Medieval Europe - Social Mores and Practices

Medieval Europe Social moors and practices

The medieval period of Europe is designed by the feudalism and renaissance. Change was seen in the political system and also in social practices. Previously, the elite class of the society was the ruling class and now with the hierarchical distribution of political, economic power across the feudal hierarchical line, the Scope of upper stratum has been increased so that they can yield political prowess. The king, vassals, feudal lords, knights were made the upper stratum of the society. The lower stratum consisted of peasants, slaves, villeins. 

The rulings class was undeniably accepted by the society and held the high status. Knights were regarded as gentlemen of the society and had a notion that they were adventurous and chivalric. Poets and writers of medieval period elucidated on knights and those writings made adventure the part of the knighthood. The books were widely flown across the Europe. The main centers of the literature were Italy, Spain, and Florence. The engrailment of chivalry into the ambitious minds of society  can be observed in the medieval writings such as Don Quixote. (Chapter I - Which treats of the character and pursuits of the famous gentleman 173

Don Quixote of La Mancha, Don Quixote by Cervantes).

Coming to economic activities, markets were always crowded. The main economic practice of the medieval Europe was agriculture and allied activities. Other activity that people are indulged are cloth making, artisan ship, craftsman, black smiths etc [Time 2:14, Assassin’s creed 2 walkthrough part2 – Leonardo da Vinci (AC2 Let’s Play Gameplay)]. This shows the agrarian society of medieval Europe.

Women’s position varies from the strata. There was little respectable position given to the women and even that respect is only seen in the aristocratic stratum of society. Prostitution was heavily seen in this period (Chapter III. - Wherein is related the droll way in which Don Quixote had himself 197 dubbed a Knight; Chapter XVI. - Of what happened to the ingenious gentleman in the inn which he 563 took to be a castle). In the Gentile Bellini Procession painting we can see Frias, and religious people where there is no space for women in that procession. Thus we can say that women were restricted to their domestic lives. Women were not included in the decision making in the society and they were restricted to their domestic life, but, they are not insulated from education and entry into churches unlike India in medieval ages. Education was allowed to entire society and was not just restricted to the aristocrats. This can be observed from the paintings of medieval Europe. In the Raphael school of art of Athens, one can see that everyone is allowed to share knowledge without any discrimination.  It can be said that, arguably, this system has fed the notions of positivism which questioned illogical practices of church which culminated as renaissance.

Talking about the social life, social gatherings and merry making included serving of wine and liquor. This was needed due to the climatic conditions. Well this can be seen in many parts of the world irrespective of their geography or climate (Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese). Towns and cities in this period had inns which provide accommodation and food. This tells us that people used to travel to the cities and the market is concentrated in the urban areas.  

In this era papacy was on the full swing. They had both political and economic influence over the nations. Frias have occupied and important position in the society and the political decisions were strongly influenced by church. The paintings and art from the medieval Europe are encircled with the themes of religion. There are excessive paintings depicting Virgin Mary, Adam and Jesus etc. The Black Death in 14^th century has made people to encounter death and the then came the rise of rational thinking. The paintings with the themes of judgement day are more often in the 14^th century which shows the shift in the mindset of society. (Chapter VIII. - Of the good fortune which the valiant Don Quixote had in the 346 terrible and undreamt-of adventure of the windmills, with other occurrences worthy to be fitly recorded; Don Quixote by Cervantes).

The culmination of the stronghold of church has come with the rise of Calvinism, Protestantism and rational thinking on the whole assisted by the rise of city states and political rivalry between states and church. Thus, renaissance has brought the rule of subjects back to the rulers rather than popes.  Thus, theocracy has ended by the later medieval period with the treaty of Westphalia in 1648 and the system of states have taken the political roots.

References:

1.       Miguel de Cervantes. (1605). Don Quixote [translated by John Ormsby]. Retrieved from http:// www.gutenberg.net/

2.       Raphael. (1505). School of Athens. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raphael_School_of_Athens.jpg

3.       Paolo Veronese. (1563). Wedding at Cana. Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Paolo_Veronese_008.jpg

4.       Gentile Bellini. (1496). Procession in St. Mark's Square. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gentile_bellini,_processione_in_piazza_san_marco_01.jpg

5.       Assassin’s creed II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc9uJld515Y