Getting Medieval

The Middle Ages was a lond period of time between the 5th century and the 16th century. It is also known as the "Dark Ages" . The Middle Ages was a time of Feudalism and peasantry. Many important events happened during this lengthy time period such as The Crusades, The Murder of Thomas a Becket, The Magna Carta, and The Black Death. Each of these contributed to life during the Dark Ages.
The word Crusade meant "a war of the cross". During the middle ages Pope Urban wanted the Christians to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims. This was so they could have the land of christ back. So the French German, and Italians were the christian Europeans who would go on crusades to try and get there land back from the Muslims. The first cusade was a bust there was no strategy and many men died from hunger and disease. When they finally reached Jerusalem the Europeans killed who ever they saw. Knights would go on Crusades to get rich or to steal a houses from the people they were fighting, but most of the knights went to get healed of their sins. In this time period the Catholics were in control and would bribe men to become knights by saying that they would not go to hell if they would fight. All together there were six crusades. One thing that happened due to the crusades was new religious order. People who were previously Knights often became monks at the church. The Knights did capture Jerusalem for a short period of time but it kept getting retaken by the Muslims. Many innocent muslims as well as Knights were killed during this time.
Thomas Becket died December 29th, 1170. Thomas A Becket's murder was due to King Henry II. King Henry believed that by having Becket at the a top position of the Church, he could easily impose his will upon this powerful religious institution, he was very wrong. Becket's allegiance switched from the court to the Church making him take a stand against his king. During this time period the Church had the right to try felonious clerics in their own religious courts of justice and not those of the crown. Henry wanted to get rid of this law by getting rid of Beckett. After Becket left for 6 years he came back to Cantebury. On Christmas nigh of 1170 he was doing a sermon. In the sermon he said ’May they all be damned by Jesus Christ!’ about the bishops. This made the king furious and the sing later said “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest!” So 4 Knights took this literally and went out for the kill of Becket. The men found him at the altar of the Cantebury Cathedral. One of the Knights went up to him. He struck Becket on the shoulder with the flat part of his sword. The knights did not plan to kill Becket, but as he stood firm after the first blow, the four attacked and butchered him. King Henry II was very upset when he heard what had happened to hid friend. He starved him self and wore sackcloth and ashes for three days.
The Magna Carta was issued in the year 1215. It was written due to a disagreement between the pope, King John, and the barons because there was confusion about the King's rights. The Magna carta limited the Kings rights over his people and allowed them more freedom. The Magna Carta was one of the earliest documents to limit the Kings power. This document would help to later inspire the Bill of Rights and the constitution in America.
The Black death plagued Europe in the late 1340's. One third of the people in Europe died. Twenty million Europeans died. The cause of the Black Plague was the Oriental Rat Flea from black rats. What happened was the flea would bite the rat that had bacteria in its blood. Next the Bacteria would multiply in the fleas stomach. After that the fleas stomach would be clogged with bacteria and to release it the flea would bite a human and regurgitate the bacteria into the human. The Black plague caused the Catholic church as well as people's social ranking to change.
The Cantebury Tails Prologue includes a variety of characters. Their are thirteen main charactors in the story each of them posess many identifiable characteristics.


The Knight was a charming gentleman. This is proven in the story when it says "A knyte ther was and that a worthy man,

That fro the thyme that he first bigan

riden out, he loved chivalrie,

Touthe and honour, freedom and curteisie.



The story also posesses a squire. He was very happy and flirty. The story demonstrates this when it says, " In hope to win thereby his lady's grace.
Embroidered he was, as if he were a meadow bright,
All full of fresh-cut flowers red and white.
Singing he was, or whistling, all the day.


There was also a Yeoman. The Yeoman was known as a woodsman who resembled Robin Hood but people weren't sure if he was quite as true as Robin was.
A Christopher medal on his breast of silver sheen.
He bore a horn, the baldric all of green;
A forester he truly was, I guess.



The Prioress was very lady like and compassionate.
That she would weep if she but saw a mouse
Caught in a trap, whether it were dead or bled.
She had some little dogs, that she fed
On roasted flesh, or milk and fine white bread.
But sorely she wept if one of them were dead.


The Monk was wealthy and frugal.
Greyhounds he had, as fast as a bird in flight.
Since riding and the hunting of the hare
Were all his love, for no cost would he spare.
I saw his sleeves were made with fur at the hand
With fine grey fur, the finest in the land


The Merchant was decietful he seemed almost like a perfect cars salesman.
This worthy man kept all his wits well set;
There was no person that knew he was in debt,
So well he managed all his trade affairs
With bargains and with borrowings and with shares.

The Clerk studied a lot and was very interested in learning.
He took utmost care and heed for his study.
Not one word spoke he more than was necessary.

The Sergeant of the Law was widely respected and knowledgable about laws.
Because of his knowledge and high reputation,
He took large fees, had robes more than one.

The Franklin loved to indulge himself with food and wine and other pleasures.
His house was never short of food and pies
Of fish and flesh, and these in large supplies
It seemed to snow therein both food and drink
Of every dainty that a man could think.

The cook was there to do just that, cook. His specialty was a Blanc-mange which i a custard like dessert.
A COOK they had with them, just for once,
To boil the chickens with the marrow-bones,

There was a sailor who knoew the water very well.
He knew well all the havens, how they were, From Gottland to the Cape of Finisterre,
And every creek in Brittany and Spain;
His vessel had been called the Madeleine.

There was a doctor who was very highly reguarded was also very cheap with his money. He cared for and saved a patient many times...
And yet he was right careful of expense;
He kept the gold he gained from pestilence.

The Wife of Bath was respected and lived a morally questionable lifestyle.
She'd been respectable throughout her life,
Married in church, husbands she had five,Not counting other company in youth.

The Parson who was into religion.
But rich he was in holy thought and work.
He was a learned man also, a clerk,
Who Christ's own gospel truly sought to preach;
Devoutly his parishioners would he teach.

The Plowman was a very hard worker with a good heart.
He loved God most, and that with his whole heart
At all times, whether it was easy or hard

There was also a Miller. The Miller was strong and won contests.
Hardy, big of brawn and big of bone;
Which was well proved, for wherever a festive day
At wrestling, he always took the prize away.

The manciple was involved in the market and did well in them.
That he knew the markets, watched them closely,
And found himself ahead, he did quit nicely.

The Reeve was known to look like a puppet.
Who shaved his beard as close as ever he can.
His hair was closely cropped around his ears;
His head, the top was cut alike a pulpiteer's.
Long were his legs, and they were very lean,
And like a staff, with no calf to be seen.

The Summoner was a good friend and a good drinker.
A better comrade would be hard to find.
Why, he would suffer, for a quart of wine.

The pardoner was an excellent singer.
He was, in church, a fine ecclesiast.
Well could he read a lesson or a story,
But best of all he sang an offertory;
For he knew well that when that song was sung,
Then must he preach, and all with smoothened tongue.

I read The Knight's Tale. The story is a collection of vulgarity. William Thatcher is a peasant. He is sent to apprentice with a knight named Hector when he was very young. His father told him to "change his Stars" he assumes Sir Hector's place in a tournament when Hector dies in the middle of it. He wins. With the other apprentices, he trains and assumes the title of Sir Ulrich Von Lichtenstein. By law, only Knights may compete. Being of plain birth, William aquires fake documents to support his new identity. At his first tournament, he meets the lovely Jocelyn who is a Lady and has no clue that William wasn't noble. He also creates an enemy in Count Ademar, until then the best Knight in the games would compete for Jocelyn. William goes on and wins many tournaments and Jocelyn's love. Ademar finds out William's came from a peasant family and turns him in. William is immediately arrested. The Black Prince Edward, who William had paid a past kindness to, makes William an official Knight of the Realm, which makes him allowed for him to compete. He beats Ademar, and he and Jocelyn celebrate.

This story represents maby things about the midevil ages. For instance the fact that there were rigid social classes. This is demonstrated when William's has to get false papers to compete in tournaments. Another thing that is demonstrated in this story that also occured the middle ages were having tournaments to fight over girls. In the middle ages the girl had to date who ever it was that won. Finally, the fact that they had tournaments in front of large crowds shows that things were very different in the middle ages than they are now.