The+Middle+Ages

Biography of Nostradamus Black Death: 1348-1350 Characteristics of the Feudal World Feudal Europe Fools Are Everywhere: The Court Jester Around The World Heroes of the Middle Ages Medieval Realms Medieval Society: Village Roles Middle Ages The Medieval Scriptorium The Middle Ages: Topics
 * At a very young age, Nostradamus was highly influenced by family members who inspired him to study math, medicine, and multiple languages. An extensive biography of Nostradamus demonstrates how these acquired skills became the foundation for Nostradamus' work as a healer and the eventual publications of his prophecies. Along with the story of his life and work, this biography contains drawings of Nostradamus and related images. Multiple links offer additional information on Nostradamus' book and specific excerpts.
 * URL: http://www.nostradamususa.com
 * The bubonic plague first came to England in 1348. By 1350, between 30 and 40% of the population had died. It mutated as it spread to London, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The dreaded illness spread by road and ship, especially in port cities where conditions were crowded. The Scots were on their way to invade London when the plague struck them. Those in the mountains of Ireland were the last to succumb, but by then, the disease was so contagious that whole families died.
 * URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk
 * The Middle Ages began with the fall of the Roman Empire and lasted about 1,000 years. To find out what life was like in the Middle Ages, visit this web page. You will learn about the different classes of society during that time and find out how they lived. Life was very hard in the Middle Ages. The king had absolute power, and everyone else owed loyalty and service to someone else in exchange for land and protection. Find out about the government, education, medicine, and entertainment during this important period in European history
 * URL: http://westernreservepublicmedia.org
 * Match social class and title for the people pictured on this site after reading about the feudal system and gaining an understanding of how it worked. Find out when the feudal system existed in Europe, what the land was called, and how vassals gained control of the land. Investigate oaths and the responsibilities of vassals to provide military service, money, and court service. Learn about the relationships between lords and peasants who worked the land and gave the lord a share of the crops.
 * URL: http://www.xtec.cat
 * Images of a court jester bring to mind a colorful character found in Shakespearean literature or in Medieval or European courts. The job of a jester, sometimes known as a fool, was to entertain the King and his court. Readers will learn more about the role of a jester on this site which features an excerpt of a book by Beatrice Otto. Otto compares the roles of jesters throughout history in European and Chinese cultures. She also tells tales of specific jesters and the duties they performed.
 * URL: http://www.press.uchicago.edu
 * The author of this article compares the heroes of two well-known medieval characters: Beowulf and Roland. It describes the qualities of Roland which made him a wonderful hero: valor, military prowess, loyalty, generosity, and honor. See how easily the two heroes can be compared and how they are also similar. Find out how the actions of Roland led him, in the original writer's eyes, into a new dimension of martyrdom. Look at the character of Roland in a new light through the insight of this essay.
 * URL: http://www.luminarium.org
 * Illuminated manuscripts are the survivors of the Middle Ages, shedding light on both the great events of the period and the everyday life of ordinary people. In this web resource you will be able to You have the opportunity to examine evidence of significant events and the daily life of ordinary people of the Middle Ages in a number of medieval manuscripts. You will find out more about the social history of the period such as the towns, rural life, and also music, literature and illuminated manuscripts. There is information about medieval women, monsters, food, church, medicine, and even death. URL: http://www.bl.uk
 * Professor E. L. Knox of Boise State University examines the different social groups named under the peasant class in medieval society in this online lecture. Knox explains that the generally accepted idea of peasants or serfs as individuals without means or economic standing in village life was not always the case. He provides as examples, background information on some of the social roles and occupations held by peasant villagers, which include landowner as well as positions in the clergy and skilled trades. URL: http://www.boisestate.edu
 * Annenberg presents this attractive web site detailing what it was like to live in the Middle Ages. Information is presented in a clear, concise manner which makes it easy for the user to navigate throughout the site. Links are available to the broad categories of feudal life, religion, homes, clothing, health, arts and entertainment, town life and resources. Additional links are offered to further details within each subject area. This is a very nice site for all levels.
 * URL: http://www.learner.org
 * A scriptorium is a place where manuscripts were copied and painted. Scribes copied the words while an illuminator added the pictures. These handmade books were made in monasteries during medieval times. The pages were made of parchment from sheep or goat skins. Gold and ground gems were used for decorations. Explore decorative letters that marked the beginning of new parts of the text. Zoom in on a miniature, or illustration, used to tell part of the story. Borders were also decorated.
 * URL: http://www.getty.edu
 * The introduction at the web site of The Norton Anthology of English Literature provides an overview of literature from the Middle Ages. Literature topics to explore are medieval estates and orders, King Arthur, the First Crusade and Beowulf. Each of these topics includes text and contents, explorations, web resources and illustrations. In the review section you can access summaries, quizzes and connections. The extensive online archive offers a chronological index, author index and audio readings.
 * URL: http://www.wwnorton.com