8 CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MIDDLE AGES TO HUMANITY - HISTORY - 2026

Among the contributions of the Middle Ages to humanity, stand out the architecture, the construction of castles and fortifications, the development of trades, universities or inventions such as ink, the crossbow or the clock.

The Middle Ages is the period of history that could be established in Europe from the end of the 5th century (specifically from the year 476 with the disintegration of the Roman Empire) and ends in the 15th century with the arrival of Europeans on American territory.

However, there are some bibliographies that indicate the end of this stage in the year 1453 with the fall of the Byzantine Empire, which is the same date as the invention of the printing press and the end of the 100-year war.

Many were the inventions of that long period that could be considered contributions to Humanity, in different areas of human life.

Outstanding contributions from the Middle Ages

Architecture

In the area of ​​housing construction, both carpenters and masons followed their knowledge empirically. The strongest materials are used for the construction of the mansions of the bourgeois population.

These materials were stone and brick, which could guarantee to a greater extent, the survival of their homes in case of fire or due to the effect of humidity. Even in places where stone was scarce or very expensive, the bourgeoisie used this material for its construction.

Meanwhile, adobe and wood were used for the construction of the houses of the common people. In the latter case, the wood was cut while it was still green to facilitate the builders.

First, the frame or skeleton of the house was made and then the voids were filled. For the filling, branches, wet mud, straw, hair and cow dung were used, which the masons spread with their work tools.

Art

At this stage, the thickness of the walls of buildings for religious purposes decreased. For this reason, spaces began to be left for the incorporation of windows that allowed light to enter the interior of the buildings.

Stained glass windows began to be placed in these spaces that also filled them with color, giving birth to the art of Gothic stained glass.

To make these stained glass windows, the figure was first drawn on a parchment, cardboard or wood. Then the stained glass was cut following the pieces and the design. Finally, it was mounted on grooved lead listels.

The fun

Like most activities, entertainment and pastimes in the Middle Ages depended on the rank and social position of the people.

The upper class had hunting as a regular leisure activity, which, in addition to serving as a show, also served as training for war.

The minstrels were also the protagonists of the moments of fun for the common people and the manor, not only with their songs and the sound of musical instruments, but also performed circus activities and manipulation of puppets.

Chess, dice, backgammon and card games emerged as board games, which, together with the fairs where sack loading competition was held, were some of the activities enjoyed by the common people.

Science and Technology

It was during this period that there was a great invention of instruments that made life easier for people, both those who went to war and those who did not.

Among these instruments are: the compass, the firearms, the crossbow, the clock, the paper, the aqueducts and the armor.

Feeding

Due to the commercial exchange between the different continents that took place in that period, there were ingredients that became part of the essentials of the kitchen.

Pepper, nutmeg, saffron, mustard, cinnamon and cloves became the must-haves of European cuisine. Likewise, they were used by the pharmacists of the time to elaborate curative recipes.

Craft trades

As a result of the growth of cities in medieval times, the birth of new trades also emerged. Among these nascent trades was that of shoemaker and minstrel.

The former were in charge of the realization of footwear whose materials would also depend on the social position of the individual who requested it.

That of the bourgeoisie was in leather with gold or cloth cords. While the common people used boots or shod shoes. Sandals were used exclusively by the religious.

The job of the minstrels was to bring entertainment or information through art to the population.

In both cases, even though the church considered both offices as dishonorable, the first of them was not so criticized by the church for being part of those who held economic power.

Education

In the educational field, the Middle Ages gave birth during the 13th century to universities. These were created by the church with the idea of ​​conserving and transmitting knowledge, which is why they were under the control of Rome.

For this reason, even without being it, the students of the universities were considered religious clergymen.

The cathedral and monastic schools were also born where the church maintained exclusive control of the knowledge and transmission of science and culture.

This control that the church hierarchy exercised in teaching, caused the laity to move away from these teaching centers.

Ink and parchment

During the Middle Ages both ink and parchment began to be made in different ways.

These materials were essential for those who were in charge of handwriting the books or manuscripts that were used especially in the new-born universities, both by the teachers and by the students.

The ink was made by cooking different ingredients for several days, including iron sulfate and gum arabic, while the parchments were made from the skins of sheep and goats.

While the feathers with which they were written on, were taken from ducks, swans or crows

References

1. Encyclopedia History of Humanity. Volume 4, Middle Ages II. Ocean Editorial. 2005
2. History of Humanity. Cultural and scientific development.
3. Millennium Hispanic Encyclopedia. 2000
4. Base / 10 didactic consultant. Volume 5 History. Barsa International Publishers. 2000
5. Encyclopedia Temapedia. History I. Grupo Planeta. 2007.