In the medieval times, religion was a serious thing, especially in England. Unlike these days, when people are free to express their honest opinions related to God and the Church, there were times when religions was very important. In Ireland, Christianity spread in the 6th century thanks to Saint Patrick. In Scotland, the same thing happened thanks to Columba, which was very active also in the north of England. Thanks to the decline of the Roman Empire, Christianity evolved in these countries during centuries and all the states of what is now called the United Kingdom developed a government of the Church, traditions and specific liturgies. At some point, all the customs of the churches existing then were reunited in a series of synods which started in 66 in Whitby and finished in 1172 in Cashel. Gregory the Great had an important part in making Britain Christian. He sent a group of monks in the country to evangelize people. They were lead by Augustine of Canterbury who started with Thanet, where he was received by Ethelbert of Kent. He was very supportive as he was already married and had a Christian wife.

Before the end of the 6th century, most of the English were Christians and Augustine left the country and headed to France. Thanks to Gregory the Great, as soon as he reached Arles, he was made a bishop. He kept a strong relationship with Rome and in 601 he was given the power to set up other bishops. He should have established in London, but it was not possible at the time. Because of this, Canterbury became the first church of England and only after, the Church conquered London. It was already 1066 when an unified Christian system belief was introduced and the pope become the most important authority of the Church.

He lived in Rome, but even the English Church functioned under his guidance. Although all kind of religions and beliefs existed in the medieval times in England, at some point, things settled down. The worst part was that people were not able to say anything against the Church, even if they did not agree with the decisions of its officials. Luckily, nowadays things have changed and people are not tied to the Church anymore. In England and in many other countries, people are free to choose their own religion and to follow their personal beliefs.

In  the medieval times, the art flourished. The architecture of those times is until today a reminder of the beauty that buildings should have. The most graceful and elegant are the incredible Gothic buildings. These were raised in the Middle Ages. The Gothic style is very dark and detailed. It derives from the Romanesque architecture and it is a true symbol of those times. This type of architecture appeared in France in the 12th century and had a great success for about 4 centuries. Meanwhile, from the Gothic style, the Renaissance style was born and the buildings were constructed in an exquisite style that today is forgot in most of the cases. The Gothic architecture was known in the Middle Ages as Opus Francigenum. The constructions included in this current have some distinctive features: pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses. Many important European churches and cathedrals were built in this style in the Middle Ages. Due to its success, people wanted more and they built castles, town halls, universities and private homes, among many more.

The Gothic architecture is very appreciated because it appeals at the human emotions. Many churches and cathedrals build in the Gothic style, so appreciated in the Middle Ages, are considered true works of art and they are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. The one that named this current was Georgio Vasari. In the 16th century he used the term to describe a rude and barbaric culture. One century later, the English people also used the word to describe vandals. Because the Gothic architecture was used before the classic styles, this name remained forever, even if the style is incredibly beautiful.

The Gothic architecture uses a lot of symbols and ornaments to express certain concepts. The structure is generally huge and it was used like this in the beginning to emphasize the glory of God. As this style was used in the construction of churches and cathedrals, it is easy to understand why the size of the buildings was so important. In the Gothic constructions, the decorations are generally dedicated to saints, making references to the tales of the Old Testament and to those of the New Testament. The Bible was a huge inspiration in the symbolism emphasized in the ornamentation of these buildings. And no matter the inspiration, the Gothic Architecture of the medieval times is absolutely incredible.

The medieval times are perhaps one of the most interesting periods in history. Although it is also called the Dark Ages, medieval times still have a specific charm and appeal to many historians, architects and normal individuals. The medieval times are a period in the history of Europe that spans from the 5th to the 15th century. The medieval times are split into three main periods: early Middle Ages, high Middle Ages and late Middle Ages. Each of these medieval times had their own features in terms of literature, religion, architecture, social and economic life.

The most interesting of the three is the High Medieval Times, when Europe saw an expansion of population. Many people were no longer settled in isolated farms but had gathered into small communities, usually known as manors or villages. The high Medieval Times were also characterised by the crusades, religious expeditionary wars blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church. They had the purpose of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem. The medieval times also saw the rise of the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller and played an important role in the crusades.

Aside from the military life, medieval times were also characterised by developments in philosophy and theology, thus the intellectual activity was intensely stimulated. In medieval times, philosophical discourse was stimulated by the rediscovery of Aristotle and his emphasis on empiricism and rationalism. Cathedral schools were also in turn replaced in the late 11th century by the universities established in major European cities.

Besides the universities, high medieval times had an influence on royal and noble courts. They saw the development of chivalry and the ethos of courtly love. This culture was expressed in vernacular languages rather than Latin, and comprised poems, stories, legends and popular songs spread by troubadours. Medieval times had a specific charm, even if people at that time were considered as cruel and barbarian in certain aspects. However, with all the developments made in that period, medieval times are still fascinating to study.

Mark Twain is a famous American writer that used medieval times as inspiration for one of his novels. He wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1889. The book, inspired by the medieval times and by the story of King Arthur and of his cavaliers tells the story of Hank Morgan. Hank, a local of Hartford, Connecticut, wakes back in time, at the court of King Arthur, where he meets all the fictional characters he heard about in stories of medieval times and old England. At first, Hanks seems lost around Camelot and he has major disagreements with those surrounding him because the medieval times are totally different of the modern times. At the court, the Yankee is ridiculed by the king, by his followers and particularly by the famous magician Merlin. Fortunately for him, he has a lot of knowledge of the medieval times and uses it to become a close acquaintance of King Arthur.

The Yankee becomes one of the favorites of the court and is named boss. With his knowledge of medieval times obtained in his regular life, Hank manipulates everyone and obtains great advantages. At some point in the book, he even builds infrastructure and keeps this a secret. He also meets Demoiselle Alisande a la Carteloise and falls in love with her. He calls her Sandy and gets accustomed to her weird behavior, specific to medieval times. Hank marries her and they have a baby. One night, while sleeping, he has a dream – that he is talking on the phone and he says in his sleep “Hello, Central!”.

His wife is convinced this phrase is mystical and has a deeper meaning and names the baby Hello Central. The book is filled with the adventures of the modern Yankee in the medieval times. Mark Twain used the story of Hank Morgan to make fun of the romantic ideas and of the idealization of chivalry in the modern literature. The story is a satire and depicts the medieval times in a funny way, still respecting the historical truth. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court had such a major success that it was later adapted in films, TV shows, radio shows and theatrical performances.

The medieval times have always fascinated us, because everyone wants to know how did people live back then. Some of the most prominent personalities who lived in the medieval times are King Arthur, Joanna D’Arc, William the Conqueror and Leonardo da Vinci. If you want to see some medieval times sites, then you should definitely travel to Medieval England, Canterbury Cathedral, Nottingham, Tower of London, Medieval History of Scotland or other medieval towns in the world. Not only that you will get to learn more about the history, culture and traditions of the people who lived in the medieval times, but you will also have the chance of admiring the greatest heritage left by them: the medieval castles.

The castles in the medieval times were true fortresses, because the lords who owned them needed a great security system. Moreover, a lord’s power actually depended on his ability to defend himself and his people, so they started designing amazing castles. At first, the castles in the medieval times were made of wood, but then stone became the main construction element. The walls were extremely thick and the gates were enormous. So, when intruders were spotted, the gates were closed and the commoners were rushed inside the castles’ walls. Inside these medieval times castles, one could find many buildings, so they resembled a small town. Also, an usual element of the castles in the medieval times were the moats, which were built around them and filled with water.

So, a drawbridge could not have missed, because it was the only way for people to travel to and from the castles. Whenever a sign of trouble was spotted, the drawbridge was raised and closed just like a door. This was definitely one of the most creative and effective protection measures of the medieval times. There were also many people guarding the castles at all times, in order to make sure that everything is fine and that nothing suspicious is going on. Some of the most famous castles of the medieval times which still stand today and are worth visiting are Tower of London, Malbork (Poland), Krak des Chevaliers (Syria), Cite de Carcassonne (France), Harlech Castle (Wales) and many many more.

There were many books in which the action took place in medieval times. There are also many stories about those times and about their charm. One of the things why medieval times are so popular is due to the garments that people used to wear. Although people were fairly primitive, medieval times had a special charm and romanticism that are still popular. Battles were something ordinary during medieval times and many people died because of that or because of diseases that at that time had no treatment.

People were so poor and they had to work a lot to survive and to raise their families. Usually, during medieval times, men went working, while women stayed at home with their children, taking care of them and cooking. In addition, people’s main source of income was agriculture. They had to crop vegetables and fruits, but it was a difficult work. Many kids were dying then as there were no medical resources that could save their lives. Religion was also very important during medieval times and one of the things that will never be forgotten is Inquisition. Medieval times clothing was representative for the social status of the people, so it was very easy to figure out how the life of someone was only looking at their clothes.

The materials and the colors were also important for that. For example, silk was used only by the rich people and they usually were wearing  vivid colors. Today, medieval times are popular and are used for creating many art works or even fashion collections, which are great and very different from what is usually in fashion today. Any element deriving from medieval times clothing, will make an outfit look more beautiful and special, so if you are looking  for changing your style, medieval times can be a great source of inspiration. This does not mean that you will dress as people from that time, you will only use a few elements that will combine with modern clothing. The result will be outstanding and very elegant, so you should try it and get over routine.

Nowadays, for many of us, medieval times are only known through the clothing style specific to that period. Medieval times clothing was quite impressive and the beautiful dresses that women used to wear in those times are still used when people need to attend different themed parties. Well, there are many other very interesting facts linked to medieval times that you should know, and here are mentioned some of them.

Medieval times are filled with charm and the lifestyle in this period can definitely amaze use. There is no wonder that medieval times are often described as one of the most exciting periods in history. Battles were dominated by knights, while kings shocked with their fabulous spendings and richness. The medieval times refer to a period of more than 700 years. Although historians seems to disagree on the period in which medieval times started and ended, most commonly the period is considered to have started somewhere around year 800. Religion was very important for people in medieval times, while wealth determined huge discrepancies in the society. Wealthy people were extremely rich, having their own lands and castles and also owning armies, while poor people had no food.

One of the most important events linked to medieval times is given by Crusades. In medieval times numerous religious wars were held, all over the world, while Christianity needed to spread. The expansion of Christianity meant wars that seemed to never end, as the Crusades, overall, lasted more than 200 years.Thousands of people died during the battles for Christianity and the Crusades ended officially only in 1291. Numerous health problems and pandemic concerns have also been linked to the medieval times. Since people were so poor during this period, their life conditions were really unsanitary, and so one of the darkest parts of medieval times is the Black Death, when millions of people died in Europe, the continent decreasing its population by half. The creation and growth of the Inquisition is also linked to the medieval period. People died after being condemned as heretics and numerous were tortured in the Inquisition’s dungeons. Executions in the name of Christianity were a common practice in the medieval period.

Medieval times meant an important part of the history of the world. Medieval art, medieval times clothing, medieval times stories and adventures, they all are of great interest for history enthusiasts today, and not only. Knights in armors, incredible richness and people living at the edge of poorness, are just some of the big pictures we have in mind when thinking about medieval times. Richness was given by the amount of gold and properties possessed by each family and also by their influence in society.

The medieval times of history are really fascinating, many times surrounded with mystery. Medieval times are also known as the Middle Ages or the Dark Ages. Medieval times are considered to describe the period of time between the tenth and thirteenth century, although others consider that the period better refers to the times between the collapse of the Roman Empire and the discovery of the Western Hemisphere by Columbus. Either way, there are many aspects that can be linked to the medieval times and which can amaze us. Medieval times clothing surely is one of them. In Medieval Europe, people used to wore clothes that almost immediately made visible their financial status or their professions. Men mostly wore tunics down to the keens. Noble men used to wear tights under their tunics. Anyway, clothing habits were different from one country to another, and from one social class to another, both when it comes to clothing items for women and men.

Medieval times clothing for women used to include some very beautiful dresses. Actually, the use of medieval clothing is kind of popular today when it comes to themed parties. Poor men used to wear woolen jackets and pants. Wealthy men used to wear clothes made of silk and satin, as they were considered to be much better quality. Wealthy women used to wear elaborate gowns and also head covers. The colors of the clothes worn made the difference between wealthy women and noblewomen. Noblewomen afforded to buy exotic materials and create for themselves gowns made of silk. All gowns were amazing when referring to medieval times and they definitely are still considered to be very beautiful.

Medieval times have a charm that  makes us imagine they are magical and also we think about those times as legendary ones. We associate medieval times with cavillers, with love stories, with romance and although they had not the technology that we have today and all the facilities, they knew how to benefit from all that nature gave them. Today we have restaurants that celebrate as in the medieval times and they also have the menu prepared like then. The medieval times are appreciated by organizing different parties or activities with that theme and people dressed as those from the medieval times. Medieval times were dominated by agriculture, but they managed to enjoy everything.

Medieval times had very nice clothing and it is an inspiration for today fashion and the  music also is played today. Medieval times dinner had no eating utensil, they ate with their own hands and the same thing is followed even today in the restaurant that have the  medieval times as theme. People have the opportunity to experience the way the people from the medieval time ate. They had song that were played at dinner and they were very charming. In the medieval times, people were accustomed with a hard life, women were busy with their home and taking care of kids, and men were busy with bringing food at home, with the agriculture. Some of them were very poor  and they had to live with almost nothing. Although those times were barbaric, we still have a profound appreciation for them and many of us would like to live in that times to experience something special.

Medieval times dinner was different depending on how rich the people that ate were. Some of the people that were very poor had almost nothing at dinner, but the rich were eating a lot of meat and they drank wine. People from the medieval times had a simple life, but was hard because they had not all the utensils, the technology that we have today, so they had to find other methods in order to solve their problems. Their health was also a problems as they had not all the methods, the pills that we have today and they were forced to treat only with natural treatments, with tea and many people died, especially kids at their birth.