Terry Jones' Medieval LivesTerry Jones, actor, director, author and Python, approaches this most misrepresented and misunderstood' period in history through its principal characters. Accompanying a TV series, the book addresses and redresses many of the stereotypical images we have of the Middle Ages. Each chapter deals with a major character', opening with the medieval peasant, discussing his life and work, his status, village life in general, his relationship with the Church and the Peasants' Revolt. After famine and Black Death, Jones turns his attention to secular and royal minstrels and entertainers, as well as medieval romance and epic tales. From here to the outlaws, gangs and legendary figures of the period, to the monk, the development of monasteries and religious orders, the crusades and Church power. The rest of the books is filled with tales of philosophers, alchemists, magicians, fraudsters, innovators and doctors, chivalric knights, damsels and, ultimately, the king himself. Written in an accessible and colloquial style, this is a great read for anyone wanting to get a glimpse of real Medieval Lives . Full of colour photographs and illustrations, and Terry Jones dressed up in various garbs! |
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abbey abbot accused alchemists alchemy Anglo-Saxon archbishop of Canterbury armour army Bacon barons battle Bayeux tapestry became bishop Black Death Black Prince Bury St Edmunds castle Cathars Cathedral chivalry Christina Christine de Pisan chronicle Church Cistercians common Conquest course court courtly crown crusade damsels Duke Edward English Europe fact feudal fighting Folvilles fourteenth century France French Froissart Henry Herluin jongleur killed King of England king's kingdom kingship knights lady land Lanfranc Limoges living London lord manor Mappa Mundi meant Medieval England Middle Ages military minstrels monastery monastic monks noble Norman Opposite Orti outlaws Oxford peasants poem poetry pope religious Richard Richard II Robin Hood Roger royal rule seems sheriff shillings simply society song story things thirteenth century throne took tournament Tower town troubadour twelfth century University Press village villeins warriors Wharram Percy William woman women wrote Yorkshire