The Middle Ages c 814 Middle Ages Era

The Middle Ages – c. 814

Middle Ages Era n n n 481 CE – First Catholic King Clovis unites the Franks – forms Frankish Kingdom in Gaul – establishes the Merovingian Dynasty 6 th century CE – Pope Gregory the Great implements chant as the standard form of church music – calls it plainchant (later called Gregorian Chant) 527 – Monte Cassino established by St. Benedict, develops first monastic order – Benedictines who follow the Benedictine Code – vows of poverty, silence and chastity 600 – 1050 CE – Period called the Early Middle Ages 750 CE – The first English Epic poem – Beowulf – is written Reading: Beowulf Ch. XII (Beowulf and Grendel) https: //www. gutenberg. org/files/16328 -h/16328 h. htm#XII 750 CE – Irish monks produce the Book of Kells

Middle Ages Era n n n n 732 – Battle of Tours – Charles Martel (Mayor of the Palace) defeats the Arab army and stops spread of Islam further into Europe 800 CE – Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope on Christmas Day – start of Holy Roman Empire 871 CE – Alfred the Great unifies England writes first code of laws for English people 9 th century – Cyrillic Script is used throughout the Slavic world 11 th century CE – Song of Roland is written in France – one of earliest French written poems – national epic of France 1050 – 1200 CE – Medieval Era also called Romanesque Era in Art History 1054 – The Great Schism occurs in the Catholic Church as the Greek Orthodox Church breaks away

Romanesque Era n n n 11 th – 14 th century CE – Troubadours appear in Provence (southern France) and spread through Europe – singing songs and telling stories of epic romances and chivalry (Holy Grail, etc) 1066 CE – William the Conqueror invades and conquers England from Normandy (France) – Battle of Hastings 1075 - The Dictates of the Pope by Gregory VII http: //www. thenagain. info/Classes/Sources/Dictatus. Papae. ht ml 1079 CE – Scholasticism develops as new form of philosophy combining Aristotle with Medieval thought 12 th century CE – pilgrimage routes are established throughout Europe and the Holy Land for people to visit Holy sights and relics 1132 - Story of My Misfortunes Chapter VI – Abelard http: //www. sacred-texts. com/chr/hc/hc 07. htm

Viking Sagas n n Reading: Egil’s Saga (The ball game) https: //waldotomosky. wordpress. com/ 2013/04/02/egils-saga-chapter-40 -part -1 -egil-at-the-ball-game/ Reading: Egil’s Saga (Lament for his sons’ deaths) http: //www. consolatio. com/2007/11/e gill-skallagrm. html

Middle Ages Religion n n n Vikings/Norse Believed all good warriors went to Valhalla Odin king of the Aesir gods, wisdom Thor god of thunder, defender of Asgard, carried Mjollnir (the hammer), fertility and agriculture Tyr god of war and glory Loki, Freyja, Freyr, Baldr, Frigg, Hel, Heindall, Ymir, Bragi Midgard home of the Viking gods Helheim Viking version of hell (where we get he word from) Yggdrasil the world tree that connects the 9 worlds Ragnarok the end times Aesir Vanir the two types of Vkiing gods Runic Script Norse language and writing Asgard home and fortress of the Aesir gods (one of 9 worlds)

Middle Ages Religion n After the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity still was the main religion in most of Europe, however some branched broke out – in particular Arianism – the belief that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit were all separate, individual beings and that Jesus was only God’s son and therefore less powerful

Middle Ages Art Characteristics Decayed style n Faulty proportions (arms, legs, head too large) n Focus on symbol not style n Focus on the power of the Church n Religious themes (mainly Christian) n

Barbarian Art

Frankish (Merovingian) Looped Fibula France 6 th - 7 th Centuries silver gilt worked in filigree with inlays of garnets and other stones 4 in. long Merovingian art is a combination of French and German styles

Briton/Dane Art n n n Purse Cover 7 th century CE Sutton Hoo, England Animal pattern Man with animals on either side and birds in middle Ivory background with garnet, gold and enamel

Sutton Hoo Ship Burial and Artifacts

Burial Ship Oseberg, Norway ca. 825 wood 75 1/2 ft. long Viking rulers were usually buried in their ships

Animal-Head Post Oseberg, Norway ca. 825 wood approximately 5 in. high Intricate woodwork is typical of Norse art

Chi-rho-iota page Iona, Scotland 800 CE From the Book of Kells Created on Scottish island by Irish monks Considered the masterpiece of illuminated manuscripts

Middle Ages Art n n n Interior of Palace Chapel 792 – 805 CE Aachen, Germany Artist: Odo of Metz Palace of Charlemagne Built on plans of Constantine’s Lateran Basilica to show Charlemagne’s power and attachment to Rome

St. Matthew Coronation Gospels Aachen, Germany ca. 800 -810 ink and tempera on vellum 12 3/4 x 10 in. This Bible was made to commemorate His coronation as Holy Roman Emperor

Saint Matthew Ebbo Gospels Hautvillers, France ca. 816 - 835 ink and tempera on vellum 10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. Almost modern art like

Middle Ages Art n n n Front Cover from Lindau Gospels 870 CE Lindau, Germany Also made at Reims scriptorium Gold work with encrusted jewels Masterpiece of gold work

Torhalle (gatehouse) Lorsch, Germany 9 th century Typical Carolingian style architecture

Gero Crucifix commissioned by Archbishop Gero Cologne Cathedral, Germany ca. 970 painted wood 6 ft. 2 in. high Considered early middle ages sculptural masterpiece

End n Romanesque Next