Medicine Medicine Arabic anatomical and pharmaceutical knowledge, far greater in scope than that of medieval Europe's learning, was quickly assimilated. However, practical anatomy, viewed best through dissection of corpses, was rarely studied. Treatment varied from physician to physician, but some practices were adopted by much of the continent. Isolation of the sick and contagious was commonplace and possibly the greatest step taken in medieval medicine. Hospitals began to be built in Europe during the 13th century. Bleeding and the use of leeches to draw "bad blood" from the patient were typical. When doctors' treatments failed, the Church was often called to exorcise demons and say prayers and incantations over the patient.
Medieval England Clothes What you wore depended on who you were in the Medieval period. If you were rich you would probably own a variety of clothes, in the latest styles and colours. If you were a poor peasant, you may only own one tunic. Although it was possible to obtain silks and other luxurious materials from abroad, they were very expensive. Noblemen and Women Early Medieval Period These pictures (right) show the costume worn in the early medieval period by the rich. The man is wearing a woollen tunic, belted at the waist that has been embroidered around the hem and sleeves. The man's wife is wearing a woollen dress, tied at the waist over a white linen underskirt. Later Medieval Period This famous portrait was painted by Jan Van Eyck in 1435 (towards the end of the Medieval period). The man is wearing a fur-trimmed velvet gown over a black padded long shirt that has gold embroidery around the edges. The man's wife is wearing a green woollen dress trimmed with cream coloured fur that is belted very high.
Trepanning: the oldest surgical procedure in history Trepanning – which comes from the Greek word trypanon, meaning a device for boring holes – is the oldest-known surgical procedure, and possibly the grimmest. Written by Emily Bright Wednesday 12th August 2015 Submitted by: Jonny Wilkes A medieval surgeon performs a trepanning operation, c1350. It is a process whereby a hole is drilled in the skull, and, with evidence going back to prehistoric times, it is one of the oldest surgical practices in history. It may have had a practical effect – to relieve pressure on the skull after an injury – but it could have also been used to give a trapped demon a hole to escape, or was so believed. Many different civilizations, from the Romans and Chinese performed the procedure, using sharpened pieces of flint as a surgical tool. It was even used by the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas as part of their ancient rituals. The famous Greek physician Hippocrates wrote of this practice being used when someone’s head was indented or bruised.
Middle Ages for Kids: Black Death Plague History >> Middle Ages The Black Death is the name for a terrible disease that spread throughout Europe from 1347 to 1350. There was no cure for the disease and it was highly contagious. How did it start? The plague likely started in Asia and traveled westward along the Silk Road. The disease was carried by fleas that lived on rats. The Triumph of Death by Pieter Brueghel the Elder How bad was it? It's hard to imagine how scary life was in the Middle Ages during the Black Death. Unfortunately, the people in the Middle Ages didn't know that the disease was carried by rats. What did the people do? As you might expect, there was panic. The Bubonic Plague Today we call this disease the bubonic plague. Rebuilding After the Black Death Much of the infrastructure of Europe was gone when the Black Death finally subsided. Facts about the Black Death Many people thought that the Black Death was punishment from God. More subjects on the Middle Ages: Works Cited History >> Middle Ages for Kids
Medieval England Peasant life The lifestyle of peasants in Medieval England was extremely hard and harsh. Many worked as farmers in fields owned by the lords and their lives were controlled by the farming year. Certain jobs had to be done at certain times of the year. Their lives were harsh but there were few rebellions due to a harsh system of law and order. Ploughing - a vital farm job The peasants were at the bottom of the Feudal System and had to obey their local lord to whom they had sworn an oath of obedience on the Bible. The position of the peasant was made clear by Jean Froissart when he wrote: The one thing the peasant had to do in Medieval England was to pay out money in taxes or rent. Peasants also had to work for free on church land. The Domesday Book meant that the king knew how much tax you owed and you could not argue with this – hence why it brought ‘doom and gloom’ to people. After you had paid your taxes, you could keep what was left – which would not be a great deal. Peasants lived in cruck houses.
Medieval Witchcraft Facts and interesting information about Medieval Life,specifically, Medieval Witchcraft Medieval Witchcraft - White Witches, Wise Women and Cunning FolkDuring the early and middle Medieval era, up to the Renaissance period, the wisdom of the 'Wise women' or 'Cunning Folk' - the White Witches - were seen as helpful, if not invaluable, members of their communities. Their knowledge of the healing properties of various plants and herbs were often passed down through the generations. Medieval Witchcraft - Black WitchesThe White witches were clearly distinguished from the 'Black' witches. Medieval Witchcraft - the Hammer of WitchesWhat led to the hysteria surrounding Medieval witchcraft? Medieval Witchcraft - the Hammer of WitchesDuring the Medieval times people blamed unexplainable events as the work of witchcraft and witches. Medieval Witchcraft - Reasons for the Persecution of WitchesDuring the Medieval era men were all-powerful.
Diseases during the Middle Ages Diseases during the Middle Ages While wounds and injuries were the main reason medieval society sought the services of a doctor, these physicians also treated a variety of ailments and disease. Rough wool worn close to the skin by peasants led to numerous and widespread skin diseases. Winter was especially hard on medieval society, as cold, drafty dwellings led to numerous cases of deadly pneumonia. Mental illness was also widespread during the Middle Ages. Leprosy remained the most feared disease of the Middle Ages, until the Black Death, that is.
Witches and Witchcraft in the Middle Ages | Middle Ages Written by Simon Newman History - Middle Ages Witchcraft in the Middle Ages was a controversial crime that was equally punishable to poisoning. If one was accused of witchcraft, the charges could be dropped by a relative’s defense in a trial by combat, or by twelve people swearing an oath of the accused’s innocence. In the case of a relative defending the accused, the accuser was required to pay a fine. History In the 5th century AD, Christian theologian St. Conversely, St. In the 8th century, St. Anti-witchcraft laws began to rise in the 7th to 9th centuries. Before the 13th century witchcraft was known as a collection of practices and beliefs associated with healing. Witches and Witchcraft in the Middle Ages began to be considered as “demon-worship” by the beginning of 13th century. During this time St. The Inquisition, which was a movement by the Roman Catholic Church to seek out and expunge heretics, began in 1230. Magic Witchcraft in the Middle Ages was feared throughout Europe.
How did people treat disease in Medieval Britain? Tony Robinson on the top five superstitions that gripped medieval Britain Ancient Britons didn’t despatch people willy-nilly, but in times of crisis – if a whole community was rocked by plague, say – then they might decide to sacrifice somebody as a way of bartering with the gods. In some cases, a wicker pyre in the shape of a man would be stuffed with animals and even human offerings. We can trace this practice back to Celtic times. Malleus Maleficarum, a handbook explaining how to identify, capture and kill a witch, was first published in Germany in 1487 and then circulated around Europe, stoking hysteria about witchcraft. Changelings In medieval Britain, parents sometimes believed that their child had been taken away by the fairy people and substituted with a changeling. Possession For most of human history, people have believed that spirits can get inside you and take over your mind. Vampires ‘Tony Robinson’s Gods and Monsters’ is on Channel 4 on Saturday 26 November at 8.15pm