Medieval, Knights & Armor

The Medieval Era, also called the Middle Ages or Dark Ages came about as a result of the fall of the Roman Empire and the invasion of barbarians into the lands once ruled by Rome. It is a fascinating period, no doubt, and most people probably have a romantic image of it, being the era of chivalry, and brave knights in armor, kings and queens that lived in immense castles and gorgeous dresses and headwear for the ladies.

In reality, it was a time of brutality; slavery for many people who were not noble-born or members of religious orders. The castles had to be freezing cold in the winter and I'll bet those dresses made of vast amounts of heavy fabric were probably miserable to wear, and stunk in the heat of the summer. It was a time of the plague and all kinds of other human suffering, yet life still went on and was wonderful for many. The Polos traveled for decades from Venice through Europe and Asia, an astounding feat for the late 1200s. It was an extremely long historical period, in comparison to later eras, and has passed down to us absolutely exquisite art, music, and literature. I have volumes of materials from this era, and history books about it, too. Enjoy these awesome treasures!