Medieval History & Literature: Feudalism, Crusades, and Chaucer

What significant event occurred in 1066?

William the Conqueror defeated English King Harold at the Battle of Hastings.

What system began with William the Conqueror's reign?

The feudal system.

What is feudalism?

A system that assigns economic, political, and social positions to individuals at birth, resembling a caste, property, and military system.

Who is at the top of the feudal system?

The king, who is considered an all-powerful overlord.

What role do barons/lords play in the feudal system?

They are lords of their own land and vassals to the king.

What is the role of knights in the feudal system?

Knights serve their lord as vassals.

Who are serfs in the feudal system?

Peasants who worked on knights' lands.

What is chivalry?

A series of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights and gentlewomen, including loyalty to a lord and rules of warfare.

What cultural developments occurred in medieval cities?

The emergence of ballads, miracle plays, and guilds, contributing to a unique urban culture.

What were the Crusades?

Holy wars waged by the pope against Muslims to reclaim Jerusalem, resulting in millions of deaths.

What was the outcome of the Children's Crusade?

Women and children were swept into the bloodshed.

Who was Thomas Becket?

The archbishop of Canterbury who was martyred after conflicts with King Henry II.

What was the Magna Carta?

A document signed by King John in 1215 to limit papal power and later became the basis for British Constitutional law.

What was the Hundred Years' War?

The first national war waged by England against France, marking the end of chivalry and knighthood.

What caused the Bubonic Plague?

It was spread by fleas from infected rats, leading to a significant population reduction in England.

What are ballads?

Songs or songlike poems that tell stories, often from the oral tradition.

What are the key elements of a ballad?

Incremental repetition, question-and-answer format, conventional phrases, and a strong, simple beat.

Who is Geoffrey Chaucer?

The father of English poetry, known for making the English language respectable for literature.

What is 'The Canterbury Tales'?

A collection of stories told by a group of 29 pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Thomas Becket.

What narrative style does 'The Canterbury Tales' use?

A frame story format inspired by Boccaccio's Decameron.

What is the significance of the iambic pentameter in Chaucer's work?

It is the meter used in most of 'The Canterbury Tales', contributing to its poetic structure.