HIST 223 Medieval Europe: History Illuminated

Historical artifacts from the Middle Ages. Vivid, colorful, and illuminating the past. Here we analyze objects, artifacts, monuments, relics, and material culture as a response to the numerous myths that circulate 'fake news' about the Middle Ages--from their belief in the flat earth (fake!) to the female lock-n-key chastity belts (fake!). In addition, this site will highlight medieval films in all their attempted history (for better or worse). Let's get medieval.

The "Vita Matildis" and its miniature miniatures

Donizo of Canossa, also known as Donize, was an Italian monk who became abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Sant'Apollo of Canossa in 1136. He was an avid writer and his most famous work was the Vita Mathildis (Life of Matilda), written between 1111 and 1115. It is divided into two books, the first concentrating on the ancestors of Matilda of Tuscany and their possession of the castle of Canossa, while the second focuses on Matilda (1046-1115) herself. She was a feudal ruler in Northern Italy. After being married twice, she became countess of Tuscany and owned a lot of land on either side of the Alps. She was a fierce supporter of Pope Gregory VII and the papacy against imperial claims. It was in her castle that King Henry IV, after walking bare-foot in the alps, sought forgiveness to Pope Gregory VII.
The Vita Mathildis is an important work concerning the Gregorian reform and the Investiture Controversy.
There are many many miniatures in the books. The latter are images, done by hand and with pigment, that show either religious figures or moments represented in the book. I will show two of these miniatures.
The first is the frontispiece, meaning that it is the illustration that is facing the book's title page. In the centre of the image is located Mathilda of Tuscany. She is seated and clearly the most important figure, as she is the biggest and is sitting on a massive throne. Furthermore, she is staring straight at the viewer, proving her strong stature. To her right is Donizo, offering her the Vita Mathildis, while to her left is a man with a sword, presumably a sort of body-guard.
Donizo is easily recognizable with his tonsure and brown cloak. Mathilda is dressed in the typical late-11th century fashion, namely a mantle over a gown with wide sleeves. Due to her richness, her mantle is purple and richly bordered with gold and gems. She has a high conical pileus (hat) on top of her veil and her shoes are made of golden leather. All in all, a pretty impressive sight!
The script at the bottom translates to " Resplendent Matilda, please accept this book, oh you dear one."

The second miniature is a scene between Matilda, Henry IV, and the Abbot Hugh of Cluny. This image emphasizes Mathilda's key role in the absolution of Henry IV at the castle of Canossa. Once again, Mathilda is sitting and her right hand is stretched outward. She is dressed in blue and gold, the same colours as the King. Her cloak is, once again, embroidered with gold and gems. Kneeling at her feet is Henry IV. He is depicted less important as the other two characters due to his smaller size. The abbot, dressed in his bright red robes and holding a stick in his left hand, is sitting down comfortably and pointing to Matilda. The script at the bottom translates to: " The King prays to the abbot, and pleads with Matilda".

Sources

Bennett, Judith M. Medieval Europe: A Short History. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011.

"Donizo." Wikipedia, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donizo.

"Donizone". Dressspace, 2011. http://www.dressspace.com/blog/2011/10/08/donizone/

"Matilda of Tuscany". Wikipedia, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_of_Tuscany

The Cuerdale Hoard- All Silver Everything

When one thinks of treasure, they mostly think of gold. But, when it comes to the Vikings’ treasure, it was all silver everything. Silver was used for currency for the Vikings. The Cuerdale Hoard was found in 1840. Workmen in the River Ribble stumbled upon it in the bank. It was all contained in a lead chest. It is believed to have been buried around 905-910, after the Vikings left Dublin. It contains coins, ingots (blocks of silver), amulets, chains, rings, brooches, and armlets. It is thought that this haul was most likely the wealth of many people, not just one.

Fragments of luxury items

One might wonder why they would bury all their wealth. The Vikings were probably in a time of discontent or unrest. The owner(s) most likely planned to retrieve it, but failed. All in all, the hoard contained more than 8,000 pieces of silver, weighing over 36 kg (about 80 pounds), a massive haul. For the most part, the coins found were from Viking England. But there were also other types of coins found in the haul, hinting at the extensive trading going on at that time, along with raids. Along with the jewelry, there were many pieces of silver that had been chopped up to be melted down or split for payments. Most of the hoard can now be found in the British Museum in London.

Sources:

"The Cuerdale Hoard." The Bristish Museum. http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/online_tours/europe/the_vikings/the_cuerdale_hoard.aspx

"The Cuerdale Hoard." 2011. http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/online_tours/europe/the_vikings/the_cuerdale_hoard.aspx

Lion in Springfield? Movie Thoughts from Dr. W

This Saturday marks a showing of The Lion in Winter (1968) at the Moxie in downtown Springfield. It’s free! Some films need more attention because they expressly relate historical events from the Middle Ages. The Lion in Winter centers around King Henry II of England and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. It takes place over one day, Christmas Eve 1183. Eleanor has been imprisoned by Henry II because of involvement with her son’s revolts, but is released for the celebration. The King of France arrives; there is much debate over whom the king’s concubine should marry.

Because The Lion in Winter was made in 1968, it really is THE medieval film watched by an earlier generation. Robert Ebert reviewed it in 1968, giving it 4/4 stars, and calling it “real.” He praised the way that the floors were dirt, and how Henry II kicked chickens when he walked by. With Katherine Hepburn and Peter O’toole, it was much watched, internalized, and rewatched in the 1970s and 1980s. There even was a TV remake of this 1968 film starring Glen Close in 2003. You should go to see the film—with these caveats:

1. The film was made in 1968. This means it reflects 1968 sensibilities perhaps more than medieval sensibilities. Some women were not even allowed to attend public university in 1968! Situation yourself in the filmmaker’s mind to try to understand how films frequently reflect the age/time period of the film rather than the period. One could even argue that Eleanor’s “angst” might reflect the gender wars of the 60s. I do like powerful women in movies—but how does Eleanor come off in the film? I expect you all will disagree here. She does seem a bit of scold, naggy, and loud though she has the best lines!!

2. The film was adapted from a play from 1966. This means the dialogue comes off as if the actors are actually in a theater. For this reason, you will probably either really like Katherine Hepburn, or find it is overdone.

3. “Unnatural. Sodomy. Adultery. Sexuality. Unnatural.” Violence. Yelling!!! For all the beauty of the film (such as Eleanor in a chair in a boat, and Henry and Eleanor at Chinon, France revealing the influence of England and France in the Angevin Empire), there is a lot of weirdness that is reflected in this film. “Weirdness”: I am using that word as it is presented in the film, not my opinion; the above quoted words can actually be heard in the trailer of the movie, take a look and listen below. Weirdness is a trait in many films about the Middle Ages. What I most deplore in medieval films is when the dysfunctional is invented for the audience’s pleasure. For instance, Eleanor taunts Henry by repeatedly saying that she slept with his father . . . which tears him up of course.

4. The colors. Take no. 3 and add in the browns, the dark. It’s the antithesis of the color that I have been suggesting made up the medieval world.

5. There really isn’t an attempt to “be medieval”—whatever that means (we are working on that!!). They speak as if they have psychological problems, accuse each other of incest, joke that Jesus won’t judge them for stealing candles. These are fierce people who hate more than love. It’s no wonder that people think love was absent in the Middle Ages, and that nobility were to be feared.

Therefore, the film is great for understanding power struggles, some aspects of familial dysfunction, and putting names to faces (for instance, John of Magna Carta fame). However, although it has medieval subjects who actually lived (versus animation in The Secret of Kells), the ambience, character studies, and focus on exoticisms of the Middle Ages means that the film is also a medievalism. It’s reconstructing the way you understand the past that may have less bearing on actual facts. This film has much to say about how we understand history based on films. So go, enjoy, but also see the complexity in how the film shapes our understanding to say: “Thank goodness I live in 2016, not 1183.” It does more to shape our projected image of the Middle Ages, rather than attempting to piece together an actual account of the Middle Ages based on history.

I'm looking forward to a Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie Lion in Winter--and a lot more medievalness--in a new installment of the play, or even a new epic because Eleanor is worth spending some time with (if we can just get her to stop looking like Katherine Hepburn in our minds).

Watch a Trailer here (P.S. to design this, click on link above)

Oseberg Ship: the finest Viking excavation, like, ever

Ship burials were an important part of death traditions in the Viking era. Ships were used as containers for both the dead and the grave goods that were given to the deceased. One of the best preserved burial site of the Viking era is the Oseberg ship. The site was near Tønsburg in Vestford Country, Norway and it is believed that the ship was built in 820 AD. It was placed in a trench and was moored to a huge stone so that it would stay in place.
The ship is a clinker built "karv" ship mostly made out of oak. It measures 21.5 m long and 5.10 wide, with a mass of 9 to 10 meters. It could reach a speed of up to 10 knots and had 15 pairs of oar holes.
Here were the contents found in the Oseberg:
Aft: objects related to food, farming production, cooking, and eating
Central area: skeletons of two females, one aged between 60 and 70 and the other between 50 and 55. It also contained personal belongings, textiles, treasures, food, and weaving equipment. The opulence of the goods suggests that it was a burial of high status.
Fore: contained ship equipment, a wagon (only preserved Viking wagon in the world), three sledges, fifteen horses, things associated with travel activities, and ox head and dogs.
The boat also contained various animal head sculptures with different attributes, symbolizing the need to keep evil away.
The ship and some of its contents are currently at the Viking Ship Museum in Bygdøy, Norway.

Oseberg ship

one of the sledges from the Oseberg ship

Sources

"Anglo-Saxon and Viking Ship Burial." Medievalnets, 2014. http://www.medievalists.net/2014/06/09/anglo-saxon-viking-ship-burial-british-museum/.

"Osberg Ship". Wikipedia, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseberg_Ship

Windows to God: The Hagia Sophia

Since culture is appropriated and expanded upon from one region to the next, when Emperor Justinian combined the common Roman church form of the oriented basilica with the dome structure recently developed in the Hagia Sophia, a new architectural style was created. This style of building was later named the Byzantium.

Inside of Hagia Sophia with Light

Deemed the Emperor’s “most important project,” the Hagia Sophia displays the time and energy invested in it (Gardner 134). Like most buildings from this time period, it was very plain on the outside. The inside though, was in and of itself a work of art. The walls were covered in mosaics and stones of white, yellow, and pink marble, and green porphyry. The key characteristic of this church was the dome built upon 40 windows. When the light streams in from those 40 windows and hits the stones, it not only illuminates the entire building, but it makes the dome seems to be built on light. This architectural design of the dome resting on windows makes it appear if it is suspended from air was created by distributing the weight of the dome into pendentives rather than into walls. This allows the sun to filter in and reflect off of all the surfaces available. The end result left the viewer in awestruck amazement.

The building was commissioned in 532 and finished in 537. The speed and work put into the church was an everlasting symbol of Justinian’s rule. The Hagia Sophia was, and continues to be, a great example of architectural engineering.

Split view of Hagia Sophia

http://ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr/en/history

Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner, Gardner's Art through the Ages: A Concise Western History. Boston:Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2014. Print.

The Book of Durrow: A Distant Cousin of the Book of Kells

The book of Durrow is a medieval illuminated manuscript created between the years 650 and 700. Much debate has been done over the actual date of the book. However, if written around the late seventh century, the Book of Durrow can be considered the earliest surviving fully decorated insular Gospel manuscript. Insular means the type of style that the book was written in. It originates from the Irish monasticism of Celtic Christianity and was mainly used to describe the decoration in an illuminated manuscript. Insular is the latin term for "island". The style is most famous for its highly dense and intricate decorations, combining spirals, different geometric forms, and animals. The text itself is written in an Irish majuscule script.
The traditional association of the Book of Durrow is with the monastery of Durrow, about six kilometres north of Tullamore in the Country of Offaly. However, some argue that it may come from a monastery in Northumbria in Northeastern England, or Iona Abbey in Western Scotland.
The text includes the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as well as prefatory work and canon fables. Each Gospel is prefaced by a page depicting the sign of the apostle, followed by a carpet page (a page of abstract decoration), which is turn followed by the decorated text. The man represents St. Matthew, the eagle is for St. Mark, the ox/calf symbolizes St. Luke, and finally the lion for St. John.
The book includes 248 vellum folios and the pages are 245 by 145 mm. It is closely associated with the Book of Kells and currently is located at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.