Medieval Culture

The Medieval Culture it is a set of philosophical, literary, religious and scientific manifestations that mix factors from Greco-Roman and Germanic cultures, in a synthesis permeated by Christian aspects.

It is worth noting that the Catholic Church had a marked preponderance throughout the medieval period (4th to 15th centuries), especially when the Franks and Germanic tribes adhered to Christianity.

In such a way, she owned about a third of the arable land, which guaranteed her considerable economic power.

In addition, education was the responsibility of the Church, where all knowledge was impregnated with religiosity, which ended up motivating the Renaissance to name this historical period as the “Dark Ages”.

To learn more about the period, access the links:Middle Ages and Medieval Church

Historical Context:Summary

The period comprising the Middle Ages spans approximately a millennium of history and begins during the 4th and 5th centuries.

Its starting point is the dismantling of the Western Roman Empire. The Middle Ages remained until the 14th and 15th centuries, with the crisis of feudalism and the rise of national states. However, it was between the 11th and 13th centuries that “medieval culture” reached its apogee.

From the 10th century onwards, in Western Europe, an economic, social, political and cultural restructuring began that would culminate in the Cultural and Urban Renaissance perpetrated by the bourgeoisie.

In addition, pilgrimages, fairs and the copyist movement of the Monasteries contributed to cultural diffusion throughout the Middle Ages.

To learn more:Cultural Renaissance and Urban Renaissance

Key Features

Below are some of the main features of the medieval period, in the fields of education, arts and sciences.

Medieval and Scholastic Education

From the outset, it is worth noting that only a minority of the medieval population could read and write, since, as a rule, only the children of the nobility studied.

In any case, for most of the medieval period, Latin was the official language, especially with regard to writing. Its oral version supported a less cultured form.

Another highlight that should be made is for the School Institution that developed from the twelfth century:the Scholastic , a method by which it was intended to discover the truth through dialectics.

This form of teaching developed in the Monasteries and Cathedral Schools, the main centers of study and depository of intellectual production, until the creation of Universities, which were still closely linked to the Church throughout the twelfth century.

Therefore, in these centers of knowledge, the authors of Classical Antiquity were highly valued, such as Aristotle and Plato, to whom Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Augustine, the main theologians of the medieval period, dedicated themselves.

Learn more about Medieval Philosophy.

Medieval Architecture

In medieval architecture, the Romantic styles stood out. (High Middle Ages), characterized by austerity and solidity and the Gothic style , marked by lightness and slender shapes.

Medieval architecture was well known for the construction of castles, but it was in Churches and Cathedrals that religious architecture flourished.

In these sacred spaces, it was necessary to portray religious and moralizing scenes to catechize the population.

To learn more see also the articles:

• Gothic Art
• Medieval Art
• Romanesque Art

Medieval Music

Music has also been heavily influenced by the Church, given the sacred chant, especially the Gregorian chant of Gregory the Great (Pope Gregory I), composed of male voices in choir format.

However, while the Italian monk Guido d'Arezzo created the four-line staff and musical scale, the troubadours and minstrels spread popular music.

The main musical styles of the time were modal music, polyphonic music, ars antique and the ars new , as well as variations of profane music.

In turn, the most used musical instruments were the Sitar, the Lute, the Harp, the Flute and the Drums.

Medieval Literature

Medieval literature was marked by the use of Latin in most of the texts, which echoed the religious and existential themes of Christian morality.

However, the vernacular manifestations in lyrical and narrative form of the twelfth century, broke with this tradition and marked the abandonment of classical Latin.

There is the emergence of troubadour poetry, as in the songs of deed, derision, love, friendship, which marked medieval thought until the appearance of Quinhentism, in mid-1418.

To learn more read the articles:

• Medieval Literature
• Tubadourism
• Fifteenth century

Medieval Cuisine

Medieval cuisine is very rich and stands out for the use of spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, powdered cloves, saffron, used in the production of sauces for red meat, poultry and fish.

Despite this variety, the most consumed foods were breads and cereals, as well as stews and potato broths, as meat was a very valuable food.

Medieval Science

As for the medieval scientific aspects, Alchemy, with a notably Arab influence, as well as medicine, influenced by Greek and Oriental physicians, deserves to be highlighted.

To learn more:Scientific Renaissance and Alchemy

Learn about the feudalism that marked the Late Middle Ages: