Middle Ages RPG

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The Middle Ages covers the period from the 5th to the 15th century in Europe, beginning after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The main socio-economic system was feudalism, where society was divided into lords and vassals, and the main resource was land. The Church had a huge influence on all aspects of life, including education, culture and politics. Architecturally, this time is known for the construction of castles and Gothic cathedrals, which symbolized religious. There were frequent wars between European kingdoms, as well as Crusades to protect Christian holidays. Society was strictly stratified into nobles, clergy and peasants. Education and knowledge were preserved mostly in monasteries, where monks copied manuscripts. By the end of the Middle Ages, the growth of cities and trade had begun, setting the stage for the Renaissance. Knightly culture in the Middle Ages was an important part of European society, especially in the era of feudalism. Knights served as vassals of feudal lords and kings, receiving land and privileges for this. They followed a code of honor that included bravery, loyalty, protection of the weak, and justice. without the exception of military skills, individuals were considered carriers of ethical and moral values. Tournaments and competitions were popular among individuals where they demonstrated their skills. Knights also took part in the Crusades, protecting Christian lands from enemies. The upbringing of the face began from childhood, when the boy became a page and studied at the court of a feudal lord. Having reached maturity, he underwent the rite of initiation into the face, which was accompanied by a solemn ceremony. Chivalric culture had a great influence on the literature and art of that time, glorifying the ideals of chivalry in poems and legends. Knights became a symbol of courage and honor, which influenced European culture.

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In the Middle Ages, the attitude towards women was complex and varied depending on social status, region and time. In many cases, women were limited in their rights and opportunities, their role was often reduced to household chores and childbearing. However, this situation was not uniform, and women of different statuses and strata could have different rights and responsibilities. The main features of the position of women in the Middle Ages: Religious influence: Christianity had a strong influence on society. The Church has often promoted the idea that women are morally and physically weaker and therefore should be subservient to men. At the same time, there were holy women, such as the Virgin Mary, who were considered models of virtue. Role in society: Women were mostly engaged in housework, raising children, and taking care of the family. Aristocrats could manage estates in the absence of men, especially during wars. Legal Status: Legal regulations often restricted women. For example, in many places they did not have the right to property, and in matters of inheritance, preference was given to men. Married women were legally under the authority of men. Marriage and Family: Marriage was an important social and economic institution. Women, especially those of noble birth, often married for political or financial reasons, and rarely had the opportunity to choose their own husbands. Women Workers: In the lower social classes, women worked alongside men in the fields, crafts, or trades. However, their work was often not recognized on an equal footing with men's work. Education and intellectual life: Women had very limited access to education. The exception was women who entered monasteries, where they could study writing, theology and other sciences.

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In the Middle Ages, poor people, mostly peasants, lived in difficult conditions. They lived in simple houses made of wood and clay with thatched roofs, where it was usually cold and damp. Their main food was cereals, vegetables and occasionally fish or meat, and bread was the main product. Peasants worked on the land from morning to night, tilling fields or tending livestock, often without their own land, but doing work for the feudal lord. They paid taxes or performed duties for the use of land. Their clothes were coarse, made of linen or woolen fabrics, often worn and repeatedly patched. Education was almost out of reach for the poor and most of the peasants were illiterate. The life of a peasant was full of difficulties, including constant taxes, wars and epidemics. However, the community was important: peasants often helped each other, and the church was the center of their spiritual life. Despite the difficult conditions, they preserved traditions and customs that were passed down from generation to generation. Brothels existed in all major European cities. Although the Church did not approve of this, it tolerated it through gritted teeth, since the need for sex in men is always there and the ban on courtesans could lead to violence, extramarital affairs, debauchery with respectable and respected ladies in society or, God forbid , homosexuality. At the same time, priestesses of love occupied the lowest social rank, were obliged to dress in clothes of a certain color and cut and live in specially designated areas of the city for them. Also, they could not count on judicial protection and at least some respectful treatment in society.

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The art of the Middle Ages covered the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance and was closely related to religion. The architecture of this era is best known for its majestic cathedrals in the Gothic style, with tall spiers and stained glass windows. Mosaics and frescoes decorated the walls of churches and monasteries, depicting biblical scenes and the lives of saints. Icon painting also occupies a central place, especially in Byzantium, where icons were considered not only religious images, but also objects of worship. Book miniature became an important part of art, enriching manuscripts with detailed features. Medieval artists often remained anonymous, after which it was believed that their work should serve God and not personal glory. Sculpture also developed, in particular in the decoration of the facades of churches and chapels. The art of this period was symbolic and reflected a spiritual worldview, where earthly life was considered only a preparation for eternity. Most of the works were created for church use, emphasizing the importance of faith in universal life. Over time, medieval art became the basis for the development of Europe. Dissolving a marriage in the Middle Ages was very difficult. Only the church could give such permission, and even then in special cases. At the same time, sex was closely related to procreation. To do this for pleasure, in fact, did not belong to women. And female infertility or male impotence were the reason for legal proceedings and dissolution of marriage in the future. This was also used by men who wanted to leave their disgusted half. The one who wanted to divorce could declare himself impotent and then had to prove this fact in court.

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Condoms did not exist in those days, as you understand, and the problem of unwanted pregnancy was considered exclusively female. And although the use of contraceptives was categorically condemned by the church and married women resorted to them not so often due to high mortality, there were folk methods of contraception that women passed on to each other in the strictest secrecy. For example, to avoid pregnancy, women placed in their vaginas a piece of lemon, which disturbed the acidity and reduced the viability of spermatozoa. In the same way, a twisted lump of web was used. But since the reliability of these methods was not so high, ladies often turned to midwives for decoctions to abort an unwanted pregnancy. Usually for such purposes funds from the leaves and flowers of rue and lily roots were used. Historians have repeatedly found references to male homosexuality in the Middle Ages. There are practically no mentions of women. Same-sex love was considered a terrible sin that deserved appropriate punishment. One of the few medieval laws specifically directed against lesbianism is contained in the mid-thirteenth-century French treatise Li Livres de jostice et de plet ("The Book of Courts and Justice"). It stipulates punishment for female homosexuality on par with male: in the case of the first and second - physical mutilation, and for the third - burning. Women had to repent for three years for fornication with another woman. For onanism, men had to abstain from meat for four days, while the punishment for women lasted for a whole year. Ejaculation of semen into the mouth was a worse evil and required a lifetime of penance.

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In the Middle Ages, marriages were concluded mostly by arrangement and had nothing to do with love. However, such a romantic trend as "courtly love" appeared in literature, which celebrated the love of a knight for a married lady. In the Middle Ages, this literary concept was called "beautiful love." It arose from the poetry of the troubadours of the 11th century, who came from the French provinces of Aquitaine and Champagne. Their works glorified extramarital relations between knights and ladies. Adultery was encouraged only among aristocrats, knights were noble, and ladies were beautiful, and the illegality of secret meetings only fueled passion. This was considered true romance. Since sex was recognized exclusively as a means of procreation, and the pleasure from it was considered a sinful "side effect", the only suitable position was missionary. And if a woman made any sounds during sex, she was immediately considered promiscuous. The doggy-style pose equated people with animals and was categorically prohibited, and there was no question of oral or anal caresses at all. All this was a terrible sin. By the 13th century, the church slightly revised its views on conjugal intimacy and, with gritted teeth, allowed 4 more positions. They were listed in descending order (from the most to the least natural) in his treatise by the priest Albertus Magnus. These were the following positions: missionary, on the side, sitting, standing and from behind. The priest called all other positions except the missionary position "dubious", but "not mortally sinful".