What was the Role of Monasteries?

What Was the Role of Monasteries?

Monasteries were a key part of the medieval English landscape. They were religious buildings based around a church but were not the same as regular parish churches, and they performed many other roles.

Monastic seclusion

Most monasteries were designed to be secluded places, away from the public, as a place for monks to worship and focus on God entirely, without the distractions of the outside world.
Although most lived secluded lives, some monasteries did send their monks into towns and cities to preach to the public.

Single sex institutions

Monasteries were single sex institutions. There were nunneries for women.
They were made up of monks, who were invested as part of the church, and laymen, who helped them run the monastery on a day to day basis.

Three promises

Monks made three promises when they joined the monastery:
- Poverty: They gave up all of their possessions and were provided with the same clothes to ensure equality. Monks focused on God instead of becoming rich.
- Chastity: They promised to have no type of sexual relationship so that they would focus on God and not become distracted.
- Obedience: They promised to do as the Church and their monastery dictated. There were strict rules they had to follow. For example, eating in silence and praying at least five times a day.

Other roles of the monastery

Monasteries performed many different roles as well as prayer and dedication to God.
They were centres of education, often taking in boys to teach them reading and writing.
They housed libraries and the monks copied out documents by hand. The printing press wasn't invented until 1440 in Germany.

Medical treatment

Monasteries were often the only place to get medical treatment and had many hospital buildings attached.
They knew the importance of clean running water, good food and rest for patients.
Monks performed basic medical treatments, but in reality, saw prayer as the best treatment (so they wouldn't attempt complicated procedures).

Importance for the economy

Monasteries were incredibly important for the economy too.
They were the biggest landowners in England, owning even more than the King.
They therefore produced a lot of goods for sale, particularly wool, provided jobs for peasants, rented out farmland and gathered tax for the King.

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.1.1Vikings & Anglo-Saxons

1.1.2Reasons for Viking Invasions

1.1.3Alfred the Great

1.1.4England's Revival

1.1.5Anglo-Saxon Towns

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.2.1Edward the Confessor's Death

1.2.2The Contenders

1.2.3Battle of Stamford Bridge

1.2.4Battle of Hastings

1.2.5Battle of Hastings Timeline

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Edward's Death to Hastings

1.2.7The Feudal System

1.2.8Castles

1.2.9The Domesday Book

1.2.10End of Topic Test - Feudal System & Domesday Book

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.3.1Origins of the Crusades

1.3.2Early Disputes Over the Holy Land

1.3.3The First Crusade

1.3.4Course of the Crusades

1.3.5Reasons for the Crusades

1.3.6Military Impact of the Crusades

1.3.7Scientific Impact of the Crusades

1.3.8Domestic Impact of the Crusades

1.3.9Christian Interpretation of the Crusades

1.3.10Muslim Interpretation of the Crusades

1.3.11End of Topic Test - The Crusades

1.3.12End of Topic Test - The Crusades 2

1.4King John

1.4.1King John

1.4.2King John's Power

1.4.3King John & the Church

1.4.4The Battle of Bouvines

1.4.5The Barons' Rebellion

1.4.6End of Topic Test - King John

1.4.7End of Topic Test - The Battle of Bouvines

1.4.8End of Topic Test - The BArons' Rebellion

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.5.1The Magna Carta

1.5.2Lasting Impact of the Magna Carta

1.5.3The Magna Carta & the Monarchy

1.5.4The Magna Carta & Democracy

1.5.5Contemporary Interpretations of King John

1.5.6Later Interpretations of King John

1.5.7Modern Interpretations of King John

1.5.8End of Topic Test - The Magna Carta

1.5.9End of Topic Test - Lasting Impact of Magna Carta

1.5.10End of Topic Test - Interpretations of King John

1.6The Black Death

1.6.1The Black Death

1.6.2The Impact of the Black Death

2Worldviews

2.1Time & History

2.1.1Measuring Time

2.2The Christian World

2.2.1Constantinople & the World in 1000

2.2.2Who was St Foy?

2.2.3The Significance of St Foy

2.3The Muslim World

2.3.1Location & Building of Baghdad

2.3.2House of Wisdom

2.3.3Development of Knowledge

2.3.4Madrasas

2.3.5Translating Knowledge & Key Scholars

2.3.6Science & Medicine

2.3.7What does Medieval Baghdad Reveal?

3The Empire of Mali

3.1Geography

3.1.1Geography of the Mali Empire

3.1.2Medieval West Africa

3.1.3Foundation of the Malian Empire

3.1.4Sunjata Keita

3.1.5Cities of the Mali Empire

3.2Key Figures

3.2.1Mansa Musa

3.3The Hajj to Mecca

3.3.1The Hajj to Mecca

3.3.2The Impact of the Hajj

3.3.3The Impact in Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

5.1The British Empire

5.1.1The British Empire

5.2North America

5.2.1Early Settlement

5.2.2Jamestown, Virginia

5.2.3The Pilgrim Fathers

5.2.4Native Americans

5.2.5Independence

5.3The Caribbean

5.3.1The Slave Trade

5.3.2Impact of the Slave Trade

5.4India

5.4.1The East India Company

5.4.2Expansion of the East India Company

5.4.3Bengal

5.4.4Significance of India

5.5Australia

5.5.1A Penal Colony

5.5.2The Native Population

5.6Africa

5.6.1Cape Colony

5.6.2Egypt

5.6.3West Africa

5.7The Outcomes of the British Empire

5.7.1Impacts of the British Empire

5.7.2The Brutality of Empire

5.7.3The Fall of the British Empire

5.7.4End of Topic Test - The British Empire 1

5.7.5End of Topic Test - The British Empire 2

6The Peasants' Revolt

6.1Causes of the Peasants' Revolt

6.1.1Why Did the Peasants Revolt?

6.1.2Poll Tax

6.1.3Black Death

6.1.4John of Gaunt

6.1.5Other Reasons for the Peasants' Revolt

6.1.6The Trigger for the Peasants' Revolt

6.2Course of the Revolt

6.2.1Rebellion Starts in Essex & Kent

6.2.2March to London

6.2.3Events in London

6.2.4Crushing the Revolt

6.2.5End of the Revolt

6.3Consequences of the Peasants Revolt

6.3.1Immediate Consequences

6.3.2Short Term Consequences

6.3.3Long Term Consequences

6.4Peasants' Revolt's Threat to Monarchy

6.4.1What is Monarchic Power?

6.4.2Was the Revolt a Threat to the King's Power?

6.4.3Was the Revolt a Threat to the Lords?

6.4.4Was the Revolt a Threat to the Feudal System?

7Religion in the Middle Ages

7.1Religion in the Middle Ages

7.1.1How Powerful was the Church?