The Formation of Medieval Europe
Religion
Arguably the most important event that launched the creation of Medieval Europe, the Christian faith was also to thank for the uniting of the Anglo-Saxons. This, along with the leadership of William the Conqueror, and the ever-incessant raids of the Danes, brought the Anglo-Saxon people and their Norman Leaders together, resulting in the establishment of Medieval Society. This religion extended into the Renaissance, emerging as the dominant faith in Europe. [3]
Christians believed in an almighty, omniscient God that would one day return to earth-- as he did nearly a thousand years ago-- and save nonbelievers of their sin. What is different about Christianity compared to other religions is that Christians believed that God was manifested in three forms-- The Father (God), The Son (Jesus), and The Holy Ghost (the being of God within oneself). This became known as The Trinity. The Christian faith was centered around the philosophies encompassed in the Bible, a massive anthology that was divided into books that were wrote and published by esteemed Christian figures. [4]
Arguably the most important event that launched the creation of Medieval Europe, the Christian faith was also to thank for the uniting of the Anglo-Saxons. This, along with the leadership of William the Conqueror, and the ever-incessant raids of the Danes, brought the Anglo-Saxon people and their Norman Leaders together, resulting in the establishment of Medieval Society. This religion extended into the Renaissance, emerging as the dominant faith in Europe. [3]
Christians believed in an almighty, omniscient God that would one day return to earth-- as he did nearly a thousand years ago-- and save nonbelievers of their sin. What is different about Christianity compared to other religions is that Christians believed that God was manifested in three forms-- The Father (God), The Son (Jesus), and The Holy Ghost (the being of God within oneself). This became known as The Trinity. The Christian faith was centered around the philosophies encompassed in the Bible, a massive anthology that was divided into books that were wrote and published by esteemed Christian figures. [4]
Christianity quickly developed into Roman Catholicism, and this "base" formed multiple stem religions, such as Islam and Judaism. Roman Catholicism didn't simply dominate the Middle Ages, however. These lesser faiths, along with the previously famous paganism mixed with Christianity for quite some time-- the source for many medieval poems, such as Beowulf-- and it wasn't until the holy war that Christianity became popular and widespread.
Welcome, have a great time!. "Medieval Europe: Religion In Medieval Europe." Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube, 13 Mar. 2010. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
Medieval Castles
It was around this time (1066) when the first castles started appearing in England, Ireland, and surrounding areas. The first castle to be built was Chepstow Castle, just one year after the Norman Invasion (1067). Throughout the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, castles were continued to be built, notably:
It was around this time (1066) when the first castles started appearing in England, Ireland, and surrounding areas. The first castle to be built was Chepstow Castle, just one year after the Norman Invasion (1067). Throughout the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, castles were continued to be built, notably:
- Dover Castle (Kent, England);
- The Tower of London (White Tower);
- Bothwell Castle (Strathclyde, Scotland);
- Dublin Castle (Dublin, Ireland);
- Blarney Castle (Blarney, County Cork, Ireland);
- Conwy Castle (Conwy, Wales);
- Mont-Saint-Michel (Normandy, France) [5]
Political Upheaval
As Europe went deeper into the medieval ages, religious tensions grew. Issues arose over the previously blended religions of Christianity, Paganism, and Islam.The result was a series of medieval crusades, in which Roman Catholics lead Holy Wars" against "Saracens", or Muslims that lived during the crusades. These religious persecutions were held as a means to "settle" disputes between the Christian and Islam religions over the promised land that both religious groups glorified-- Jerusalem. In reality, the Crusades were bloody massacres that did little to ease tensions. [6] All together, there were eight crusades lead by significant Christian figures. Some of these esteemed leaders included Barbarossa, Pope Urban Two, and Godfrey of Bouillon. Crusaders could be easily identified by their metal helmets, chain mail armor, tunic-clothed horses, and shields marked with the holy cross. The crusades can be compared with the First and Second Great Awakening, as these events imposed the ideals of religion upon people. Only the crusades were more radical, and came to define Europe. The crusades started out relatively successful, but grew less effective over time. Nevertheless, the crusade reaffirmed the dominance of the Christian faith in medieval society, and directly contributed to the formation of the Gothic Era. [7] |
With the Normans now in control of the British Isles, Christianity quickly spread. Anglo-Saxons and Norse peoples came together through this religion and were able to keep the country stable. The Christian faith had a direct influence on the architecture of the time, and soon castles, monasteries, and cathedrals were erected. But with this religion came a series of political revolts-- crusades-- that resulted in the death of many. With the dominance of Christianity one again asserted, western Europe entered the Renaissance and Gothic Era.