MIDDLE AGES

The Middle Ages

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The Middle Ages lasted for nearly 1.000 years. It began after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD and ended in 1492 with the discovery of America.

Two civilizations coexisted in Spain:

- Christian civilization

- Islamic civilization



Christianity

In this period, Christians were organized into 3 groups:

Knights, nobles and feudal lords	The clergy: bishops, priests and monks	The peasants (most of the people)
They lived in castles surrounded by walls.	They lived in monasteries.	They lived in villages in small houses.
They defended their territory with armies of knights and soldiers.	They prayed, worked in the orchards and copied old books by hand.	They worked the land and raised the livestock from the lords, the clergy and the king in exchange of protection.

   

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Islam

 A caliph governed.

They were excellent astronomers, mathematicians and doctors.

They build:

§  Mosques, for praying. (Córdoba)

§  Fortresses (Trujillo, Cáceres)

§  Alcazabas, walled forts. (Málaga)

§  Souks, marketplaces. (Marrakech)

They introduced in Spain:

§  Inventions like gunpowder and compass.

§  New crops such as oranges and rice.

Castles

They were built in hills and surrounded by deep moat filled with water.

Walls were made of thick stone.

Soldiers guard the castle from towers.

There were stables for horses, a blacksmith’s, a well for water and warehouses to store food.

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