Medieval

Medieval Sites

Subject:~Medieval civilization

The Online Medieval and Classical Library

Grade Level: 9-12

The Online Medieval and Classical Library, part of the Berkeley Digital Library, is a collection of a number of the most important literary works of Classical and Medieval civilization. The collection is keyword searchable or you can browse by Title, Author, Genre and Language. Links are provided, at the top of the page, to web sites with additional Medieval information and texts. You will find works of Chaucer, Homer, among others, as well as anonymous works.

Topic:~Europe--Civilization; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/

The History Guide: Lectures on Ancient and Medieval European History

Grade Level: 9-12

The History Guide is a resource you can use to cover western civilization, particularly ancient and medieval European history. On the web site you will find a list of several lectures, all of which can be downloaded and printed for your studies. These lectures cover topics that include an introduction to what civilization is and descriptions about several different eras and civilizations in the history of Europe. Through the lectures you will be able to see how the view of western civilization has changed and expanded over time.

Topic:~Civilization; Civilization--History; Europe--Civilization; Medieval civilization; Western civilization

URL:~http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/ancient.html#table

The Medieval Period

Grade Level: 9-12

Enter America's Gateway to the British Isles and learn more about the famous medieval period. All of the information you will find is divided up into different categories, with titles for each one so you can easily locate specific information. You will be given the chance to explore historical timelines and narrative histories of this period. There are also sections with the histories of certain institutions and events, medieval architecture and archeological discoveries, and plenty more!

Topic:~Medieval civilization

URL:~http://www.britannia.com/history/h60.html

Internet Medieval Sourcebook

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

The Internet Medieval Sourcebook is an informative site with collections of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts available for educational use. The site, sponsored by Fordham University, is well organized with a broad range of resources. The goal of this site is to provide teachers and students of Medieval history with access to an online collection of primary historical documents in translation that are available as public domain and copy-permitted texts. There are five main pages: Selected Sources, Full Text Sources, Saint's Lives, Law Texts, and Maps. A keyword search of the site and a Help section is available.

Topic:~Europe--Civilization; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html

Middle Ages

Grade Level: 9-12

Annenberg presents this attractive web site detailing what it was like to live in the Middle Ages. Information is presented in a clear, concise manner which makes it easy for the user to navigate throughout the site. Links are available to the broad categories of feudal life, religion, homes, clothing, health, arts and entertainment, town life and resources. Additional links are offered to further details within each subject area. This is a very nice site for all levels.

Topic:~Medieval civilization; Middle Ages

URL:~http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/

Wharram Percy

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

This Web site discusses Wharram Percy, a medieval village located in England. It explores the village as viewed through the findings of archeologists and describes the valley where the village was located and the people who lived there. A detailed description of the church once located in the village and its excavation is included as are descriptions of the peasant homes and manor house. The Web site offers drawings of found objects and includes glossary definitions, maps, photos, and illustrations. An account of what may have happened to the village, complete with literary references, is provided.

Topic:~Archaeological expeditions; Archaeology, Medieval; Medieval civilization

URL:~http://loki.stockton.edu/~ken/wharram/wharram.htm

Anglo-Saxon England

Grade Level: 9-12

This web site primarily concentrates on the period of English history dating from the mid-fifth century to the mid-eleventh century. As with all dating in the medieval period these chronological boundaries are open to question. This is an excellent resource for any college early history course. Multiple links are also provided to related topics.

Topic:~England--Civilization; England--Civilization--To 1066; Great Britain--History--Anglo Saxon period, 449-1066; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Middle Ages

URL:~http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/early/pre1000/asindex.html

Chronology

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

Follow the history of the Near East with this chronology page that is part of the "Exploring Ancient World Cultures: Index of Internet Resources" web site. The timeline begins in 3450 BCE with the appearance of the world's first cities on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and ends in 70 CE when the Roman Emperor, Titus, defeated the Hebrews who had revolted against Roman control several years earlier. The rest of the EAWC page tracks other resources relevant to ancient and medieval times through indices that cover chronology, essays, images, Internet sites, and primary text sites.

Topic:~Ancient civilization; Medieval civilization

URL:~http://eawc.evansville.edu/chronology/nepage.htm

Knighthood, Chivalry and Tournaments Resource Library

Grade Level: 9-12

The Knighthood, Chivalry and Tournament Resource Library is a fascinating and authentic look into life in another time. Among the many features on the site, visitors can check out such informative sections as "Who is a Knight?" "Code of Chivalry," "Tourneys," and "Fighting." This site is a fascinating read!

Topic:~Knights and knighthood; Medieval civilization

URL:~http://www.chronique.com

Defend Yourself, Good Knight

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~

Have you ever imagined that you were a medieval knight, going off to war on a great charger? What kind of weapons would you have to take with you if you were going to fight with swords? This collection of ancient armor from the Cleveland Museum of Art may help you imagine what you would look like if you had been a knight in days gone by. The pictures and explanations include swords and body armor, helmets and lances. There is even an activity that lets you make your own helmet.

Topic:~Armor; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Weapons

URL:~http://www.clevelandart.org/kids/armor/index.html

History in Deed

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

Harvard Law School explains the history of the deed at this web site. A professor who found a collection of deeds from medieval times writes the site. The collection is now a Special Collections Exhibit at the Harvard Law School Library. At this extensive site you will find a great deal of information explaining legal documentation of land ownership and transfer during the Middle Ages. These early deeds were considered more of a memorial to the purchase of land than a legal document proving it. You can find out a great deal about the law during this time also.

Topic:~Deeds; Law; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.law.harvard.edu/library/collections/special/exhibitions/history_in_deed/

Medieval English Towns - Glossary

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

Perhaps you have recently run across a version of the Domesday Book translated from the original Latin version to the medieval English version, and you have run into a few glitches. For example, you do not understand the meaning of half of the words! Then this site is sure to be helpful to you. It has a glossary of words from a to z that include the definitions of many of the words found in the Domesday Book. In addition to this, there are many links that further describe the words, if necessary.

Topic:~Domesday book; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.trytel.com/~tristan/towns/glossary.html

Medieval Knights and Warfare

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

One of a medieval knight's responsibilities was to fight. An article summarizes the life of a knight and his duty to engage in battle and participate in tournaments. The information is divided into topics and each topic is completely described. You will learn about the requirements of a knight at different points in his life, the knightly code that made him swear to protect all, fights and their objectives, and tournaments and their outcomes. Links to related medieval links are offered as well.

Topic:~Knights and knighthood; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Knights_and_Fights.htm

VillageNet Local History

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

In an easy to read style, this article describes the reason behind the Domesday Book, the history, the man behind the commissioning of the book, and his purpose for doing so. After this brief introduction, read separate histories of some of the towns and villages that were part of the Domesday Book of 1086. Current photographs and lovely biographies send you back into history so you can picture life as it was during medieval times. Although many of the towns have different names, it's fascinating to see how much has remained the same.

Topic:~Domesday book; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.villagenet.co.uk/history/1086-domesday.html#top

Secrets of the Lost Empire: Medieval Siege

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

Are you studying medieval times? If so, you don't want to miss this web site. Read about what life was like living in a European Castle during the Middle Ages. Behind the castle walls, see how lords, ladies, archers, cooks, engineers, and carpenters lived. Read about medieval warfare, and the many tricks used to gain access into the castles. Learn about the trebuchet, which was the most destructive war tool used during this time.

Topic:~Castles; Medieval architecture; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/

European Middle Ages

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

Visit this site to find a research textbook created by Professor Thomas Hooker, from Washington State University. You will find clear and informative information, links to relevant sites, and more on the Middle Ages. You will find an introduction to the European Middle Ages when you click on the Contents link, as well as topics broken down into "The Peoples" and "The Intercultural Periods." Links to a timeline, gallery, atlas and glossary are provided on the same page. Go to the Resources link, on the left, to find links to Medieval Literature and more.

Topic:~Europe--Civilization; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Middle Ages

URL:~http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MA/MA.HTM

Nennius: The History of the Britons

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

The Internet Medieval Sourcebook is a good resource for learning about history. Here on this page you can read an article written by Nennius, an Eighth century historian. This article is taken from the book, "The History of the Britons". You will be able to read several chapters from this book about the history of the Britons on this page alone. Additional chapters are also available for more details. For more medieval history texts and resources, click onto "Main Page" and review the contents for more topics.

Topic:~Britons; England--Civilization; Great Britain--History; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/nennius.html

Castle Learning Center: Medieval Knights

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

Learn about the professional soldiers of England during medieval times. You will discover their many duties, details of their training, and the prospects of a knight. There were great benefits to being a knight, but it was also very dangerous. Many knights were given or built castles. A list of better-known knights and the castles they built are organized in alphabetical order by castle name. This article provides great insight into the life of a knight and piques an interest in castles.

Topic:~Castles; Knights and knighthood; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle35.htm

Medieval History--Knight Life: Table of Contents

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

"Knight Life" is a series written by a medieval knight enthusiast who updates information periodically. Answers to whom this person is, the type of information she provides, and why she provides it can be found in the introduction. The majority of information can be found in links that are written according to a particular knight related issue. Each issue is subtitled to give you an idea of what the article is about. You will learn about the life of a knight, jousting, tournaments, and castles. Related links can be found at the end of each article.

Topic:~Castles; Knights and knighthood; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://historymedren.miningco.com/library/blknighttoc.htm

Medieval Sourcebook: Corpus Iuris Civilis: The Digest and Codex: Marriage Laws

Grade Level: 9-12

The laws of marriage were quite detailed in medieval times. Their purpose was to ensure large families and therefore large populations. This article attempts to paint a picture of what it was like to live in this time when marriage laws were specific and many. Laws that are covered pertain to the marriage ceremony, concubines, punishment for adultery, and divorce. Additional links take you to the Medieval Source Book homepage, and links to other medieval web sites.

Topic:~Divorce--Law and legislation; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/cjc-marriage.html

Pictorial Glossary of Armor Terms

Grade Level: 6-8 ~ 9-12

While doing your research on knights and armor, do you find you need a definition for a couter, or perhaps finger gauntlets? This alphabetized glossary of terminology is a must-read for anyone doing research that uses terms for armor. The terms are mainly regarding European Medieval armor, but the author said that the definitions seem to be commonly agreed upon for most armor. Photographs of the actual term are provided with the definition when applicable.

Topic:~Armor; Knights and knighthood; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://home.messiah.edu/~gdaub/armor/picgloss.htm

The Power of Music in Medieval Literature

Grade Level: 9-12

The Song of Roland is a classic medieval tale in literature that has been the subject of much discussion among literature buffs. At Rencesvals, an intense battle occurred between the French under Charlemagne and the pagans under Saracens of Spain. Roland leads the army; however his untimely use of the trumpet leads to a tragic ending. Learn about the oliphant and its many uses as stated in the Bible. Read about Roland's choice and possible events that may have led to his decision.

Topic:~Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Roland (Legendary character)

URL:~http://www.tiltedworld.com/brenda/music/trumpet.html

Chaucer Metapage

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

A group of people interested in the study of Geoffrey Chaucer formed a web site called the Chaucer Metapage. On this site you will find links to countless resources. The Chaucer Pages is a list of web sites related to Chaucer that includes a description of each site. A link to individual works by Chaucer can also be found. Online bibliographies are provided along with web sites related to medieval life and times. Information on the creators of this web site and additional medieval links can be accessed as well.

Topic:~Chaucer, Geoffrey,--d. 1400; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.unc.edu/depts/chaucer/index.html

Geoffrey Chaucer

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

Resources on Geoffrey Chaucer are conveniently found using six available links. A detailed chronology is located in a timeline dated from 1327 to 1400. Chaucer concordance is a complete list of his work that can be accessed by clicking on the titles. Online resources are categorized and listed as links. Over fifty are offered. A glossary to Chaucer words contains those words that are also found most often within his work. Pictures and paintings related to Chaucer and his work can be found in the gallery. An online list of texts is also provided at the end of the page.

Topic:~Chaucer, Geoffrey,--d. 1400; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/index.asp

The Great Schism, 1378-1415

Grade Level: 9-12

This site is a lecture about the Great Schism. It begins with the main premise: "There was a general failure of leadership in 14th-Century Europe." Information is then presented in the following topics: The Monarchy and Aristocracy, The Middle Classes, and The Church. Information provided under the topic "The Church" is lengthy and detailed. From this page, there is a hotlink to a dictionary and a thesaurus. Also provided is a link to other topics in Medieval History. These lectures were designed for a freshman college audience, although many high school students also took the classes.

Topic:~Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Schism,The Great Western, 1378-1417

URL:~http://www.ku.edu/kansas/medieval/108/lectures/great_schism.html

Minnesang (1150-1250)

Grade Level: 9-12

Minnesang ("love songs" in Middle High German) is the "term given to a large collection of lyric poetry written in Austria, Germany and Switzerland during the Middle Ages." This entry from the Literary Encyclopedia describes this form of romantic poetry and discusses its history, influences, and dominant themes. Across the top and bottom of the page are links to other resources about this form of literature and one of its great writers, Walther von der Vogelweide.

Topic:~German literature; German poetry; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true &UID=1446

Net Surf: Medieval Literature

Grade Level: 9-12

Net Surf is the perfect research tool to use if you are looking into literature of the medieval type. This source contains a listing of authors who write medieval romance stories. The names are all listed alphabetically, so if you know of a particular author, you can jump right to their works. Once you have chosen an author, clicking on their name will provide you with titles of their works and links to online text versions of the pieces.

Topic:~English literature; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Romances, English

URL:~http://www.netserf.org/Literature/Authors/

Questia: Medieval Romance Literature

Grade Level: 9-12

Questia is the world's largest online library containing both books and articles from newspapers, journals, and magazines. On this page of their site they display the collection of articles and books that the library houses relating to medieval romance literature. Clicking on a title to the list gives you a preview of what the article and site has on the topic. For each title you will see the name and author of the article and an indication to how long the article is.

Topic:~English literature; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Romances, English

URL:~http://www.questia.com/popularSearches/medieval_romance_literature.jsp

William Langland

Grade Level: 9-12

Commonly and, some scholars would remind us, conveniently attributed to William Langland, the medieval narrative poem Piers Plowman comprises three dream visions and exists in at least three markedly different versions. Langland's "biography" has been extracted from passages from the poem: He may have born at Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, or Colwall or Ledbury, near Great Malvern. He may have been educated at Malvern Priory. He may have moved to London and died in poverty. In the end, all that is certain is the poem itself, which, this site maintains, "is second only in importance to Chaucer's Canterbury tales amongst mediaeval literature."

Topic:~Langland, William,--1330?-1400?; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/langland.htm

Medieval Sourcebook: Maps

Grade Level: K-5 ~ 6-8 ~ 9-12

Would you like to view the commerce routes of the Mongol Empire under Kublai Khan? Do you need to know which areas were Christian states during the Crusades? This expansive collection of historical maps will educate students about various parts of the world during medieval times. The collections begins with several maps of Europe from the fourth through the sixteenth centuries. Maps follow for Islam, Byzantium, Rome Spain, Persia, India, the Crusades, European states, and the Mongols.

Topic:~Historical atlases; Maps; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature

URL:~http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbookmap.html

ORB: The Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies

Grade Level: 9-12

This page takes the form of detailed lecture notes on a specific topic: The Great Schism(1378-1415). The notes are in sentence form and impart basic, understandable information about the topic. " The ORB is an academic site, written and maintained by medieval scholars for the benefit of their fellow instructors and serious students. All articles have been judged by at least two peer reviewers. Authors are held to high standards of accuracy, currency, and relevance to the field of medieval studies."

Topic:~Catholic Church; Medieval civilization; Medieval literature; Schism,The Great Western, 1378-1417

URL:~http://the-orb.net/textbooks/nelson/great_schism.html

I. "Piers the Plowman" and its Sequence. 25. William Langland.

Grade Level: 9-12

Bartleby.com includes the complete text of The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. The authorship of the medieval poem Piers Plowman is discussed in Volume II, The End of the Middle Ages. Scholars conveniently attribute the poem, which works as both a social satire and an allegory, to William Langland, about whom nothing is known save what can be extrapolated from the text of the poem itself. "What shall we say of the name, William Langland, so long connected with the poems?" begins the entry.