Education in The

Medieval Era

Presented by
Rebecca Black and Amy Anderson
Imagine a time of
lords and ladies,
immense castles,
and brave knights.
 Imagine a era when land
owners worked diligently to
cultivate the fields and
knights served the Feudal
lord to protect the land.
Imagine a time
when the main
educational
agency was the
church where
divinely
sanctioned
teaching rested
on scripture and
doctrine. Fountains Abbey, England
Imagine a time when reality
was viewed as unchanging
and stable without regard to
working toward a better
future – a time when all
looked toward a better
future as promised by the
church.
Imagine yourself in
the medieval era

Ludlow Castle, England

 Medieval Times
 Religious values well defined

 Political, Social and Economic values-

fragmented

 Education managed and maintained by the

church
 Three Types of Educational
Institutions
Clergy Preparation
Chivalric Training
Craft and Vocational Education
Three leveled system corresponding to the
class structure – specific education for
cleric, knights, and craftsmen
 Serfs

The largest group of the population- a

permanently indentured agricultural
class remained largely unschooled
Learning occurred as the observed
their parents using the skills
needed to survive
 Church Related Schools
Access to education limited
Early in medieval era abbeys were
directed to provided some
education to “capable boys”
Male dominated
Directed at preparing priests and other
clerics

Mont-Saint Michel, France

 Church Related Schools
Four types of church related schools provided
basic or elementary education
– Parish
– Chantry
– Monastic
– Cathedral
 Parish Schools
 A congregation served by a priest
 Provided elementary education
– Religious rituals
– Music needed for the celebration of Mass
– Secondarily : reading, writing and music
 Chantry Schools
 Supported by an endowment
 Trained boys in Latin so that they could
chant the responses needed in celebrating
the liturgy
 Monastic Schools
 Trained monks either as priests or brothers
– Church doctrine
– Community regula
– Reading, Latin, simple arithmetic,
and religious doctrine
– Monasteries were literary, artistic
and intellectual centers
 Nunneries/ Convents
 Religious and educational formation for
future nuns
 Usually beginning around the age of 7
 Some girls returned to the secular world
after completing their studies
– Latin, singing, religious doctrine, embroidery,
spinning and weaving, painting
 Cathedral Schools
 Result of the decline of monastic schools
stimulated by the revival of the cities
 Required of each Bishop’s church to
maintain a school to educate priests, clerics
and the poor
 Offered both elementary and secondary
education
 General or liberal studies
 Occasionally reading and writing in Latin
 Castles
Medieval Places of Learning
Monasteries & Priories
Cathedrals & Ministers
Parish Churches
Other

www.pitt.edu/~medart/
 Chivalric Education
 Early
– Between the ages of 7 and 15
– Serve at the court of his father’s lord
– Practiced manners and gestures of court life
– Learned how to be a gentleman
– Sing and play a musical instrument
-maybe learned to read and write a
vernacular language
 Chivalric Education
 Squire
– Age 14 – 21
– Served as an attendant for the lord of the castle
or one of the knights of the court
– Professional skills of knighthood
Hunting, warfare, care of armor, arms and horse
- Cultural Aspects of knighthood
singing, recitation, composing verse, exaggerated
politeness, dancing, story telling, chivalric
symbols, coats of arms
 Chivalric Education
 Knighthood
–Age 21
–Inducted by an overlord and church
officials
-Dedicated to serving his lords
Vocational and Craftsman Education
 Not formal schools but well defined
– Apprentice
– Journeyman
– Master Craftsman

Role of the Master Apprentice

teach trade
look after morals/religion
provide food, lodging and
a small stipend
Maybe teach reading and writing
work diligently
keep craft secrets
obedient to the Master
Medieval Universities

 Historical Setting

– Social

– Political
 Medieval Universities

 Organization

– Student Centered vs. Faculty Centered

– At first, no permanent campus

 Medieval Universities

 Curriculum

– Specialties

– Degrees

– Educational Philosophies
 Medieval Universities

 Links to Modern Times

– Similarities

– Differences
 The Renaissance

 Transition from medieval to modern

 Revival of commerce and city life
 Decline of the Roman Catholic Church
 Shift in education mirrors political shift
 The Renaissance and Education

 Humanistic Educational Philosophy aimed at

producing the well-rounded, liberally
educated person
– Classical Greek and Latin literatures led to a
cultured person
– Style of writing could lead to elegance of style
and expression
 The Renaissance and Education

Women’s Education
– Women of upper socioeconomic classes
enjoyed more educational advantages
 Provided by convent schools, tutors, or classical
humanist court schools
– Upper class families employed resident tutors
 Instruction provided to both boys and girls
– Large numbers of women remained uneducated
 References
 About.com. History of the medieval child.
Accessed 11 September 2006. Available from
http://historymedren.about.com/library/weekly/aa0
33001b.htm
 References
 California State University at Pomona. The
Educational Legacy of Medieval and Renaissance
Traditions. Database online. Accessed 11
September 2006. Available from
http://www.csupomona.edu/~plin/ls201/medren
ais_home.html.

 Cambridge University. Speaking Volumes: The

Medieval Library. Accessed 11 September 2006.
Available from
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/exhibitions/volumes/
medieval.html.
 References
 Cambridge University. A Brief History: The
Medieval University. Accessed 11 September
2006. Available from
http://www.cam.ac.uk/cambuniv/pubs/history/
medieval.html.

 Education of medieval women. Accessed 11

September 2006. Available from
http://www.csupomona.edu/!plin/ls201/medieval3.h
tml
 References
 Dartford Town Archive. Educational provision in
medieval Dartford. Accessed 11 September 2006.
Available from
http://www.darfordarchive.org.uk/medieval/
education.shtml

 Gutek, G.L. (1995). A history of the western

educational experience. Prospect Heights, Illinois.
 References

 Medieval-Life.net. (2000). Medieval education.

Accessed 11 September 2006. Available from
http://www.medieval-life.net/education.htm

 Ross, D. & Britain Express.com. Medieval schools

and universities. Access 11 September 2006.
Available from
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Medieval_
Schools_and_Universities.htm
 References
 Sullivan, Eugene. An Academic Costume Code
and An Academic Ceremony Guide. Accessed 11
September 2006. Available from
http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Secti
on=Frequently_Asked_Questions3&Template=/
CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8086#Histori
cal.

 Trueman,C. Medieval Education. Accessed 11

Septemeber 2006. Available from
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval_edu
cation.htm
 Music Credits
The ensemble of old church music
"Sreteniye". Ancient church singing of
Bysantine, Georgia and Rus

 English Renaissance Music by La

Primavera. Published by Magnatune