The Middle Ages

The Crusades
The Crusades were a number of over 19 military campaigns caused by religious differences. Christians waged the Crusades from 1095-1291. The goal of the Crusades was to recapture Jerusalem and the sacred Holy Land (Israel) from Muslim rule. The only way a crusade was official was if the pope sanctioned it. The beginning of the crusades was caused in the year of 1070 when the Turks (who were also Muslim) conquered the holy lands and mistreated Christians before realizing how useful their good will (and money) could be. After wards the Turks also threatened the Byzantine Empire, so emperor Alexius asked the pope for assistance, and so the crusades began.

The Murder of Thomas a Becket
Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170. He engaged in a conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the Church. After wards the followers of the king assassinated Becket. After the argument the king spoke some very harsh words about Becket. The four knights listening took the king’s words as a royal command. So they set out to plot the murder of Thomas Becket. On Tuesday, December 29, 1170 they carried out their plan, Becket was murdered inside Canterbury Cathedral.

The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta which is (also called Magna Carta Libertatum) an English charter originally issued in 1215. The Magna Carta was the most significant influence on the long historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today. Magna Carta influenced many common law documents, such as the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, and is considered one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy. The Magna Carta was originally created because of disagreements between Pope Innocent III, King John and his English barons (a British nobleman of the lowest rank) about the rights of the King.

The Black Death
The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, was a fatal pandemic that began in southwestern Asia and spread to Europe by the late 1340s, where it got the name Black Death. It killed between a third and two-thirds of Europe’s population, including Middle Eastern lands, India and China, it killed at least 75 million people. The same disease is thought to have returned to Europe every generation with varying degrees of intensity and fatality until the 1700s. There is some controversy over the identity of the disease, but in its virulent form seems to have disappeared from Europe in the 18th century.

The Canterbury tales.
The Knight
The knight is a brave and experienced and gentleman. He is a man who is worthy and honored around the world. The knight has fought fifteen battles and has won every one. If you ask me the knight is the type of guy that every body loves. "As well in Christendom as heathenesse, And honoured everywhere for worthiness." "In all his life, to whatsoever wight. He was a truly perfect, noble knight."

The Squire
The Squire is the Knights son he is a wondrous active bachelor. He’s good at making songs and words and he loves to dance. I feel that the squire is nothing like the knight except that he is strong and kind other than that he’s nothing like the knight. "With him there was his son, a young SQUIRE, A lover and a lively bachelor." "He could make songs and words thereto indite, Joust, and dance too, as well as sketch and write."

Yeoman
The Yeoman is the knights and the squire servant. I believe that the Yeoman is not the type of servant that does inside work I think he is the type that deals with deeds in the forest because he wears a lot of green. " And he was clothed in coat and hood of green. A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen." "A Christopher medal on his breast of silver sheen. He bore a horn, the baldric all of green;"

Prioress
Prioress to me is a type of woman who doesn’t like a mess the type of person who has to stay clean. Prioress is the head of the convent (she’s a nun), with very exquisite tastes. I believe that Prioress is a very well dressed well-behaved woman. "At table her manners were well taught withall, And never let morsels from her lips fall, Nor dripped her fingers deep in sauce, but ate with so much care the food upon her plate that no drop could fall upon her breast. In courtesy she had delight and zest."

Monk
I believe that this is not a regular monk he doesn’t care much about the rules he supposed to follow. I also feel this way because he’s loud, loves to go hunting and he loves to eat regular monks don’t act in this manner. "A MONK there was, one of the finest sort, An outrider; hunting was his sport; And when he rode men might his bridle hear Jingling in the whistling wind as clear, Also as loud as does the chapel bell Where this monk was governor of the cell."

Friar
To me the friar is hard to explain the end says his name is Hubert. I think that the friar loves becoming friends with young girls, rich people so he can gossip about helping them with their problems. To me the friar is sort of like a fake friend it sort of seems like he uses the people he becomes friends with. "In all the Four Orders is no one that can Equal his gossip and well-spoken speech." "He had arranged many a marriage, giving each Of young women, and this at his own cost."

Merchant
The merchant sounds like a man who's very rich and who loves to brag. I believe that the merchant is a high-class person in society and that he gets a lot of respect. "He spoke out his opinions very solemnly, Stressing the times when he won, not lost." "This worthy man kept all his wits well set; There was no person that knew he was in debt."

Clerk
The clerk loves the study of philosophy. He spends all his money on books for his study before clothes and food so he and his horse are very thin. From what I can tell Clerk would borrow money from his friends and would always spend the money on getting new books. Clerk doesn't talk a lot but when he does speak what ever comes out of his mouth is something very smart. "Who's studied philosophy, long ago. As lean was his horse as is a rake, And he too as not fat, that I take." "Very worn off was his overcoat; for he would rather have at his bed's head Some twenty books, all bound in black and red." " But all that he might borrow from a friend on books and learning he would swiftly spend."

Physician
The physician is good at his job and saves every patient from his or her sickness. He can cure every sickness using his knowledge of the planets. To me it seems as if the physician is in perfect health and physical shape. He sounds like a very smart man to me. "In all the world there was none like him; for he is instructed in astronomy. He cared for and saved a patient many times By natural science and studying astrological signs." "He knew the cause of every sickness, Whether it brings heat or cold, moisture or dryness."

Wife of Bath
I feel that the Wife of the Bath is a very interesting person who dresses very neat. She's been married fives times, and from what i can tell from the passage she is deaf in one ear. She has a gap between her two front teeth but i guess it's a beauty trade mark because she's been married 5 times. She likes to sew and is good what ever she makes. The Wife of Bath is teh type of women who makes every body feel happy she's good company. "Who was somewhat deaf, it is a pity. At making clothes she had a skillful hand. Her headdresses were of finest weave and ground."

Parson
The parson is a poor countryman who is rich in holy thought and good deeds. The Parson is what you call a true church going man. To me the narrator is saying that Parson is the type of person who practices what he teaches. "A good man was there of religion, he was a poor Country Parson, but rich he was in holy thought and work." "Who Christ's own gospel truly sought to preach; Devoutly his parishioers would he teach."

Plowman
The plowman is a hard working man who has a very peaceful life. God is his heart no matter what he went through. I think that Plowman is a(n) very honorable man, he doesn't think of wealth just of Christ and helping others. "He loved God most, and that with his whole heart at all times, whether it was easy or hard, and next, his neighbour, even as himself. He'd thresh and dig, and never thought of wealth."

Miller
Miller is a strong man who knows his strength. To me miller is a big cocky man who shows off a little to get his point across. I feel that Miller is out of control he runs through doors using his head, he tears doors off the hinges he’s like a mad man. "He was stoutly built, broad and heavy; He lifted each door from its hinges, that easy, Or break it though, by running, with his head. His beard, as any sow or fox, was red."

Manciple
I can tell from the first few lines that Manciple is a very smart man and that he knew how to use he’s knowledge. Manciple is smarter than the lawyers he works for and I know that makes them mad. "To whom all buyers might think of as an example To learn the art of buying victuals; Cash or credit, he knew all the rituals, That he knew the markets, watched them closely." "The wisdom of a crowd of learned men? Of masters had he more than three times ten, Who were in law expert and curious."

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
In part one Sir Gawain takes a swing at the Green Knights head and chops it off. The knight gets up and picks his head up like nothing happened. He then tells Gawain that he must meet him at the Green Chapel on New Year’s morn to seek his pay back, a stroke the same as he had given the green knight. The next year Gawain sets off on his trip to the Green Chapel until one day she finds a beautiful castle. The lord of the castle welcomes him and promises to help him find the green knight. The host tells Gawain that he will go hunting each day and will give all his wins to Gawain as long as all of Gawain’s wins from that day went to him. Each day he goes hunting the host’s wife tries to seduce Gawain but Gawain ignores. Promises are kept but on the third day when he gives the host three kisses not the lady’s sash.

In part two the servant shows Gawain gets the way to the green chapel. Gawain finally reaches the place but there’s nothing there. The Green Knight appears he takes one swing then stops he says Gawain flinched. He takes another swing but he stops again this time to tell Gawain that he has gotten his heart back. On the last swing the knight just taps him than he begins to explain that Gawain kissed his wife twice and returned all the kisses. Then he says that he tapped him the third time because he did not give the sash to the host as he was told. He respects Gawain for his loyalty and understands that Gawain didn’t tell of the sash because he loves his life and didn’t want it to end.

1. Some of the most familiar figures from the Middle Ages were knights who were loyal protectors of the king. In this story Gawain was the perfect night and very loyal.
2. Knights strictly obeyed a code of conduct called chivalry, which included their oath of loyalty to their overlord, and the adoration of a particular lady, which may not have been their wife. In the story the host’s wife kept tempting Gawain but he did not give in to temptation.
3. The adoration of the lady was meant as a means of self-improvement for the knights.