3.9.1
The role of monks and monasteries
An important feature of early Christianity was the role of monks, nuns and the communities in which they lived. A monk or nun was a person who chose to withdraw from society in order to live according to strict Christian principles. Communities were formed, with rules governing every aspect of their lives in order to ensure their obedience to God. These communities of monks lived in monasteries; nuns lived in convents. Many communities were built in isolated places, both for their protection and to free them from worldly distractions and influences. Some played important roles in the community. Many had schools attached to them. The monks were some of the only people who could read and write in these times and they passed this on to their young novices (see SOURCE2 ). Justice and law were dispensed by the abbot (the leader) in the towns that developed around the monasteries or convents. People gave money in the belief that this would please God. Sometimes people were forced to pay taxes to the religious community for the use of their land or to sell produce in the markets. This made some of them very rich and powerful.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. Refer to SOURCE2 . What can we learn about the role of education in medieval society from this illustration? 2. How does the illustration depict the relationship between the boy, his parents, and the monastic school? 3. What details in the image suggest the importance of monastic schools in the thirteenth century? Did you know? Religious life was the main way that a woman could gain more freedom in medieval society. A great example of this is Hildegard of Bingen. Born in the 12th century, she emerged as one of the most remarkable figures of the Middle Ages. As the leader of a Benedictine abbey in Germany, she showed talent in a range of areas: she composed religious music, advanced the study of medicine and natural science, and recorded her mystical visions through detailed illustrations as well as other areas. She influenced popes and monarchs during a time when women rarely held such authority. Hildegard’s
SOURCE2 A thirteenth-century illustration showing a boy being brought by his parents to a monastic school
diverse achievements in theology, medicine,
music and literature have established her as one of the medieval period’s most distinguished intellectuals.
TOPIC3 Medieval Europe 79
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