The Middle Ages

#1 The Middle Ages (Important Events)
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of military conflicts of religious characters waged by Christians from 1095-1270. The Christians were against the Muslims, while Jerusalem and the Holy Land were its jackpot. The Europeans had lost the aspect of keeping Jerusalem, they benefited astronomic from contact with the higher civilization of the Middle East, known to many as the area from Libya E to Afghanistan. Mainly during this time kings and warriors sought out to gain the control of the lands in which Jesus had lived. The Crusades were finally driven out, but they left with the action of exposing the Europeans to goods, technology, and the customs of Asia, the crusades left a legacy of hate against the Europeans and Christians among Muslims.
The Death of Thomas A. Becket
Thomas Becket was born in 1118, in Normandy where he was the son of a merchant. Becket was killed on December 29, 1170 by a bunch of King’s Henry II knights. King Henry II was friends with Becket and made him the Archdeacon of Canterbury, who ever thought he’d be the one to have him demolished. King henry had hoped to gain control or upper hand in disputes with the church. King Henry did not know that Thomas would take the side of the pope, not once but even more. This made King Henry very angry, so he raged against Thomas by ordering four of his knights to murder Becket right in his own cathedral. The four knights killed Becket with their swords, splitting his skull and demolishing him forever.
The Magna Carta
This was the "Great Charter" that King John in 1215 had signed at Runnymede. King John was considered vicious and pragmatic, he was backed at the time by the pope, but the English barons forced him to sign the document. This signing of the document led to a defeat for central papal power. The English barons had no pity or interest for the rights of their people. Later on this document became a law in which it defined the constitutional law. People were given their rights to a fair hearing, trail by jury, and legislative taxation were established.
The Black Death
The Black Death was also called the bubonic plague, this struck England in 1348-1349, which delivered another blow to feudalism. This was very contagious, mainly because fleas from infected rats spread it. Not only was the Black Death called the bubonic plague, but it was also called the pneumonic and the septicemia. These different forms of plagues killed people in very different ways. With the pneumonic plague victims often died before they could reach another place. This plague infected the lungs and it takes 1-7 days to appear. Now the septicemia plague was never solved, it left people looking kind of purple and with high fevers. This plague left people dying the same day. The Black Death is exactly what its named, death and lack meaning when their eyes closed.
#2 The Canterbury Tales
Knight- he was a worthy man and well respected. He loved his line of duty and was fully respected.
"A KNYGHT ther was, and that a worthy man, that fro the tyme that he first bigan 45To riden out, he loved chivalrie… Full worthy was he in his lords were."
Son- a young knight in the place of another knight. He was a lover and a hansome young man.
"With hym was his sone a young squier, a lovyere and a lusty bachelor"
Frere-this was a pleasure loving person who looked up to dignity.
"A wantowne and a merye, a lymytour, a full solempne man."
Marchant- this was a person who had forked berard, who was in pattied colored cloth.
"Was ther with a forked berd, in mottelee, and high on the horse he sat."
A clerk- he was from oxford, looked seriously and who also likes to read
" A Clerk there was of Oxford also…but looked howl and thereto soberly."
A Sergeant of the Lawe- a lawyer who belonged to the highest order in his profession. He was of great respect, also known of excellence.
"that often had been at the Parvys, ther was also ful of riche excellence. Discreet was and of great reverence."
Bathe- was a wife of the sergeant, who was partly death. You would never have known that she was. Meaning she kept herself up, but she was also gap-toothed.
"But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe. Of cloth-making she hadde swich an haunt, she passes hem of Ypres and of Gaunt… hir covercheifs ful fine weren of ground."
Frnkeleyn- small beard, looked red, was also a sheriff, auditor at once.
"Whit was his berd as is a dayesye of his complexioun he was sangwyn."
Cook- he could broil chicken and make spices, he could also roast, fry, and bake pies.
" He koude he knowe a draughte of London… he koude rooste, sethe, broille, and fry"
Shipman-he rode in carthorese, was a good person. Had navigational skills and also had the upper and on the ship. He was considered bold and strong.
"He rood upon a rouncy, as he kouthe …. If that he faught he had the hyer hond, his lodemenage, there was noon swich from Hulle to Cartage."
Doctor of Phisik- a doctor of medicine, he loves his job very much because he likes to talk about it and help people, plus he’s very patient.
"In al his world ne was ther noon hym lik, To speke of phisik and of surgerye.. he knew the cause of everich maladye."
Plowman- this was his brother, who did labour work very well, he was also very peaceful.
"A trewe swynkere and a good he was, Lyvyage in pees and parfit charitee."
Reve-is the manager of an estate or farm
Millers-is a miller, he was short fellow. He was also very strong and full of muscles he could also wrestle.
"The Miller was a stout carl for the nones; Ful bug he was of brawn and eek of bones."
Somnour-is a server of summonses for ecclesiastical court
"The somnour was ther with us in that place, that hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face, For saucefleem he was, with eyen narwe.
Pardoner-a seller of indulgence, he is good at what he does and he has a friend, he sings at the top his lungs and looks for guidance.
"With hym ther rood a gentil PARDONER, Of Rouncivale, his freend and his compeer, That streight was comen fro the court of Rome. Ful loude he soong "Com hider, love, to me!"
Maunciple-a business agent, he worked with many people and who don’t stop until he gets what he want.
"Was ther of temple, of which achatours myghte take exemple for to be wise in byynge of vitaille;
#3 The Wife of Bath's
I really liked this tale because it was very strange. Especially when the queen asked the knight what do women desire the most? The queen also told him if he did not know to leave and come back in a twelvemonth and day. I thought that was a stupid way to send someone to find an answer, that everyone has different answers to. For example in the story some people said they desire wealth, treasure, jollity, pleasure, fun in the bed, to be spoiled and freedom.
In my opinion I’d have to agree with Bathe which was freedom. She said that women want to be equal like men, I wonder why men back then thought it was their woman duty to do as they say. Women want to be able to do the same things that men can do without being harassed about it. For instance in the story a king told his wife to keep a secret, and the wife did until she got tired of holding it in for too long. She did that on her own, she freed the secret and it made her feel better.
Also in the story that didn’t would happen was how the knight got the answer from Bathe. She told him that women want the same power over her husband as over her lover. That’s something that all women want and I’d say its different now, but I know it was hard for them back then to get exactly what they want. This story was amazing to read and I loved when Bathe became the knight’s wife. She got exactly what she wanted while the knight’s life was saved. Who would’ve thought it’ll end like that.
#4 Middle Ages
This story relates to the Middle Ages in so many different ways. For example in the story, people are so faithful to their king. Back then the women were and they did anything for their lover and their king like the story of Midas, his wife knew he had ass’s ears, so he told her to keep a secret. That’s what she did until one day she finally said to the plant, "My husband has a pair of ass’s ears!"(PG.143 Lit.Bk) Another example in the story to bow this story relates to the Middle Ages was when a king took the virginity of a woman, basically he raped her. That’s kind of like something of the crusades, hurting people and doing things they didn’t want. Also another example was how Bathe made the knight become her husband, she made him do that, by force and it was something they did in the Middle Ages. She told him "Take me for your wife." That’s something he had to do or die anyway.