Villages in the Middle Ages

Contrary to the romanticized modern day depiction, the middle ages were quite a difficult and mundane time for the ordinary villager. Village life in the Middle Ages was marked by days that generally involved toiling in the fields and an occasional village celebration where both the lords and peasant would take a break from their … Read more

Weapons in the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages were fraught with frequent wars and battles and weapons were extremely valuable for success in these campaigns.  Using limited technology it was possible to create a wide range of weapons and defensive gear for knights and soldiers.  Tournaments and sporting events served as important training practice for many aspects of a military … Read more

Witches and Witchcraft in the Middle Ages

Witchcraft in the Middle Ages was a controversial crime that was equally punishable to poisoning.  If one was accused of witchcraft, the charges could be dropped by a relative’s defense in a trial by combat, or by twelve people swearing an oath of the accused’s innocence.  In the case of a relative defending the accused, … Read more

Women in the Middle Ages

In order to best describe the role and position of women in the Middle Ages, it is first necessary to look at social standing of the women.  In general, women at this point were considered inferior to men and their duties were primarily confined to the home and family life.  A number of women, however, … Read more

Doctors in the Middle Ages

When you consider how far the development of medicine has gone just in your lifetime it can be rather difficult to imagine what life might have been like for those in the medical field during the Middle Ages. Doctors in the Middle Ages knew little of the origination for the ailments that they were trying … Read more

Crusades in the Middle Ages

The Crusades in the middle ages were a series of wars that the Christians of Europe launched against the Saracens. Saracens was a term that the Crusaders used to describe a Muslim. The Crusades began in 1905 prompted by Pope Claremont’s declaration at the Council of Claremont, which called for Christians across Europe to wage … Read more

Cathedrals in the Middle Ages

Cathedrals in the middle ages were typically large churches and were considered the center church of the bishop’s throne. In the medieval times, monumental cathedrals were built to symbolize of faith and a display of creativity within the middle ages society in Europe. History The laws of the Church established that the throne of a … Read more

Bishops in the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages was a time in the history of Europe when society was structured on well-defined classes. If you were born in one class of the society, you belonged to that class for your entire life with no chances of improving your status through hard work. The type of home you lived in, the … Read more

Government in the Middle Ages

Government in the Middle Ages – Feudalism The prevailing system of government in the Middle Ages was feudalism.  Though the actual term “feudalism” was not used during the Middle Ages, what we now recognize as a feudalist system of government was in control in Medieval Europe.  Feudalism was a way for the Kings and upper … Read more