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Period: 500 to Dec 31, 1399
Middle Ages
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Jan 1, 1050
Harps
Harps are part of the string family and were usually played by waits, minstrels and troubadours. They are made of a triangular wooden frame, strings, sometimes have pedals, and are played with the fingers by plucking at the strings. -
Oct 14, 1066
Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings was on October 14 1066. William Duke of Normandy attempted and succeeded in beating the Saxon Army of King Harold. This victory allowed William Duke to conquer England and make dominated by Norman French instead of and Anglo Saxon society. -
Jan 1, 1096
The First Crusade
The First Crusade(1096-1099) started as a pilgrimage with German and France but ended in a military mission by the Roman Catholic Europe to regain the Holy Lands. Regaining the Holy Lands will result in the recapture of Jerusalem and free Eastern Christians from Muslim rule. -
Sep 16, 1098
Hildegard Von Bingen
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) also known as Saint Hildegard was an abbess, composer and writer. She wrote books on spirituality, medicine, health and nutrition and nature. Some of the music she composed were The Virtues and Ave, Maria. -
Jan 1, 1160
Perotin
Perotin(1160-1230) was a french composer of sacred polyphonic music. His life nor his identity was ever clearly established. However, he worked at the Notre-Dame and wrote four-part pieces. -
Jan 1, 1160
Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris(1160-1345) was a cathedral church in Paris, France. It was built on the ruins of two other churches that were dedicated to Jupiter. It is one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals and is known for its size, antiquity and architectural interest. Although it wasn’t constructed until 1160, the first version was thought of in 528. It is still used today for Sunday masses and is a tourist sight for its organ and five bells. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
Magna Carta(1215) was a document that King John of England was forced into signing to reduce his power over England. It forced the king to rule by the old English laws before the Normans came. This document was the basis for English citizen’s rights. -
Nov 23, 1221
Alfonso el Sabio
Alfonso el Sabio(1221-1284) also known as Alfonso X was the king of Castille Leon and Galicia, Spain. He was also a composer and some of his works seem to have moralistic intent and describe the deeds and glory of the Virgin Mary. Some of his works are Cantigas de Santa Maria, He who gladly serves, and Pero Cantigas de Loor. -
Jan 1, 1300
Guillarme de Machaut
Guillarme de Machaut(1300-1377) was a French poet and composer. He mainly composed music of the Ars Nova style and wrote about courtly love. Machaut was also one of the last great poets to think of lyrics and musical settings as one entity. He wrote of mainly polyphonic pieces. One of them being He can all too well compare my lady. -
Jan 1, 1300
Lute
Lute is a string instrument with a pear-shaped body. It usually had a bent neck and a fretted fingerboard. The strings are strung with right hand while the left moves along the fret board to create different pitches. Most similar to the lute today is the guitar. -
Jan 1, 1335
Francesco Landini
Landini(1335-1397) was an Italian composer who was blinded by smallpox at a young age. He was famed for his musical memory, skill in improvisation and his composition. Some instruments he excelled in were the organum, flute and the rebec. His songs were performed by voices, instruments or a mixture of both. They were characterized as elegant, clear, and had limpid texture. During his century, the Landini Cadence was made where the leading note was a sixth and went to the tonic. -
Jan 1, 1337
The Hundred Year's War
The Hundred Years’ War(1337-1453) was a war between England and France because the king of England claimed he was the rightful king of France. Thus leading them into a 116 year war that see-sawed back and forth until the French won. -
Jan 1, 1347
The Black Death
The Black Death(1347) killed more than 20 million people in Europe. It all started when 12 trading ships came to the Sicillian port of Messina from the Black Sea. More than half of the sailors were dead and the ones that were alive were fighting for their life. They were unable to keep food down and were in immense pain. They were also covered in mysterious black boils that oozed blood and puss. -
Jan 1, 1376
Oswald Von Wolkenstein
Oswald von Wolkenstein(1376/77-1445/55) was an Austrian poet and composer. Wolkenstein matched the full sophistication of contemporary French compostion. He used standard French composition as a starting point and then would add German text. In his compositions, Wolkenstein made each line self-contained followed by one of a new rhythmic construction. Some of his songs have more of a spoken quality to it. A few of his compositions are Wes mich mein buel, Es fuegt sich and O snöde werit. -
Jan 1, 1387
Canterbury Tales
Canterbury Tales(1387-1400) was written by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is a story of a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury. To kill time on their journey, each pilgrim is to tell two tales on their way there and two on the way back. -
Gregorian Chant
Gregorian Chant is music of the Roman Catholic church that is usually monophonic or unison. This is named after St. Gregory I. Some Gregorian chants include Kyrie chants, the Gloria, the Agnus Dei and the Alleluia. These chants vary from neumatic (patterns of one to four notes per syllable) and melismatic (unlimited notes per syllable). -
Charlemagne Crowned Roman Emporer
In 800 Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the Romans. He encouraged education and religious reform. Charlemagne was an inspiration for Napolean Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler. -
Guido d'Arrezo
Guido d’Arrezo(991/992-1033) was an Italian monk, music theorist as well as the inventor of modern musical notation. He used his notation to create a system that made using music easy to display harmony with the spiritual and humanistic worlds. D’Arrezo also came up with Solfeggio which are syllables used for scales -
Otto I - Holy Roman Empire
Otto I was crowned emporer of the Holy Roman Empire from 962-1806. He established this empire with strong royal authority. This empire lasted nearly a thousand years. The empire gave him power to rule over religion and government. -
Privilegium Ottonianum
Privilegium Ottonianum was a treaty made eleven days after Otto I was crowned as emporer of the Holy Roman Empire. It was made to regulate relations between emporer and Pope.
