Medieval+Society

This page should be used to display contextual information relating to medieval society. After reading this page people should understand what the world was like in the eleventh century, having been made aware of issues such as the feudal system, the power of the papcy, the importance of religion and the warrior class within society. Other relevant areas should also be included.

//**__Essay Plan:__**//

//**[AJ]**
 * //**1st Paragraph (Intro)** - Talk briefly of the situation faced by ordinary citizens and their sources of influence, the position of the kings and knights etc.// //__(DONE BY AJ)__//
 * //**2nd Paragraph** - Formation of Europe by armies: inc. importance of armies in defining areas and general attitudes and ideas towards fighting. (DONE BY HS)//
 * //**3rd Paragraph** - Importance of religion: inc. 'Fear of God', images used, effects of daily life, claims of relics, Cluny and relevant institutions.// //(DONE BYJY)//
 * //**4th Paragraph** - Rule of King: inc. non-democratic reign and idea of divine right.// //(DONE BY MB)//
 * //**5th Paragraph** - Papal authority: inc. The power the Papacy held, influence exerted, attempts to have a papal army, faction with East, Gregory VII.//
 * //**6th Paragraph** - Class System: inc. hierarchy structure, different members, rights and roles of groups.//
 * //**7th Paragraph (Conclusion)** - General conditions of life summating key areas listed above and other points of interest. Talk of how these prospects at home differed from those of the Crusade.//

 // //We should appreciate that Medieval Society is stigmatised as a period of ill relations and battles. Indeed, we can say that there was a heavy reliance on armies by various kings; who in turn often challenged and stretched the bounds of their influence in attempting to be seen as more important than the Pope. The peoples, in mass, were subject to hardships of non-democratic rule. Each had to endure harsh compulsory work (which largely revolved around agriculture) and, with poor healthcare ideas, disease was a prominent force. Hierarchies were rigid and arguably represented the structure of society. Of course, religion played a significant role in the lives of all and it is often said that the Church implored the 'Fear of God' to ensure a devout and Catholic Europe. Therefore, it could be suggested that the exertion of power by both the monarchy and the church was endemic in Medieval Society; forcing the majority to follow an obedient lifestyle despite their atrocious living conditions. [AJ] //

Armies were the overiding factor which provided the framework within which European "nations" first formed, in the shadow of the Roman Empire. Medieval people believed that some believe were fundamentally more disposed and qualified than others to bear the sword. To view the solders as quintessentionally warriors was simply natural. It seemed it was the army and its leaders that provided the kernal around which medieval construtions of ethnicity first crystalized. In fact, it was on the battlefield that medieval observers found their proof for their people's political destiny. Despte this rather heroic image of kinghts and soldiers that has been suggested however, comparisons can be made been them and well-armed thugs. It can be argued that some motives have not been as chivalrous and well-intended as implied. However no-one can doubt their importance as such things like e stablishing legitimacy were high priorities and therefore military triummph was an obvious focus of importance. [HS]  The people under the controls of kings had no real chance to establish themselves and break out of the Feudal System due to the theory of Divine Right. The divine right of kings is a political and religious dossier that puts into law the theory that all power should be vested in the King. This means that the monarch’s authority is not likely to be undermined by anybody because he has absolute power. Therefore the King can derive his rule directly from god, so that any attempt to remove the king from power is committing a sin by removing one of God’s rulers. This is called heresy.

The significance of this was that the king’s people did not have any power over the king, and nor did even the church. The King also played onto the minds of people because of the significance of religion in medieval times. This essentially gave the King a free pass to do what he wished to do. [MB]