2. MIDDLE AGES
The fall of the Roman Empire was due to invasions from Germanic
tribes from the north of Europe in the fifth century.
This marks the beginning of the Middle Ages.
3. THE VISIGOTH KINGDOM
• One of these invading tribes, the Visigoths, settled in the
Iberian Peninsula.
• The Visigoths conquered the other German tribes and
founded a powerful kingdom with Toledo as its capital.
• The Visigoths adopted Latin as their language. They based
their laws on Roman law. They converted to Christianity and
declared it their official religion.
• Their major contribution to architecture was the horseshoe
arch.
Visigothchar4.png
Horseshoe arc
4. AL-ANDALUS
• The Visigoth Kingdom came to an end with the
Muslim invasion in 711 A.D.
• Muslims from northern Africa took just seven years
to conquer most of the Iberian Peninsula and the
Balearic Islands.
• They called this territory Al-Andalus and
made Cordoba the capital city.
6. AL-ANDALUS SOCIETY
• Al-Andalus society was made up of Muslims, Christians and Jews. Arabic
was the official language.
• Muslims were the most powerful group. They practiced Islam and
worshipped in mosques. They held positions in the government and
owned the best land.
• Christians and Jews paid a tax to the Muslim rulers, but they also played
important roles in society and culture.
muslim christian jew
7. AL ANDALUS SOCIETY
• It had great scientists, such as doctors, mathematicians and geographers.
Its mathematicians created the system of numbers we use today. (video)
Copernicus
Averroes
8. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
• Answer the questions.
- Which was the capital city in the
Visigoths Kingdom?
- When did the Muslim invasion take place?
- What was the official language in Al-Andalus?
- Who practiced Islam: christians, muslims or
jews?
- Where did they worship?
• Looking at the map…
- Which area is bigger, the Al-Andalus or the
Christian territory?
- Which territory are the Balearic Islands part of?
9. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS: RECONQUEST
• Christians in the north fought against the Muslims for over seven centuries.
• Eventually they unified into four large Christian kingdoms: the Crown of
Castile, the Crown of Aragon, the Kingdom of Portugal and the Kingdom of
Navarre. This period is known as the Christian Reconquest.
• In 1469, the marriage of the
Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of
Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon,
united both crowns.
• In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs
conquered the Muslim Kingdom
of Granada.
10. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS: SOCIETY
• Society in the Christian Kingdoms was organized as a feudal system.
• It consisted of three social groups: the noblemen, the clergy and the
peasants.
• The king gave land to the noblemen.
In exchange, they protected the king
and the land. Noblemen lived in castles.
11. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS: SOCIETY
• The clergy included bishops and monks.
• They carried out religious and cultural activities.
• Monks lived in monasteries.
monk bishop
12. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS: SOCIETY
• Most of the population were peasants.
• They worked the land.
• The majority were serfs. This means they served a nobleman, cultivating the
nobleman’s land and giving some of the crops to him.
peasant
13. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS: CITY LIFE
• Medieval cities had a castle, a cathedral or church, a city hall, palaces and a
marketplace.
• Cities were organized into neighbourhoods or districts. They were
surrounded by walls. City gates were closed at night.
• Many people were craftsmen, for example, carpenters, weavers* and
goldsmith*.
• Other people were traders or merchants.
Weavers: tejedores
Goldsmith: orfebres
14. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
• Write the names of the unified
Christian Kindoms.
• Who were the Catholic Monarchs and what did they do?
• Match.
I give lands to noblemen. Peasant
I live in a monastery. Nobleman
I cultivate land. King
I protect the king. Monk
15. ARCHITECTURE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
• Today we can still see examples of architecture from the Middle Ages. These include
example of al-Andalus, Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Al-Andalus architecture
The Muslims built beautiful buildings in
Al- Andalus.
They used materials such as clay, plaster
and wood.
They decorated walls and columns using
detailed carvings and tiles. Typical
architecture included horseshoe arches,
dome: cúpula rounded and pointed arches, domes, and
courtyard: patio courtyards with fountains and pools.
pool: estanque
16. ARCHITECTURE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
Romanesque architecture
This includes mainly churches, monasteries and cathedrals built between the 10th and
12th centuries. These buildings had thick, solid walls with a few small, narrow windows.
The buildings were dark inside. They had
rounded arches. Walls were decorated with
frescoes of religious life. Doorways and
cloisters were decorated with sculptures
depicting religious scenes or daily life.
Frescoes: pinturas murales
Doorways: entrada
Cloisters: claustros
To depict: representar
Click on
image
17. ARCHITECTURE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
Gothic architecture
This includes mainly churches, monasteries and cathedrals built in the 13th and
14th centuries. Buildings were tall with ribbed ceilings and pointed towers. Large
stained glass windows made their
interiors bright and colourful. They had
pointed arches.
Ribbed ceilings: bóvedas de crucería
Pointed: puntiagudo
Stained glass: vidrieras
Pointed arches: arcos apuntados
Click on
image
18. ARCHITECTURE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
San Martín de Frómista
the highest expression of Romanesque
architecture
León Cathedral
The greatest symbol of Gothic
architecture
19. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
• Write three differences between
Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals.
• Write Romanesque or Gothic.
It has got pointed arches. __________
It’s dark inside. ___________
It has got thick walls. __________
It has got stained glass windows. ____________
It has got sculptures inside. ______________
It has got ribbed ceilings. _______________
It has got a few windows. _______________
It has got rounded arches. _______________
