Favorite part of medieval history?

[Derfasciti]

In november, I started re-playing MTW and VI in earnest in anticipation for the eventual M2TW that I would get for Christmas. And during the gaming I found myself really interested in Medieval history. It started with a small biography about Robert the Bruce and now I have a couple Medieval history books under my belt among a whole lot more which I only partially read. I am even thinking of making a future career out of this time period I find it so fascinating.

So, what's your favorite aspect of medieval history? This question is intentionally pretty broad. Is it a specific country, time period, the food, the culture, the wars? Details please. Why?

Personally, from my limited information only, I find the Crusades and the Hundred Years War pretty interesting and from what I know of medieval life(Western Europe at least) to be very sparse even for the rich but rich in a whole 'nother concept.

[Geoffrey S]

Taken broadly, I'd say the influence feudal obligations had on all relations between nobles and the people, and the effect the growing importance of urban centres had on that situation. In a specific case, Flanders in the late 13th and the first half of the 14th century is extremely interesting; the rebellion against the French king as feudal lord, and the eventual rise and decline of Van Artevelde.

[Innocentius]

Of course, those obvious things that changed Europe and world history (100 Years' War, Black Death, Crusades etc), but also on a more personal level. Life back then was pretty hard, and even the tale of the most incignificant peasant from the time would make a good book with a lot of dramatic actions within it. Overall, the medieval culture is very fascinating with its broad acceptance of violence and murder while the church preached about being a good christian (and making a lot of money in the process).

Most interesting sinlge person is Karl Knutsson Bonde I would say. King of Sweden no less than three times, and king of Norway for a short period.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

Crusades to the 3rd including Frederick Barbarossa.

[Ibn Munqidh]

The Crusades, 1-3

[Justiciar]

It's the 9th-13th centuries that do it for me. Interesting times.

[Innocentius]

I think we're missing something important here:

Details please. Why?

[Lorenzo_H]

I personally love the Reconquista and the early Rennaisance.

[Don Corleone]

I like hearing about the late dark ages/early middle ages, like the days of Austrasia/Neustrasia and such. Why? I consider myself to have at least a passing knowledge of history and I was always raised to think "the reason they're called the Dark Ages is because we know so little about them". Turns out, we actually know a lot. And many of the political and social institutions we assume hadn't been created existed in a somewhat different form, but were surprsingly sophisticated. To me, it's like finding "lost" history... It's also interesting how England, France and Germany have fought like cats and dogs over the centuries, but when you come right down to it, they're all from the same place.

Viking history is starting to really pique my interest as well, for many of the same reasons.

[The Wizard]

All of it. Back in the day I didn't like the West that much, and was much more interested in the East; but now I'm also interested in the Hundred Years' War (though not as much as the East), especially considering the quirky and sometimes awesome weaponry and equipment they used in it.

[Marquis of Roland]

You might like reading about the Eastern European medieval histories, they don't get as much media hype as the histories of medieval western Europe IMO and they're all very interesting.

[Thorn Is]

inquistion & papal politics

[Warluster]

My favourite bit of medieval hsitory is probaly 13th Century - 16th Century, these times went from Sword and Bow to Pike and Musket (name of a mod)
in 13th/14th century the battles were violent, hacking and slashing, 15th/16th century fighting was violent with blasting and poking.

[Innocentius]

My favourite bit of medieval hsitory is probaly 13th Century - 16th Century, these times went from Sword and Bow to Pike and Musket (name of a mod)
in 13th/14th century the battles were violent, hacking and slashing, 15th/16th century fighting was violent with blasting and poking.

Just wondering, what would be the point of peaceful battles?

[Blodrast]

Just wondering, what would be the point of peaceful battles?

Well, that's an easy one: think a certain variety of mud-wrestling...
(they obviously have a point, and violence is certainly not it)

[Veho Nex]

Ummm you know ive never read any thing about this or even heard of it but i think like a space of time when romans and British/french/german with their full armor suits and their long swords fought (just thought it might be cool) but favorite part of medieval history was the 100 year war

[Orb]

Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.Normans. Normans. Normans. Normans.

[Orb]

And Normans.

[Sarmatian]

What did you say, Orb? I didn't get it...

[Innocentius]

What did you say, Orb? I didn't get it...

Something about Norway...Didn't quite get it either.

[Sarmatian]

Something about Norway...Didn't quite get it either.

I really hope that he will repeat what he said... Otherwise we might never know...

[Csargo]

I really hope that he will repeat what he said... Otherwise we might never know...

True Dat.

[Orb]

I really hope that he will repeat what he said... Otherwise we might never know...

Normans. Normans. Normans. etc.


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