In the Middle Ages, the wine had the highest social prestige of all beverages and was also regarded as the healthiest choice when it comes to choosing between different drinks. According to Galen’s theory, it should be considered as a “hot and dry” fluid …
(hence the modern use of “dry wines” in describing the taste of wine that is not sweet).
Beer passed from Egypt to Europe following the Crusades. The knights returned to their countries taking beer with them. From the 7th and 8th centuries, monastic communities began to make and consume beer.
At that time, the monks lived as the villagers but more isolated from the village. The water, unhealthy by the hygienic conditions of the moment, was a permanent transmitter of infections. Boiling it with cereals resulted in a healthier drink. As it was produced and consumed in the day to day, the beer hardly had alcohol, and it is estimated that the average town consumed about 6 liters of beer per person daily.
Since the tenth century, merchants and craftsmen have become very important. Particularly these as producers of new goods, increasingly needed for urban life and traders as distributors of such goods or merchandise. The flourishing of the great international trade, from the tenth century, both terrestrial and maritime, is a natural consequence of agricultural and livestock expansion.
Continue reading Trade in the Middle Ages and Medieval Merchants
Just a few centuries ago, when you wanted to “sack another city/kingdom”, you had to do it through a siege. If you don’t know what a siege is, it’s basically when you get an army, and some massive tools, to mow down the city defenses of an opponent, before taking it over.
Those war techniques have obviously been rendered useless through the existence of missiles and airplane bombing. Nevertheless, we’re not discussing this for the sake of “war practicality”. Our focus here is on understanding history warfare, and how it evolved into what it is now.
The word “knight” is related to a select group of warriors who staged significant battles during the Middle Ages. However, in order to become one, it needed more than courage and strength.
2-handed swords were specialized infantry weapons, used commonly in the 15th and 16th century, especially by German and Swiss armies. Considering the amount of specialized training required, extra-pay was often given to 2-handed sword wielders.
There were a variety of maces in the Middle Ages. They differed in shape of the head (Studded Mace, Flanged Mace, Indian Shishpar), in metals used (wood, copper, bronze, iron), and in length (cavalry usually had longer maces) all of which would determine the final mace weight.
The Middle Ages were one of the darkest periods in world history – rife with disease, poverty and human cruelty. The previously enlightened civilizations of Rome and Constantinople – and their legendary armies of soldiers in Roman armor – had fallen victim to the bubonic plague, rampaging barbarian hordes and dangerous superstition.
During the Medieval Times, paper currency was not yet minted, so all existing money was made of different metals (copper, silver and gold). So basically, all money and currency in the Medieval Ages was different coins.
Many pagan cultures played a very important role in Christmas celebrations from Medieval Europe until December 25, 2008. Their rituals may have been reworked and glossed to fit our present day interpretation of the holiday, but the fact remains that the Vikings, Romans, Anglo-Saxons and other ancient cultures played a very significant role in the Christian celebration.