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About View from Today--Middle Ages | Why Middle Ages? | Site Map for Middle Ages The Hippodrome News (1000's) | The Bartholomew Fair Daily (1100's) | The Cathedral Steps (1200's) | The Herald News (1300's) | The Rialto News (1400's) Go to The Hippodrome News in Surf the Ages. The Hippodrome News (1000's) This imaginary news site, The Hippodrome News, takes its name from a stadium in the city of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. For centuries, citizens of the empire congregated at stadiums called hippodromes to see and be seen at horse races, performances, and other events. By the 1000's, Byzantine culture emphasized privacy. Theaters, assembly halls, and similar gathering places disappeared. But the Hippodrome in the capital city of Constantinople remained, drawing thousands to the rare spectacles of public ceremonies and celebrations. Conquerors Institute | Official Site of the Jaguar Jaws | Leif Ericson Fan Page | The Hipp View | The Great Ghana Empire: A traveler's guide | Monastic Scriptorium | Notable Events Overview: The ad for the Conquerors Institute in this feature is fictitious. But the Institute's "founders"--William, Basil, The Cid, and Henry--were real people, and their exploits--and atrocities--live on in history. In general, the conquerors of the 1000's, such as those in this fictitious ad for a conquerors institute, fought mainly for wealth. A ruler who sought to conquer new territory did not usually intend to drive the people out of their lands. Generally, he just wanted to collect taxes from them. The most successful conquerors were also successful administrators who could maintain peace and prosperity in their new lands. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: William I, the Conqueror | Basil | Henry IV | Gregory VII, Saint | Holy Roman Empire Go to Conquerors Institute in Surf the Ages. Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Official Site of the Jaguar Jaws Overview: Chichen Itza was the largest and most powerful city of Mexico's Maya Indians between about 900 and 1200. Today, visitors to the ruins of Chichen Itza can see the ball court that is described in this fictitious feature. The court is 479 feet long and 118 feet wide. The stone rings are attached to the stone walls of the court 26 feet from the ground. Although the players handled the ball and scored as described in the feature, the actual rules of the ball game are unknown. Ancient Maya carvings often show players crouched on one knee or lying down to block the ball from hitting the ground. The Maya played the ball game for many reasons. Sometimes, friends played and wagered chocolate or salt on the outcome. More importantly, the game was a sacred reenactment of a story from the Popol Vuh, the Maya holy book. In the story, the Hero Twins played against the Lords of the Underworld and outwitted the gods of death. This reenactment often took place after a battle. Captives were pitted against a local team. If the captives lost, the unfortunate players were sacrificed in bloody ceremonies. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Chichen Itza | Maya Go to Jaguar Jaws in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the Jaguar Jaws The Maya solar calendar. A Maya year, called a tun, consisted of 365 days divided into 19 months of 20 days each, plus 1 month of 5 days. The date of the fictional match between the Jaguar Jaws and Smoking Toads, 5 pop, is the fifth day of the first month on the Maya solar calendar. Maya money. The beans of the cacao tree, the raw ingredient for chocolate, were so highly prized by the Maya that they were used as currency. Other Maya legal tender included salt, obsidian, jade, and the red shells of the spiny oyster. Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The life of famed Norse explorer Leif Ericson was celebrated in several Icelandic sagas. These lengthy stories generally tell of heroic adventure and the lives of chieftains. While some tales about Ericson's adventures certainly existed in the 1000's, the sagas about him were not written until between 1100 and 1300. The excerpts included in this feature paraphrase passages in The Flat Island Book, a collection of various sagas compiled by two Icelandic priests, perhaps in the late 1300's. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Ericson, Leif | Vikings Go to the Leif Ericson Fan Page in Surf the Ages. Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The Hippodrome, an actual chariot race-track, was one of the most popular sites in Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, for hundreds of years. In the 500's, people flocked to events at the Hippodrome to see and be seen. By the 1000's, however, the Hippodrome was used mostly for imperial ceremonies - some of which still included chariot races. Today, Constantinople is known as Istanbul, Turkey, and the Hippodrome lies under at least 6 feet (1.2 meters) of accumulated soil. The bases of two columns that once stood in the spina that divided the two stretches of the race course are visible today, in holes in a landscaped garden area. A portion of the structure under the seats at the curved end is visible. The rest of the structure is gone, or still buried. The four bronze horses that topped the starting gates were seized by the Venetians in the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204). They are now on display at St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Hippodrome | Istanbul | Byzantine Empire Go to The Hipp View in Surf the Ages. Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages The Great Ghana Empire: A traveler's guide Overview: Al-Bakri was a Muslim geographer who was born in 1040. He wrote several books from which these excerpts are drawn. Although Al-Bakri never traveled to Ghana, he conducted research by interviewing merchants who had been there as well as consulting the works of other Muslim geographers. In about 1067, the kingdom of Ghana was conquered by Berber people known as the Almoravids. After the leader of the Almoravids died in 1087, Soninke people attempted to restore Ghana's glory. But other groups had broken Ghana's monopoly in the gold trade by establishing new trade routes across the Sahara. Ghana still existed in a weakened condition until around 1200, when the great empire of Mali supplanted it. But Ghana's greatness was not forgotten. When the British colony Gold Coast gained its independence in 1957, the new nation's leaders named it Ghana as a link to a glorious African past. The modern country of Ghana lies hundreds of miles from its ancient namesake, however. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Ghana Empire | Berbers Go to The Great Ghana Empire in Surf the Ages. Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Until the 1200's, most medieval books were produced in monastery workshops much like the fictitious Monastic Scriptorium in this feature. Monasteries sold some of the books they copied and traded some for volumes made in other monasteries. But the range of books available for copying was quite narrow. The Monastic Scriptorium, for example, would never have been able to offer books from Japan. The Canon of Medicine only became broadly available in Europe after it was translated into Latin in the 1100's. Today, book publishers print copies of a book and then attempt to sell them. In contrast, nearly all the books produced in a monastic scriptorium of the 1000's were commissioned works. People who wanted a personal copy of a particular book would pay the scriptorium to copy an existing manuscript. The scriptorium might produce copies of a few popular books, such as Bibles and prayerbooks, that were likely to sell. Even then, however, the copies often were personalized to meet a client's requests. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Manuscript | Avicenna | Murasaki Shikibu | Japanese literature (The Heian period) Go to Monastic Scriptorium in Surf the Ages. Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages 1 Seljuk armies. By the end of the 1000's, the Seljuks had gained control of Persia (now Iran), Syria, and Palestine. Much of the Seljuk Empire declined during the 1100's. But the Seljuk branch in Asia Minor flourished until the 1240's, when Mongol invaders weakened its rule. This branch laid a foundation for the rise of the Ottoman Empire in the 1300's. See the following World Book article: Seljuks 2 Churches split. The year 1054 is generally considered the date of the schism (split) between the Eastern and Western Christian churches. That year, delegates of Pope Leo IX issued an anathema (solemn curse of excommunication) against the patriarch of Constantinople. The patriarch then summoned a council that excommunicated the papal delegates. These mutual anathemas remained in force until 1965, when Patriarch Athenagoras I and Pope Paul VI lifted them. Today, Eastern Orthodox Churches are the major Christian churches in Greece, Russia, eastern Europe, and western Asia. The Western Church is known today as the Roman Catholic Church. See the following World Book articles: Eastern Orthodox Churches | Roman Catholic Church 3 Norman armies conquer England. See the following World Book articles: Hastings, Battle of | William I, the Conqueror 4 Armed pilgrims. The crusaders, who came from Western Europe, organized eight major expeditions between A.D. 1096 and 1270. This was a period when Western Europe was expanding its economy and increasing its military forces. The Crusades were a part of a broad Christian expansion movement. See the following World Book article: Crusades 5 Toltec Empire. The Toltec Indians established their empire during the 900's, with a major city at Tula, north of present-day Mexico City. The Toltec Indians were the dominant people in the central Mexican highlands until about 1200. See the following World Book articles: Toltec | Tula 6 Cities grow. Many European medieval cities shared a similar layout. A typical city covered less than 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) and was surrounded by walls for protection against invaders. The city's main church--in many cases a magnificent, towering Gothic cathedral--stood in the central area. The church was the city's biggest and most expensive building and a symbol of the medieval emphasis on religion. See the following World Book article: City (Medieval Cities) 7 Sahara Commerce. See the following World Book article: Ghana Empire 8 Chinese culture flowers. A general, Zhao Kuangyin, founded the Song dynasty in 960 and served as its first emperor. He succeeded in creating a strong, centralized dynasty. The Song controlled most of China, except for the northeast section. See the following World Book article: Song dynasty 9 Ghana Empire in turmoil. See the following World Book article: Ghana Empire Go to top Hippodrome News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages |
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About View from Today--Middle Ages | Why Middle Ages? | Site Map for Middle Ages The Hippodrome News (1000's) | The Bartholomew Fair Daily (1100's) | The Cathedral Steps (1200's) | The Herald News (1300's) | The Rialto News (1400's) The Bartholomew Fair Daily (1100's) Overview: Bartholomew Fair Daily, the name of this imaginary news site, is named after a real fair that began in the 1100's. At that time, fairs were more than just a place to shop and sell -- they were major events that brought people and news from far and wide. One famous fair was the Bartholomew Fair, which started in 1133 and continued to be held for about 800 years. It was held every August on St. Bartholomew's Day at Smithfield, outside London, and became known across England for its merchandise and entertainments. University of Paris Website | Bard.net | Muslim pilgrimage tours | The cathedral at Wells | China Civil Service | Notable Events of the 1000's Go to The Bartholomew Fair Daily in Surf the Ages. Overview: The University of Paris was established in the 1100's. By the 1200's, it had become the largest and most famous university in Europe. It served as one of the primary models for medieval European universities - and eventually, for modern institutions of higher learning. Although the university would not have marketed itself as shown in this feature, the descriptions of curriculum and student life in the 1100's are true to life. Many things about university life have changed over the years. Universities are no longer restricted to male clerics. Women now pursue all fields of study. No longer are law, medicine, and theology the only professional degrees available. However, some aspects of student life have not changed much over the centuries. Students still often need money, are sometimes known for rowdiness, and still sell used textbooks to one another. The black copes and cassocks worn by early scholars were the ancestors of today's graduation robes. The "special hats" worn by masters became the mortarboard. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Paris, University of | Sorbonne | Education (The rise of the universities) Go to University of Paris in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the University of Paris Bad reputation: Students at the University of Paris were sometimes involved in rowdiness, including drunken brawls and other disputes with townspeople. Such incidents occasionally led to riots and even death. As clergy, students were not subject to town laws, but came under the protection of the Church. This did not please the townspeople, who frequently accused the Church of being lax in punishing students. Inception feast: The process of becoming a master was known as inception. A new master traditionally celebrated his inception by hosting a feast for the other masters. Students could not incept in the arts before age 20 or in theology before age 35. Go to top Bartholomew Fair Daily | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Bards sang about the heroes, accomplishments, and customs of a nation. Bards generally accompanied themselves on a harp or other stringed instrument. The bards of Ireland were greatly revered for their immense learning, and also feared for their ability to compose mocking poems that could destroy the honor -- and hurt the feelings -- of enemies and the innocent alike. During the 1100's, court poets enjoyed tremendous popularity and respect. In fact, they might have benefited from a Web site like Bard.Guild. Poets of the 1100's often studied for many years to achieve their status. In Ireland, bardic schools such as the imaginary one described in this feature actually existed. Entertainers known as bards in Ireland were called troubadours in France, skalds in Scandinavia, and minnesingers in Germany. The tradition of the bard today survives at folk festivals. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Bard | Troubadour | Skald | Minnesinger Go to Bard.net in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Bard.net King Arthur was a legendary king of medieval Britain. He became the main character in some of the most popular stories in world literature. For almost 1,000 years, writers have told of Arthur's brave deeds and the adventures of his knights of the Round Table. A real Arthur probably existed, but historians know little about him. Storytellers passed on the earliest tales about Arthur by word of mouth. These storytellers may have based the tales on an actual British leader who won minor victories over German invaders in the early A.D. 500's. See the following World Book article: Arthur, King The Cid: Also known as El Cid, the Cid was a national hero of Spain in the 1000's. The Cid's story became a legend in Poem of the Cid, written in the 1100's or early 1200's. See the following World Book article: Cid, The Roland was the greatest of the legendary knights who served the medieval king Charlemagne. Stories of Roland circulated during the 1000's, but the oldest surviving version is The Song of Roland, an epic poem written about 1100 by an unknown French author. The work may have been based on an actual event in A.D. 778, but it describes the hero as though he lived in the author's time. See the following World Book article: Roland Finn MacCool was the leader of the Fianna, an Irish band of warriors who appear in the Fenian cycle of ancient Irish tales. His name is also spelled MacCumhal. The tales are set in the province of Leinster about A.D. 200. Finn is also a familiar figure in Irish folk tales, sometimes portrayed as a giant. See the following World Book article: Finn MacCool | Cuchulainn Go to top Bartholomew Fair Daily | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Since the earliest times of Islam, Muslims have made an annual pilgrimage (called the Hajj) to Mecca, the holiest city of the Islamic religion, and would have benefited from a travel agency, such as the imaginary one described here. By the 1100's, Islam had spread from Arabia throughout the Middle East, across northern Africa, into Spain, and into India and other parts of Asia. The pilgrimage from these distant lands was long and tiring. Today, Islam is the major religion of nearly all countries in northern Africa and the Middle East. It is also the chief religion in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan. More than 2 million pilgrims crowd into Mecca in Saudi Arabia each year for the Hajj. About half of them come from other countries. Caring for the pilgrims has become a major concern for the Saudi government. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Mecca | Muslims | Islam | Hajj | Kaaba Go to Muslim Pilgrimage Tours in Surf the Ages. Go to top Bartholomew Fair Daily | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The cathedral at Wells, England, which still stands, was the first all-Gothic cathedral in Europe. Construction began around 1175. Although the cathedral was consecrated in 1239, the main areas of the building weren't completed until the mid-1300's, and work continued into the 1400's. Church officials looking for workers to build the cathedral did not need to advertise. Instead, news of the project would have spread by word-of-mouth, attracting skilled artisans to Wells from all over the country. Building a cathedral affected many people. Such a huge construction project would guarantee employment for hundreds of men for many years. The town, as the site of such a magnificent house of worship, would gain prestige. In addition, the town's economy would benefit from the pilgrims who would visit the cathedral. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Cathedral | Architecture | Gothic art Go to Cathedral at Wells in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the Cathedral at Wells 4 pence: With his daily wage of 4 pence, a worker could purchase four loaves of bread, a gallon of ale, and a large piece of meat. The cheapest cloth available at the time sold for at least 12 pence per yard. Many wage-earners supplemented their income by keeping a small farm. Their wives also often brought in money, perhaps by brewing or spinning. Go to top Bartholomew Fair Daily | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The Civil Service system in China began to develop during the Han dynasty, which ruled from 202 B.C. to A.D. 220. During the Han period, Confucianism became the philosophical basis of government. Aristocrats held most of the important state offices. However, a person's qualifications began to play a role in the selection and placement of officials. Han emperors used a Civil Service examination to select officials. This examination stressed knowledge of the teachings of Confucius. As a result, Confucian scholars held important government positions. During the Song dynasty, which ruled China from 960 to 1279, the system of Civil Service examinations was firmly established, completing the shift of social and political power from aristocratic families to officials selected on the basis of talent. The Civil Service continues to exist at every level of government in China, as well as most other countries. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: China (History) | Confucianism | Civil service Go to China Civil Service in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the China Civil Service The seventh year of the reign of Emperor Huizong: The Chinese did not use the same system of dating as did the people of Europe. Europeans would have called this year 1107. Prefectures and subprefectures: China, a very large country, was divided for ease of administration into prefectures or provinces. In the early 1100's, there were about 200 prefectures in the country. These were in turn divided into subprefectures. A subprefecture was usually a town, which served as the administrative center, and the countryside around it. However, a large city may have had more than one subprefecture, and then each of those subprefectures was solely urban. Thorny Gate: The Song Chinese called the hall where the Civil Service examinations were held the "Thorny Gate" because passing the exam was thought to be as difficult as passing through a gate of thorns. Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing. Chinese calligraphers wrote with a brush on paper. Written Chinese consists of tens of thousands of characters. Each of these characters stands for a word or part of a word. Confucian thought, based on the ideas of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, served as the single strongest influence on Chinese education, government, and personal behavior. Confucius believed that virtuous behavior by rulers had a greater effect in governing than did laws and codes of punishment. The Five Classics were five books of Confucian thought compiled by his followers after his death. The Five Classics included the I Ching, or Book of Changes; the Analects, a book of Confucius’s sayings and conversation; and the Mengzi, a collection of the teachings of Mencius (390?-305? B.C.), one of the most influential figures in popularizing the development of Confucius’s philosophies. Mastery of the Five Classics became proof of moral fitness and the chief sign of a gentleman. Go to top Bartholomew Fair Daily | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages 1 Muslims recapture the Holy Land. See the following World Book article: Saladin 2 Civil War in Japan. In 1180, the Minamoto warrior clan broke relations with the imperial court at Kyoto, then the capital of Japan. This led to a war with the Taira clan. After the Minamoto clan's victory over the Tairas, the emperor gave the title shogun to the clan's military leader Yoritomo. His rule led to a balance of power and influence between Kamakura and Kyoto that provided relative peace and stability for almost 150 years. See the following World Book articles: Minamoto Yoritomo | Shogun | Samurai | Japan (History) 3 New European universities founded. See the following World Book articles: Paris, University of | Sorbonne | Education (The rise of the universities) 4 European churches built in startling new style. See the following World Book article: Cathedral | Architecture | Gothic art 5 Angkor Wat completed in Khmer kingdom. At its peak, the magnificent city of Angkor may have had a population of 1 million, more than any European city at that time. The city included Angkor Thom, which was actually a city within the city of Angkor, and covered 4 square miles (10 square kilometers). The city of Angkor also contained many temples and palaces. Angkor Wat was constructed in the 1100's to honor the Hindu god Vishnu. Carved scenes of Cambodian life and Buddhist or Hindu mythology decorate the walls of the temples. It was also used as an astronomical observatory. See the following World Book article: Angkor 6 Shona people build splendid city. Shona people began their rule in what is now Zimbabwe about A.D. 1000. They built a city called Zimbabwe, or Great Zimbabwe. The city's ruins lie near Masvingo. They include a tower 30 feet (9 meters) high and part of a wall 800 feet (240 meters) around. Today, the Shona (often called the Mashona) make up the largest black ethnic group in Zimbabwe. The Shona speak a language called Chishona. Excerpt adapted from the "Zimbabwe" See the following World Book article: Zimbabwe (History) 7 Anasazi erect immense communal houses. By 1300 cliff-dwelling Anasazi in what are now northern New Mexico and southern Colorado had completely abandoned their cliff cities and moved to other pueblo villages to the south and east. See the following World Book articles: Pueblo Indians 8 Western European philosophers debate ideas of Aristotle. From about A.D. 500 to 1100, knowledge of Aristotle's philosophy was almost completely lost in the West. During this period, Aristotle's thought was preserved by Arab and Syrian scholars who reintroduced it to the Christian culture of Western Europe in the 1100's and 1200's. Aristotle enjoyed tremendous prestige during this time. The most famous Christian student of Aristotle was was Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225?-1274). His philosophy combined Aristotle's thought with theology, and it eventually became the official philosophy of the Roman Catholic Church. See the following World Book articles: Aristotle | Philosophy | Aquinas, Saint Thomas Go to top Bartholomew Fair Daily | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages |
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About View from Today--Middle Ages | Why Middle Ages? | Site Map for Middle Ages The Hippodrome News (1000's) | The Bartholomew Fair Daily (1100's) | The Cathedral Steps (1200's) | The Herald News (1300's) | The Rialto News (1400's) The Cathedral Steps (1200's) The name of this imaginary Web site, The Cathedral Steps, reflects the fact that cathedrals were gathering spots for people in medieval times. A medieval cathedral -- the home church of a Christian bishop -- was a secular gathering place as well as a religious one. The inside was devoted to worship and prayer, but outside, often on the front steps, people enjoyed markets, meetings, performances, and social events. Even weddings occurred on the steps; afterward, the couple and their guests went inside for Mass. Mongol News Network | Magna Carta and You | The Pointed Arch | The Lion Warrior of Mali | Hagashi Dojo | Books made and sold | Notable Events of the 1200's Go to Cathedral Steps in Surf the Ages. Overview: The Mongol Empire was the biggest land empire in history. Its territory extended from the Yellow Sea in eastern Asia to the borders of eastern Europe. Although the Mongols had a reputation as savage conquerors, they had a significant impact on the culture and economy of the time. Kublai Khan encouraged commerce and cultural exchange with other civilized peoples. As a result of his enlightened policies, printing, gunpowder, and other Chinese innovations probably first made their way to the West during Mongol times. The events described on the fictitious Mongol News Network actually happened in the 1200's. The Mongols did invade Japan a second time in 1281, but the weather interfered with the invasion, as it had in the 1274 attempt. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Mongol Empire | Kublai Khan | Polo, Marco Go to Mongol News Network in Surf the Ages. Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Magna Carta is a document that marked a decisive step forward in the development of constitutional government and legal ideas in England. Magna Carta developed from the discontent of the English barons and church leaders with the rule of King John. Their unhappiness grew when John lost most of the English possessions in France in warfare in the early 1200's. In 1214, civil war broke out in England. John saw that he could not defeat his opponents' army, and so he agreed to a set of articles known as Magna Carta, or Great Charter, on June 15, 1215, at Runnymede, southwest of London. In the charter, the king granted many rights to the English aristocracy. The greatest value of Magna Carta was that it limited royal power and made it clear that even the king had to obey the law. Edward I, John's grandson, became king of England in 1272. Edward's need for money to supply his army and government led him to call Parliaments more often than had any previous king. These Parliaments consisted of representatives of the nobility, the church, and common people. In return for grants of money from Parliament, Edward agreed that taxes could be levied only with Parliament's consent. He also sponsored laws on more topics than any previous king. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Magna Carta | John | Edward I Go to Magna Carta and You in Surf the Ages. Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The Gothic style of church architecture described in this fictitious online magazine dominated Europe from the mid-1100's to the 1600's. However, the term Gothic did not originate until the 1500's. It was a term of disapproval, used by artists and writers eager to bring back the clean lines of the classical architecture of ancient Greece and Rome in Europe. They scornfully compared the elaborate, complex style of the preceding centuries to the designs of the Germanic Goths, the people who had dealt the death blow to the Roman Empire in the 400's. Early Gothic Architecture The Gothic style was an immediate success on its introduction in France in 1144. By 1250, it had spread throughout much of Europe. The Gothic style is particularly associated with the age of cathedral construction in northern Europe. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Gothic art | Cathedral | Architecture Go to Pointed Arch in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the Pointed Arch Craft guilds are associations of craftworkers, such as bakers, goldsmiths, tailors, and weavers. For more information, see the following World Book article: Guild Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The story told by this fictional African griot is based on oral traditions concerning the life of Sundiata, the great Mali king and founder of the Mali Empire. Under Sundiata, the Mali Empire became the most powerful state in western Africa in the 1200's. The empire included parts of what are now Gambia, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, and Mauritania. The cities of the Mali Empire became centers for the caravan trade from beyond the Sahara. During the 1300's, one of Mali's cities, Timbuktu, became a famous center of learning, especially in law and the study of Islam, the Muslim religion. At that time, members of the governing classes were Muslims, while most of Mali's people continued to worship traditional local African gods. Today, many Malians still practice traditional African religions. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Sundiata Keita | Mali Empire Go to Lion Warrior of Mali in Surf the Ages. Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Although the Hagashi Dojo and Lord Miyamoto Omori never actually existed, both represent a group of aristocrats who enjoyed great power and prestige in Japan for centuries. The samurai were members of the hereditary warrior class in Japan. The early samurai defended the aristocrats' estates in the provinces. During the 1000's and 1100's, the samurai began to develop a tradition of values and personal conduct. They valued horsemanship, skill with the bow, strong self-discipline, and bravery. Above all, they prized total obedience and loyalty to their lords, and personal honor. If the samurai were dishonored, they would consider it a duty to commit ritual suicide called hara-kiri or seppuku. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Samurai | Hara-kiri | Shogun Go to Hagashi Dojo in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the Hagashi Dojo Bushido is the way of the warrior, the moral code that governed every samurai’s life and death. It stresses personal honor and total obedience and loyalty to the samurai’s lord. Swordsmanship: A samurai carried a long and a short sword. The long sword, which ranges from 3 to 7 feet long, was the samurai’s main battlefield weapon. Made of steel, it had one extremely sharp edge. Seppuku, also known as hara-kiri, is a method of ritual suicide used by samurai as an alternative to public disgrace or as the ultimate act of loyalty to their lord. In this ceremonial rite, a warrior cuts a gash in his abdomen according to a prescribed manner. An assistant then cuts off the warrior’s head from behind. Incense: A samurai burned incense in his helmet before battle so that his head would smell sweet even if he was decapitated, a common practice in medieval Japanese battles. The heads of opponents were a testament to the samurai’s skills in combat. After a battle, a commander rewarded his samurai based partly on how many heads each had collected. Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The scriptorium of Jacques de Bretagne never existed, though in the 1200's shops for the hand copying of manuscripts sprang up in some cities with universities. Until the 1200's, monks, helped by lay craftworkers, produced most books in monastery workshops called scriptoriums. In the 1200's, however, with the growth of universities, book production shifted largely to shops in cities. Even if the scriptorium of Jacques de Bretagne had existed, it never would have been able to offer such a wide range of books, especially books from outside Europe. However, the references to university regulations are accurate. In Paris, the university passed regulations to protect teachers and students from dishonest practices in the buying, selling, and renting of books. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Library (History) | Berbers | Marco Polo | China (History) | Minamoto Yoritomo | Shogun Go to Books in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Books Chinese marvels: The Italian traveler Marco Polo marveled at many Chinese customs that were unfamiliar to him. Among these were the mining and burning of coal, which he called black stones. In the 1200's, the use of coal for fuel was unknown in Europe. Polo also wondered at the use of paper money, which bore the seal of the Chinese emperor. The Chinese made the paper from the inner bark of mulberry trees. At that time, Europeans traded with heavy coins made of copper, gold, or lead. The black lions that Polo described were panthers. Japanese power struggle: The Tale of the Heike is based on the actual struggle for power between the Taira and Minamoto families of Japan in the middle and late 1100's. With the defeat of the Taira, Minamoto Yoritomo, the leader of the Minamoto clan, rose to power as the first shogun of Japan. Shoguns were warrior rulers who led Japan in the name of the emperors from the late 1100's to the mid-1800's. Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages 1 Mongol chieftain conquers huge territory. See the following World Book article: Mongol Empire 2 Kublai Khan establishes new dynasty in China. See the following World Book article: Kublai Khan | Mongol Empire | China (History) 3 English monarchy's power is curtailed under Magna Carta. See the following World Book article: Magna Carta 4 Japan survives Mongol threats. See the following World Book article: Mongol Empire | Japan (History) 5 Much of northern India comes under Muslim control. The empire established after Muhammad of Ghor's conquest, called the Delhi Sultanate, lasted for about 300 years. See the following World Book article: Delhi Sultanate 6 Battling armies take toll on Constantinople. From A.D. 330 to 1453, Constantinople served as the capital of the Roman and then of the Byzantine empires. After the capture of Constantinople by Western forces in 1204, members of the court of the defeated Byzantines established bases in Asia Minor. The Byzantines recaptured Constantinople in 1261. Ottoman Turks conquered the empire in 1453 and renamed the city Istanbul. See the following World Book articles: Byzantine Empire | Istanbul 7 Marco Polo reveals wondrous Cathay Marco Polo's reports of beautiful Chinese cities and the riches of the country he called Cathay did much to arouse the interest of Europeans in exploring the possibilities of trade with south and east Asia. His book, Description of the World, stimulated European interest in Asia and helped bring to Europe such Chinese inventions as the compass, papermaking, and printing. Many Europeans, including Christopher Columbus, then sought to reach east Asia by a sea route. See the following World Book articles: Polo, Marco | Exploration 8 Mali Empire becomes the strongest in southern Africa. See the following World Book article: Mali Empire 9 Assisi cathedral attracts finest artists in Italy. See the following World Book articles: Cathedral | Gothic art | Francis of Assisi, Saint | Giotto Go to top Cathedral Steps | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages |
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About View from Today--Middle Ages | Why Middle Ages? | Site Map for Middle Ages The Hippodrome News (1000's) | The Bartholomew Fair Daily (1100's) | The Cathedral Steps (1200's) | The Herald News (1300's) | The Rialto News (1400's) The Herald News (1300's) This imaginary news site, The Herald News, gets its name from a class of official messengers called heralds, who carried messages between princes and armies, announced and directed tournaments, and conducted certain ceremonies. The heralds had to know one knight from another to perform their duties, and heraldic symbols provided the necessary identification. One basic heraldic symbol is an emblem called a coat of arms. Today, some European countries still use heralds to keep track of the coats of arms representing people, cities, and institutions. Plague Information Site | The Mali News | Travelog of Ibn Battuta | By Royal decree | Notable Lady's Web Site | Pious Pilgrim Travel Agency | Scriptorium Fontenay | Notable Events of the 1300's Go to The Herald News in Surf the Ages. Overview: People have long used the term "plague" to mean any great calamity. But the deadly disease that swept through Asia, North Africa, and Europe in the mid-1300's was so devastating that it became forever identified with that name. Today, we call this plague epidemic the Black Death. During the 1300's, people called the event by such names as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality, or just "the Death." Many wondered if the world was ending. The epidemic, which killed about one-fourth of all Europeans, led to massive changes in the structure of society, economics, trade, religion, culture, and nearly every other area of life. The descriptions of the fictional French physician Rogier d'Orleans in this feature represent the real views of European doctors of the 1300's. It would be centuries before researchers would discover that the plague was spread by fleas that live on rodents, including a species of household rat. These small black rats are rare today, but in the 1300's, they lived in close company with people, both in homes and on ships. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Plague | Bubonic plague | World Book Special Report: Apocalypse Then: A History of Plague Go to Plague Information Site in Surf the Ages. Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Mansa Musa was the ruler of the African kingdom of Mali from about 1312 to about 1337. He greatly expanded the empire and made it the political and cultural leader of West Africa. This fictitious chronicle is based on historic accounts of Mansa Musa's visit to Cairo in 1324. Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca, which was recorded by many different sources, including Egyptian historians and Arab and European geographers, was a major event in African history. As a result of this journey, Mali--and Mansa Musa--became renowned abroad. In addition, trade between Egypt and Mali increased. Mali also benefited from the scholars and architects who accompanied Mansa Musa on his return home. Under Mansa Musa's rule, the city of Timbuktu, which he conquered, became a center of scholarship in history, law, and the Islamic religion. Finally, much of the knowledge of Mali's grandeur would have been lost to the people of today if Mansa Musa had not visited Cairo en route to Mecca. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Mali Empire | Mansa Musa | Timbuktu Go to Mali News in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Mali News The Prophet: Muslims believe Muhammad, who felt himself to be God’s prophet, was the last messenger of God. They believe he completed the sacred teachings of such earlier prophets as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. For more information, see the World Book articles: Islam | Muhammad Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The passages in this feature are adapted and summarized from the travelog of Ibn Battuta, a famous Arab traveler and writer. Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier, Morocco. His full name was Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Battuta (also spelled Batuta). He was educated in Islamic law and religion, and began traveling in 1325. Ibn Battuta journeyed first to the city of Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia. Afterward, his trips included visits to Egypt, Ethiopia, Syria, Asia Minor, Persia (now mainly Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan), India, Indonesia, and China. In 1349, after 24 years of travel, Ibn Battuta returned to Morocco. But he soon set out again and went to Andalusia, a region in Spain, and to Timbuktu, a center of the Mali Empire in western Africa. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Ibn Battuta | Damascus | Alexandria | Mali Empire | Suttee Go to Travelog of Ibn Battuta in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Travelog of Ibn Battuta The lighthouse at Alexandria, which was about 1,500 years old at the time Ibn Batuta saw it, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. See the following World Book article: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Widow burning: The ancient Hindu custom of a widow committing suicide--or in some instances being killed--after her husband's death is known as suttee. The word is derived from the Sanskrit sati, meaning faithful wife. It was common for many centuries throughout India. Today, the practice of suttee has almost, but not entirely, disappeared. A mosque is a building used for Muslim worship. See the following World Book article: Mosque The Umayyads were a family that ruled the Muslim world from 661 to 750. Their attempt to conquer Europe failed when an army led by Charles Martel, the leader of Gaul, defeated them in 732 in a battle in southern France. This battle is considered one of the most important battles in history, because it determined that Christianity rather than Islam would dominate Europe. Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The regulations in this imaginary decree represent a sampling of real laws of the 1300's from England, Italy, and Spain. The introduction is taken from an English law of 1363. Laws regulating dress, food, and other signs of wealth were called sumptuary laws, and they appeared throughout Europe starting in the 1300's. Their stated goal was to preserve distinctions between the classes, but many sumptuary laws also served economic purposes--for instance, to limit demand for imported products. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Sumptuary law Go to Royal decree in Surf the Ages. Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Although Alys Montfort is fictional, the life she describes was typical of that of a well-to-do lady of the 1300's. Officially, women in England during the 1300's had few rights in the modern sense. They were always supposed to be under the authority of a man, could not hold office or participate in government, and had limited rights to own property. Despite such legal drawbacks, however, many women held a great deal of power. A woman like Alys Montfort often began supervising a large, self-sufficient household in her early teens. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Hundred Years' War Go to Noble Lady's Web Site in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Noble Lady's Web Site Dowry was money or property the bride's family gave to the groom or his family as part of the marriage. Rent: Most landholders of the time paid rent for their manors. They paid for their property either with money or services. Many nobles paid with military service to their lord. Betrothed: It was not uncommon for parents to arrange a girl's marriage, sometimes to a complete stranger or a man who was much older than she was. Military campaigns: England went to war against France in 1337 when King Philip of France declared his ownership of the English-held province of Guyanne in southwest France. Order of Preachers: This Roman Catholic religious order was founded by Saint Dominic of Spain in the early 1200's. Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: A pilgrimage was one of the few times an ordinary person in the Middle Ages would have traveled far from home. Some Christians made such trips in search of a cure for disease. Others traveled as an act of devotion or to venerate a holy place or relic. Pilgrimages often involved long, tiring journeys. Those who completed such journeys were respected for their piety. As this ad for a fictitious travel agency indicates, the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral was a major destination for medieval Christian pilgrims. The Canterbury Tales, a group of stories by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, provides an interesting glimpse into the classes of people who might have been found on a pilgrimage. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Canterbury Tales | Chaucer, Geoffrey | Plague | Becket, Saint Thomas Go to Pious Pilgrim Travel Agency in Surf the Ages. Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: In the 1300's, most books were created by hand copying in workshops such as the fictional Scriptorium Fontenay. The name scriptorium refers to monastery workshops for the copying of books. Most book production shifted from the monasteries to lay craftworkers in cities - like the bookseller in this feature - in the 1200's. Today, book publishers print copies of a book and then attempt to sell them. In contrast, nearly all the books produced in scriptoriums such as Fontenay's were commissioned works. People who wanted a personal copy of a particular book would pay a scriptorium to copy an existing manuscript. The scriptorium might produce copies of a few popular books, such as Bibles and prayerbooks, that were likely to sell. Even then, however, the copies often were personalized to meet a client's requests. Unfortunately, Fontenay's customers never would have been able to order copies of The Canterbury Tales or Commedia or even the Italian choir books. They would have been available only in the countries where they had been written. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Library (History) | Canterbury Tales | Chaucer, Geoffrey | Divine Comedy | Dante Alighieri | Becket, Saint Thomas Go to Scriptorium Fontenay in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Scriptorium Fontenay The Canterbury Tales: Geoffrey Chaucer was the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages. He wrote The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on a journey to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury. One of the pilgrims represents Chaucer himself. Chaucer pictured this pilgrim as a simple fellow who takes everything at face value. This device allowed Chaucer to describe the other pilgrims objectively, while allowing the reader to see the pilgrims' real personalities. Dante Alighieri, an Italian author, was one of the greatest poets of the Middle Ages. Many scholars consider The Divine Comedy a summary of medieval thought. Dante had a tremendous influence on later writers, including the English authors Geoffrey Chaucer and John Milton. Dante called his work Commedia (Comedy), because it had a happy ending. The searcher in the story - Dante himself - progressed from wickedness to goodness and was shown the path to God in Heaven. The word divine was added to the title in the 1500's, and today Dante's great poem is known as The Divine Comedy. Working women: Urban European women of the 1300's, such as the fictional Marie de Bretagne in this feature, performed many types of work. Many women toiled as servants. Others worked in their families' businesses or, after marriage, with their husbands. If a woman's husband died, she might take over the business, at least until she remarried. Some unmarried women practiced a craft on their own, and some married women maintained a business or practiced a craft independently of their husbands. Making thread and cloth was considered one of the best crafts for women. Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages 1 Terrifying plague kills millions. See the following World Book articles: Plague 2 Chinese oust Mongol rulers. See the following World Book articles: Mongol Empire | Ming dynasty | China (History) 3 Ottomans carve out a new empire. See the following World Book articles: Ottoman Empire 4 The sternpost rudder, a new device for steering ships, is adopted. The sternpost rudder could be used to steer larger ships and allowed ships to sail safely in rough seas. During the 1400's, shipbuilders began to produce ships four times as large as any built before. All these ships had a rudder, and most had three masts and at least three sails. By the late 1400's, navigation instruments such as the mariner's compass, which allowed voyagers to navigate their ships without observing the positions of the moon, stars, and planets, helped make possible the great voyages that led to the exploration of the New World. See the following World Book articles: Invention | Transportation 5 Violence in Japan threatens stability. See the following World Book articles: Japan (History) 6 Tatar leader Timur controls much of Asia. See the following World Book articles: Timur 7 African emperor's travels bring glory to Mali. See the following World Book articles: Mansa Musa | Mali Empire Go to top Herald News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages |
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About View from Today--Middle Ages | Why Middle Ages? | Site Map for Middle Ages The Hippodrome News (1000's) | The Bartholomew Fair Daily (1100's) | The Cathedral Steps (1200's) | The Herald News (1300's) | The Rialto News (1400's) The Rialto News (1400's) This 1400's news site, The Rialto News, is named after the Rialto bridge in Venice. In Renaissance Venice, people who wanted news and gossip headed for the commercial district near the Rialto bridge, a central passage through this town of canals. The Rialto's reputation as a meeting place spread so widely that in the late 1500's, English audiences heard a character in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice ask, "What news on the Rialto?" Explorer's Bulletin Board | The Siege of Constantinople | News from Africa | The Trial of Joan of Arc | Fontenay Books | Century 15 Realty | Notable Events of the 1400's Go to The Rialto News in Surf the Ages. Overview: We know, of course, that Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Zheng He did not have resumes to distribute. Da Gama and Zheng might not have needed theirs even if resumes had existed in their time. King Miguel of Portugal asked da Gama to find a sea route to India by sailing around Africa. The Yongle emperor chose Zheng, a favorite servant and commander in his army, as the leader of the Ming expeditions. In contrast, Columbus struggled for nearly 10 years to find a royal sponsor for his plan to sail west to reach the Indies. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Exploration | Columbus, Christopher | Da Gama, Vasco Go to Explorer's Bulletin Board in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the Explorer's Bulletin Board Islands of the Indies: Christopher Columbus mistakenly believed he had landed at an island of the East Indies, near Japan or China. Because of this belief, he called the islanders he encountered Indians. Dead reckoning: For his journeys, Columbus relied on a method of navigation known as dead reckoning. This method involved the use of a compass to determine direction, a half-hour glass to measure time, and a crude quadrant for determining the ship's position from the stars. Zheng He died in 1433 on his last voyage. Yongle emperor: The Ming Emperor who authorized Zheng He's voyages chose the name Yongle (everlasting joy) as the name of his reign. Out of business: After Zheng's voyages, the emperors of China turned against outside commerce. By 1440, the mighty Ming navy, which had consisted of 3,500 vessels in Zheng's time, had been reduced to half that number. In the late 1400's, the government has forbade the construction of ocean-going ships. Taino were the native people who lived on the islands where Christopher Columbus landed. Tribute: In 1495, Spanish explorers demanded that each Taino over age 14 provide them with a hawk's bill filled with gold every three months. However, because little gold exists on the islands, the quotas were almost impossible to fill. Those people unable to meet their quota were punished, sometimes by having their hands cut off. Some were executed. Take our people: When Columbus returned to Spain in 1493 after his first voyage, he took several captive Taino with him, and he continued to ship many Indian slaves to Spain in later years. In 1495, the Spanish government forbade the trade in Indian slaves. However, Columbus brought about 30 more Indian slaves to Spain in 1496, without any apparent punishment from the government. Diseases: Columbus and his men introduced smallpox and numerous other diseases to the islands they found. These diseases were deadly to the native people who contracted them. Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Istanbul | Byzantine Empire | Ottoman Empire Go to Siege of Constantinople in Surf the Ages. Glossary for Siege of Constantinople The Hagia Sophia was the Christian Cathedral of Constantinople. For more information see the following World Book article: Hagia Sophia Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: This feature uses the words of a fictitious griot, or African storyteller, to give accounts of some of the kingdoms and empires that existed in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1400's. These kingdoms flourished mainly because of trade. African merchants traded gold, ivory, copper, figs, dates, and slaves for textiles, horses, and metalware from Europe and the Middle East. Zimbabwe, on the east coast of Africa, carried on trade with China, India, and Indonesia. Some of the most powerful of these kingdoms established elaborate systems of government and rich traditions in sculpture, music, and oral poetry. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Songhai Empire| Benin | Kongo | Zimbabwe Go to News from Africa in Surf the Ages. Glossary for News from Africa Ghana and Mali. Two famous empires in African history. See the following World Book articles: Ghana Empire | Mali Empire Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: The trial of Joan of Arc in 1431 was remarkably well-documented. The transcripts from the trial provide us with more details of Joan's life than of almost any figure of her time. Like most martyrs, Joan became more powerful dead than alive. Twenty-seven years after her execution, a new trial, authorized by the pope and strongly supported by King Charles VII, declared the 1431 trial null and void as a result of its numerous procedural flaws. In 1920, more than 450 years after her death, the Roman Catholic Church declared Joan a virgin saint. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Joan of Arc, Saint | Hundred Years' War Go to Trial of Joan of Arc in Surf the Ages. Glossary for the Trial of Joan of Arc Heresy is a belief different from the accepted belief of the Church. See the following World Book article: Heresy The Inquisition was an effort by the Roman Catholic Church to seek out and punish heretics. See the following World Book article: Inquisition Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: This fictitious print shop web page represents the explosive growth in the printing industry in Europe that followed the invention of movable type in the mid-1400's. By 1500, Europe had more than 1,000 print shops, and several million books had been produced. And although print shops of the 1400's did not offer an international selection of books as in this feature, they did produce books on a remarkable variety of subjects. The name "movable type" comes from the fact that after printing many copies of one sheet, the type pieces could be taken out of the form and rearranged, or moved, to make new pages. Go to Jaguar Jaws in Surf the Ages. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Gutenberg, Johannes | Printing (History) Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages Overview: Real estate ads for castles, such as these, did not exist in the 1400's, of course. Castles generally were not sold. Most often, they were bequeathed by an owner to his heirs or acquired in marriage. Sometimes, they were taken by force. In addition, kings and queens sometimes seized the castles of rebels or other subjects who had fallen from favor and gave them as gifts to more worthy followers. Castles are fascinating places to visit, but they were not very comfortable places to live by modern standards. The lord of a castle, however, commanded tremendous power and prestige, and his castle helped him maintain his power. By 1500, castles had begun to lose their appeal. The introduction of gunpowder and cannon into warfare in the 1400's lessened the military value of castles. More information on subjects mentioned in this imaginary site is in the following World Book articles: Castle | Bubonic plague Go to Century 15 Realty in Surf the Ages. Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages 1 Ottomans Conquer Constantinople. See the following World Book articles: Istanbul | Ottoman Empire 2 Christians drive Moors out of Spain. See the following World Book articles: Moors | Spain (History) | Isabella I | Ferdinand V 3 European traders seek sea route to Indies. See the following World Book articles: Columbus, Christopher | Da Gama, Vasco 4 Songhai strike it rich with Saharan trade. See the following World Book article: Songhai Empire 5 Empire in Valley of Mexico flourishes. In the 1400's, the Aztec conquered many groups in central and southern Mexico, forming the Aztec empire and becoming the most powerful people in central Mexico. They referred to themselves by such names as Colhua-Mexica, Mexica, and Tenochca, but they are now commonly known as the Aztec. See the following World Book article: Aztec. 6 Inca rule expands. See the following World Book articles: Inca | Machu Picchu 7 Rivals struggle for power in Zimbabwe region. See the following World Book article: Zimbabwe 8 Russians break Mongol rule. See the following World Book articles: Mongol Empire | Ivan III | Ivan IV, The Terrible 9 Movable type revolutionizes printing in Europe. See the following World Book articles: Printing | Education 10 Italians create dazzling new style of art. The cultural movement that flourished in Italy during the 1400's is now known as the Renaissance. See the following World Book article: Renaissance Go to top Rialto News | Go to top View from Today--Middle Ages | Site Map for Middle Ages |
