological advances.

Witnessing the long struggle for control of the English throne, which culminates in the victory of William the Conqueror; this conflict is captured for all time in the threads of a 230-foot length of embroidery.

The enduring popularity of the story of King Arthur; how and why his legend evolves; learning how the reality is markedly different from that depicted in medieval romances.

Medieval society forms into the hierarchy of the Three Estates; few routes to understanding this structure are as pleasurable as that offered by the literary genre of Estates Satire; this is exemplified in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales".

A glimpse of popular religious expression in the Middle Ages; exploring typical pilgrim motivations; the journeys they take; the different processes by which the saints so often at the emotional heart of those journeys are enshrined.

Following the development of knighthood; its beginnings as the lowest rank of nobility; its evolution as a hereditary title replete with a complex system of rituals, identity practices, public displays and idealized imagery.

Grasping what it takes to build a Gothic cathedral; this includes several decades, hundreds of laborers, teams of craftsmen and the best architectural minds; an acceptance by those who begin a project that they will never live to see it completed.

Focusing on the Crusades; learning what brings so many to a venture that is part holy war and part pilgrimage; gaining a glimpse into the realities of life on crusade by examining eyewitness accounts.

Participants in the successful First Crusade set up four "Crusader states" in the Middle East; they soon learn that accommodation is more effective than dominance; the impact of the Crusades on the European world still endures.

The church and its official representatives experience change throughout the High and Late Middle Ages; this includes monastic reforms, the establishment of new orders, a great schism in the papacy itself and the growing problem of heresy.

Discovering that the Magna Carta, revered today as perhaps the cornerstone of human rights, is considered anything but that at its creation; its most historic provisions are of little concern to the barons who force King John to accept it.

Observing the finely tuned orchestration of servants working together to cater to the needs of the noble family in return for protection and shelter; the medieval castle is built for protection, providing little privacy or luxury.

Little textual evidence describing medieval village life survives; archaeological excavations, along with pictorial evidence from manuscripts, offer a picture of the medieval village as a place brimming with life and characters.

Technological advancements and a population explosion make cities a vital element of the medieval world during the High Middle Ages; they nourish the creation of a new class of individual that does not fit into the Three Estates.

Setting aside the long-held belief that medieval cuisine is bland at best and, at worst, likely to make people ill; medieval cooks display a resourcefulness and skill that allows them to produce dishes that are both innovative and delicious.

Hearing the kinds of music that help people of the Middle Ages enjoy their leisure time when they are not playing board or dice games; listening to recreations of the music played on medieval instruments.

Medieval illustrations and household account entries provide some idea of what medieval clothing is like; they reveal a surprising consciousness of fashion, even within the constraints of so-called "sumptuary laws".

How medieval medicine, much of which is based on the theory of bodily "humors", begins to improve in the 11th century with the foundation of educational institutions devoted to the study of medicine; this is evident particularly in Italy.

It is the worst natural disaster in human history, claiming the lives of perhaps half the people of the medieval world; covering the plague's impact; the responses to it; gaining a view of life during the plague years through eyewitness accounts.

Scholars once believe the Middle Ages has no real conception of childhood; they think that parents could not form powerful attachments to their offspring due to high child mortality; learning why these assumptions are untrue.

For most of the Middle Ages, marriage is a secular institution governed not by the church, but by customs, traditions and laws; how the medieval world handles issues like divorce, remarriage, spousal abuse and nonconsummation.

Although once derided as a "dark age", the medieval world provides many beautiful, skillfully executed artistic works, sampling some of the best works of this legacy in cathedrals, wall murals, illuminated manuscripts and even everyday objects.

The Middle Ages see significant developments in the fields of science and technology; most of them are of a practical nature, grasping how the demands of agriculture, architecture, education and even warfare lead to important advances.

War is one of the dominant aspects of medieval life: its significance in terms of scientific and technological innovation, its impact that goes even further, and how the need for protection leaves its mark on both physical and social structures.

How a series of uprisings, revolts and wars test and alter the structure of medieval society as Europe enters the Late Middle Ages; this hastens the end of the Three Estates system that has already begun to crumble with the merchant class's rise.

How a once-sharp historical division is worn away; scholars once speak of the differences between the Middle Ages and the Modern period; seeing a much greater continuity of ideals and values as the medieval world transforms into something new.