WEBSITES ON THE MIDDLE AGES/MEDIEVAL
FOR TEACHERS
Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection. Open the underlined address (URL). Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer. Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the “Back” button
All of the sites listed
were active as of
http://www.suelebeau.com/medievaltimes.htm
A page of links to topics on the medieval period. Sections: About Medieval Times, About Castles, About Knights and Jousts. For elementary students. Excellent
ANTHOLOGY OF MIDDLE
ENGLISH LITERATURE
http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/
Information, biographies, quotes and excerpts from the works of middle English authors. Includes: Geoffrey Chaucer, John Gower, Sir Gawain, William Langland, Julian of Norwich, Margery Rempe, Sir Thomas Malory, Everyman, Medieval Plays, Medieval Lyrics, Essays & Articles and extensive Links. Excellent
A long, colorful and
thorough examination of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the enormous changes
it was to bring about in
THE
Thumbnail images of
the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts events leading to the Battle of Hasting in
1066. Includes the Old English and
Modern English description, the history of the Tapestry and Highlights. Excellent
http://www.camelotintl.com/village/street.html
Click on one of the
people in the village street scene to learn more about them, i.e. women, crime,
entertainment, trader, etc. Sections: Famous
Britons, “British” Battles, British Castles, Counties, Historic Houses, Camelot
Legend, Medieval Life, Myths & Legends, Historic Places, Romans, Rulers of
Britain, Tower of London, Royal Palace and more. Some sections have multimedia. Excellent
CASTLES – 42EXPLORE
http://www.42explore2.com/castle.htm
Basic information on castles with webquests and activities. For elementary students. Excellent
CASTLES OF
http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle6.htm
Extensive
information on castles and life in them.
Sections include: About Castles, Bathing & Washing, Bird’s Eye
Views, Building a Castle, Building Materials, Castle Defenses, Medieval Siege,
Medieval Women, Drawbridges, Privy, and much, much more. Excellent
DOMINION
http://library.thinkquest.org/12834/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=1126
A student-created
site that looks at the lives of medieval women.
Sections: The Inquisition (a quiz), Visit the City (take a tour to
examine the roles of medieval women), Biographies, Sister Cities (links), and
Miscellany. Excellent
ENTER THE MIDDLE AGES
http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/history/middleages/
Journey to the
Middle Ages with four guides. Sections: The
Knight’s Realm, The Nun’s Realm, The Merchants Realm and the Peasants
Realm. Each section discusses their role
in society, their daily lives and more.
Excellent
EYEWITNESS TO THE MIDDLE AGES
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/mefrm.htm
First person
accounts of important events in history.
Sections: Invasion of
GODECOOKERY.COM
A huge site on food
and cooking in medieval times. Sections
include: A Boke of Gode Cookery; A Chaucerian Cookery; An Elizabethan Dinner
Conversation; A Feast for the Eyes; A Word from the Cook; The Cockentrice – A Ryal
Mete (check this out!), Coqz Heaumez – A Helmeted Cock (similar); Byzantine
Recipes and much more. Note: There is
more than food featured on this site.
Check it out. Excellent
INTERNET MEDIEVAL SOURCEBOOK
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html
A massive resource
on medieval studies, meant to be used by teachers and students. Outstanding.
Excellent
JOAN OF ARC: GIRL WARRIOR
http://www.click2history.com/joanof_arc/joanof_arc_ch1.htm
The story of Joan of
Arc, the French visionary who led the French army against the English, only to
be captured and executed. Sections:
Story Preface, Who Was Joan of Arc?, War During Joan’s Childhood, War Affects
Joan’s Family, Who Should be King?,
THE LITTLEST KNIGHT
http://www.pacificnet.net/~cmoore/lk/index.htm
A delightful online
children’s story about a blacksmith who was very small but who dreamed big,
fought the dragon and won the princess.
There is even a moral. Excellent
for primary students. Excellent
THE MAGNA CARTA: SOURCE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
http://www.click2history.com/magna_carta/magna_carta_ch1.htm
An explanation of
the importance of the Magna Carta in establishing the legal rights of an
individual. Sections: Story Preface;
What is the Magna Carta?; The Source of Trouble; Cross Purposes at Runnymede;
The Pope Responds; The Barons Prevail; Britain’s Statute Number One; What
Happened to John?; and Used & Recommended Sources. Excellent
THE MEDIEVAL CASTLE
http://library.thinkquest.org/C001514/inglese/home.html
A site by
students for students in which they travel back in time and tour a medieval
city. “We
are in an unspecified European city of average dimensions, pointed out on the
sea, obviously in full Middle Ages. Peasants and traders reside there, but also
a gentleman living in a castle. We find there a small army, ready to grow in
case of need, and some traveller residing there for a single night. We will
also have the occasion to walk round the market, to assist to a tournament, to
have a look at the rooms of the castle, discovering information and in search
of oddities and curiosities that we will define " Travel's notes ".
In short, we are going to try not to be only a history book, but an occasion to
experience an interesting historical period.”
Excellent
MEDIEVAL
http://worldhistory.mrdonn.org/middleages.html
Extensive links to topics on the period. Sections: Celts Daily Life, Christianity/Church, Vikings, Crusades, Medieval Life, Castle Life, Monk Life, Knight Life, Feudalism, Warfare, Magna Carta/Law, Plague/Black Death, Art/Architecture, Music/Food/Faires, Famous People, Other Barbarians, More Units/Lessons, Webquests, Worksheets, Arthur/Robin Hood, Literature/Folk Tales, Geography, Free Medieval Clip Art, Additional Resources, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire, Ghana/Mali/Songhai, Feudal Japan, Incas/Mayas/Aztecs, and Chinese Dynasties. Excellent
MEDIEVAL SIEGE –
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/
Companion site for
the Nova program Medieval Siege in which a crew successfully designed
built and fired a pair of trebuchets, engines of war popular in the Middle
Ages. Sections: Nova Builds a Trebuchet
(slide show), Medieval Arms Race, Life in a Castle, and Destroy the Castle (Hot
Science) which is a game you can play.
Build your own trebuchet online and try to destroy the castle. Excellent
MEDIEVAL TIMES – 42EXPLORE
http://www.42explore2.com/medieval.htm
Basic information on the medieval period for elementary students with
activities and webquests. Excellent
MEDIEVAL WOMEN – AN INTERACTIVE
EXPLORATION
http://mw.mcmaster.ca/home.html
Follow Christine in her exploration of the medieval world. Visit the
Nunnery, the World, the Scriptorium, and a Timeline. Use the Site Map for an overview. Needs RealPlayer. Excellent
MERLIN’S CASTLE –
ATTACK THE CASTLE
http://www.rain.org/~philfear/castle.html
Pages to print out with directions to build a paper castle as well as soldiers and Merlin and Fata Morgana as they battle for control of the castle. Don’t forget to Download a Dragon to make also. Excellent
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/index.asp
Look here for the
online exhibits from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Whats_New.asp
In-depth educational
resources for students. Sections on the
medieval period: The Unicorn Tapestries, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo…, The
Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki, and the Studiolo from the
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/splash.htm
“The Timeline of
Art History is a chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration
of the history of art from around the world, as illustrated especially by the
Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection” Includes both artworks and
decorative objects including showing students medieval history around the
world. Excellent
THE MIDDLE AGES
A gateway site with links to information on the period. Sections: Famous Medieval People, Middle Ages Art & Lifestyle, Middle Ages Weapons & Warfare, Middle Ages Literature and Other Resources. Excellent
MIDDLE AGES
http://killeenroos.com/link/midren.htm
A huge list of links to resources for the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Note: The samples we tested all worked. Excellent
MIDDLE AGES BY HISTORYLINK 101
http://www.historylink101.com/midieval.htm
Your connection “to the best of Art, Biographies, Daily Life, Maps, Pictures and Research on the Middle Ages.” Sections: Art, Daily Life, Pictures, Maps, Research, and Biographies. Plus lessons on Middle Ages Art and Architecture. Excellent
MIDDLE AGES CLASSROOM CLIPART
http://classroomclipart.com/cgi-bin/kids/imageFolio.cgi?direct=History/Middle_Ages
Excellent clipart
for students. Topics: Castles, Costumes,
Crusades, Feudalism, Food & Cookery, Games, Guilds & Trades, Hunting,
Transportation, Inquisition, Knights, Religion, and War & Armies. Excellent
(Note: This site is one to keep bookmarked)
MIDDLE AGES: HISTORY
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/history/history.htm
Basic information
for upper elementary students on the Middles Ages. Sections: Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages
and Late Middle Ages. Excellent
NETSURF: THE INTERNET CONNECTION FOR MEDIEVAL
RESOURCES
A search engine for
a huge amount of information on the Middle Ages from daily life, people,
literature, architecture, religion, science, drama, law and more. Check out the Medieval News for recent
events. Excellent
ODIN’S
A huge site with information
on history from ancient times to today.
Way too much to detail here.
Check out The Keep, The Great Hall, The King’s Chambers, The Monk’s
Cell, The Herbarium, The Bastion, and more.
Outstanding. Excellent
THE ONLINE REFERENCE
BOOK FOR MEDIEVAL STUDIES
“The
THE TOME – THE
A gateway site to a
wealth of information on the medieval period.
From Archery to Warfare and much, much more. Excellent
TOUR THE
http://www.hillside.co.uk/tour/
A detailed photo
tour of the ancient city of
WILLIAM WALLACE “BRAVEHEART”
http://www.click2history.com/braveheart/braveheart_ch1.htm
An account of the
rebellion of
Story Preface, The
Makings of a Hero?, Who Should be King?, A Hero Emerges, The Two-Handed Sword
Gets Busy, Wallace the Leader, Victory at Sterling Bridge, Wallace the
“Outlaw”, Defeat at Falkirk, Wallace Betrayed, A Trial Without Justice,
Barbarous Sentence, Execution, Robert the Bruce Achieves the Dream, What
Happened to the Others?, More Links About the Story, and Used & Recommended
Sources. Excellent
3D PHOTOS OF CASTLES
http://www.3dphoto.net/stereo/world/topics/castles/castles.html
Photos in 2D and 3D of castles and fortresses in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, San Marino, Italy, Estonia, Austria, Slovakia and the Bahamas. Includes directions on how to view the 3D photos for the best effect. Note: 3D images take a few seconds to load. Very Good
http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHmedieval.html
A huge collection of images of medieval art. Sections: Middle Ages: General; Early
Christian; Byzantine; Islamic; Early Medieval; Romanesque; Gothic; Late Gothic
Art in
BEOWULF TEACHER RESOURCES
http://www.leasttern.com/beowulf/bteacher.htm
Resources for teachers teaching Beowulf. Includes: Bibliography, Available Texts, Lesson Plans, Reading Questions, Essays Available Online, Other Resources, E-texts, E-books and more. Includes a link to student resources. Very Good
THE CRUSADES – A VIEW FROM
http://www.acsamman.edu.jo/~ms/crusades/
A look at the
Crusades from a 6th grade class in
DECAMERON
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/dweb.shtml
A wealth of material
dedicated to Bocaccio’s masterpiece, The Decameron. For high school or college level
students. An examination in detail of
the work and different versions of the text.
Very Good
THE DOMESDAY BOOK
http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/
Commissioned by
William the Conqueror in 1085, the Domesday Book gave a detailed account of the
lands owned by the king and his tenants and of their resources. Sections: The Domesday Book (the list of
settlements), The Domesday Story, Timeline, Landowners, Place Name Origins,
William the Conqueror, and a Glossary.
Very Good
DRAMA OF THE MIDDLE AGES
http://www.theatredatabase.com/medieval/medieval_theatre_001.html
An article on the
forms of drama in the Middle Ages.
Sections: Ancient Theatre, Medieval Theatre, 16th Century
Theatre, 17th Century Theatre, 18th Century Theatre, 19th
Century Theatre, and 20th Century Theatre. Excellent links. Very Good
HISTORIC TALE CONSTRUCTION
http://www.adgame-wonderland.de/type/bayeux.php
Based on the
THE ILLUMINATED MIDDLE AGES
http://www.moyenageenlumiere.com/themes/index.cfm?sw=EN
“The
Illuminated Middle Ages database presents several hundred recently digitized
illuminated texts from French national library collections. While the full
collection, in even higher resolution, is available for purchase on
JOAN OF ARC ARCHIVE
http://archive.joan-of-arc.org/
Extensive
information on this French girl who led the armies of
JOAN OF
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/musee.jeannedarc/indexanglais.htm
Website of the Joan
of
Enter this castle
through the drawbridge to see the various parts of the castle and what life was
like there. Each section has additional
activities or information. Very Good
KING ARTHUR: A
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/4186/Arthur/htmlpages/kingarthur.html
“The story of Arthur is old.
People have been singing war songs in his honor for probably more than 1,500
years. The popular conception is of a King Arthur, with his lovely queen and
noble knights, and the Round Table, and Excalibur, and the Holy Grail, and all
the other trappings. The scholarly conception of Arthur is of a war leader in
post-Roman
KNIGHT COSTUME
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/hall-knight2.html
Instructions and
supply list for making a knight’s costume and shield. Very Good
KNIGHT QUEST
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002767/
A site for
students by students on knights and their lives. “In our website we plan to
tell you about such things as what knights did long ago, their armor parts,
their way of life, dragons, castles, and weapons. We thought the best way was to send you on a quest to be a knight
Follow the spinning sword and it will lead the way!” Sections: Knights, Armor
Info, Armor Chart, Castles, Dragons, Jokes,
Pre-Page Test, Page’s Test, Squire’s Test, Knight’s Test, Final Test,
Certificate, Knight’s List, and References.
Very Good
KNIGHTS
http://www.knightsandarmor.com/
Information for
students on knights and armor. Sections:
History of Knights, Armor, Weapons, Life of a Knight, Crusades, Chivalry,
Heraldry, and Links. Very Good
LEGENDS
Information on legends that have endured and inspired. Includes links to primary documents, articles and more. Sections: Robin Hood, King Arthur, Beowulf, Pirates & Privateers, Ballads & Broadsides, Swashbucklers & Fops, Fairy Tales, Shakespeare’s Stories, Saga & Sea-Kings, Paladins & Princes, Poets & Painters and Erin & Alba. Note: There are reference to the Middle Ages in every section. For grades 7 and up. Very Good
MARRIAGE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES
http://www.medieval-weddings.net/
Detailed information
on marriage and weddings during the Middle Ages. Sections: Wedding Traditions, Marriage Laws
Marriage Customs, Castle Ceremonies, Country Weddings, Castle Feasts, Medieval
Clothing, Bridal Jewelry, Beauty Treatments, Bridal Gifts, Cakes, Bridal
Dresses, Bridal Flowers, Courtly Love and Knights & Chivalry. Very Good
MEDIEVAL
http://www.learnhistory.org.uk/medieval/
Links to a large number of topics on the medieval period. Very Good
MEDIEVAL
http://library.byu.edu/~rdh/eurodocs/medren.html
Online versions of a
large number of medieval and Renaissance historical documents. Examples: Capitulary of Charlemagne, The
Ordinance of Louis the Pious, Catalonian Manuscripts, The Life of
MEDIEVAL
http://www.snowcrest.net/jmike/medieval.html
Links for students and teachers on medieval history. Very Good
MEDIEVAL CRUSADES
http://www.medievalcrusades.com/
Detailed information
on the Crusades. Sections: The Crusades
Begin, Kings of Jerusalem, Foes of the Crusaders, State of Antioch, State of
Tripoli, State of Edessa, Coinage, and Links.
Very Good
MEDIEVAL
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Year%207.htm
Links for elementary students and up on medieval
MEDIEVAL ENGLISH TOWNS
http://www.trytel.com/~tristan/towns/towns.html
“The
aim of the Medieval English Towns site is to provide historical information
about cities and towns in England East Anglia
MEDIEVAL FIEFDOM
http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/index.html
A site by students for students on Medieval life. Choose your graphics level to view more of the site. Includes: Fortifications, War and Buildings and Society, People and Their Way of Life. Very Good
MEDIEVAL HISTORY STARTER
http://historymedren.about.com/library/weekly/aastarterquiz.htm
A 20 question quiz about the Middle Ages from its beginnings to the end of the period. Note: Use the many links on this site as a starting point for research. Very Good
MEDIEVAL
A fairly extensive site on medieval life. Sections:
Life, History, Famines, Food, Health, Literature, Chivalry and
Romance. Most sections have several
sub-sections. Excellent for student
research grades 3 and up. Very Good
MEDIEVAL
LINKS FOR TEACHERS`
http://www.mtlakes.org/ww/tech/webtools/med.htm
Links for teachers to use
in teaching about the medieval period.
Note: We found a couple of broken links.
Good
MEDIEVAL/RENAISSANCE
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/food.html
A page of links to
all kinds of information about food in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Includes Primary Sources, Articles, Recipes
and more. Very Good
MEDIEVAL QUEST
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002390/index.html
A site for students by students
in grades 4-5 on the medieval period. “Join Tiamat, our dragon guide, on
a fantastic journey into the past...
Tiamat will whisk you around the fascinating world of Medieval Times. You can design coats of arms, learn how to cook a Medieval meal, and learn about unimaginable things from the past. You will see kings and queens in their finery, knights coated with silver, and flags flying above castles. We hope you enjoy our site. Welcome to Magnificent Medieval Times!” Sections: Lifestyle, Castles, Knights, Heraldry, Myths and Activities. The Activities include a quiz, a crossword puzzle and a design your own shield activity. Very Good
MEDIEVAL TECHNOLOGY PAGES
http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Technology.html
Information on
medieval technology. Includes a subject
index and a timeline. Examples: Artesian
Wells, Cannons, Grindstones, Iron Working, Horse Shoes, Mirrors, Paper, Rat
Traps, Tidal Mills, Wine Press and much more.
Includes some drawings and references.
Very Good
MEDIEVAL TIMES, CASTLES
http://schoolweb.missouri.edu/smithville.k12.mo.us/uptegrove/medievaltimes.html
A page of links to topics on the medieval period. Suitable for elementary students. Very Good
MEDIEVAL TIMES INTERNET SITES FOR GRADE 4
http://www3.sympatico.ca/ferndale/Medieval.htm
Links for medieval research for 4th grade students. There are 10 sections, each with a leading question and a link to find the answer. Note: We found a broken link on this site. Very Good
THE MIDDLE AGES
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/
Information on the
realities of life in the Middle Ages from PBS.
Sections: Feudal Life, Religion, Homes, Clothing, Health, Arts &
Entertainment, and Town Life. Very Good
THE MIDDLE AGES
http://www.byu.edu/ipt/projects/middleages/
Resources on the
Middle Ages for history students. Check
out the Index of Materials on the Middle Ages and the Other Web Sites
sections. Ignore the rest. Very Good
THE MIDDLE AGES, CHIVALRY
http://www.teacheroz.com/Middle_Ages.htm
A huge site with links to information on a wide range of topics. Note: We found some broken links in the many
on this site. Very Good
THE MIDDLE AGES FOR
http://www.kathimitchell.com/middleages.htm
An extensive list of links by category for students. Very Good
MIDDLE AGES LINKS
http://www.trumbull.k12.oh.us/teachers/resources/Themes/middle%20ages.htm
A page of links to websites, lesson plans and webquests on the Middle
Ages. Very Good
THE MIDDLE AGES TRUST
http://members.aol.com/tmatrust/websites.html
A gateway site to
lots of links to sites dealing with the Middle Ages. Very Good
THE
http://www.normanconquest.co.uk/index.html
A website for
history teachers and students on the Norman Conquest and the pivotal events of
the year 1066. Sections: Information
(Start Here), Quiz, Search, Worksheets and a Summary. Check out the worksheets which can be printed
and used to guide students to the relevant material. Very Good
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/history/history.htm
A history of the
kings and queens of
SHIELDS, KNIGHTS
http://www.yourchildlearns.com/heraldry.htm
Free software to
download for kids to make their own shields and coats of arms. You can also play an exciting online
game. Very Good
TIMEREF.COM – MEDIEVAL HISTORY
TIMELINES
http://www.btinternet.com/~timeref/
“Welcome to TIMEREF.COM. Follow the history of Medieval
WEID’S LINKS TO THE MIDDLE AGES
http://www.fidnet.com/~weid/midageindex.htm
This is a huge site with a wealth of information. Suitable for grade 7 and up. Some sites suitable for upper elementary. Very Good
AGES OFTREASURE TIMELINE GAME
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/treasure/timeline_launch.shtml
“From the Palaeolithic to the Norman Conquest, explore archaeological sites and treasures from the past, then test yourself on the eras and events in the Ages of Treasure game.” Good
THE ALCHEMY
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/index.html
“Over 100 megabytes online of information on alchemy in all its facets. Divided into over 1300 sections and providing tens of thousands of pages of text, over 2000 images, over 200 complete alchemical texts, extensive bibliographical material on the printed books and manuscripts, numerous articles, introductory and general reference material on alchemy.” Suitable for grade 7 and up. Good
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS OF
THE MIDDLE AGES
http://users.stargate.net/~mshapiro/calcohol.html
Information, recipes and methods of making alcoholic drinks in the Middle Ages. Good.
ANGLO-SAXON COINS GAME
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/lj/conquestlj/coin_entry.shtml
“Find out more about Anglo-Saxon money by taking a closer look at the coins and the stories behind them. When you think you know enough, test yourself by playing 'Coins' and see if you can make money talk.” Good
ARTLEX ON THE MIDDLE
AGES
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/m/middleages.html
Several examples of Middle Ages art. Good
ASM’S MIDDLE AGES
PROJECT
http://www.asmilan.org/eschool/middle_ages/
A colorful site by middle school students. Sections: “Warfare by Chris, Crusades by Leo,
Castles, Farming by Giuliana ,Clothes by Myles, Food by Cill, Peasant Life by Valentina, Exploration by Connor, Science by Marco, Architecture by Joel, Homes by Nicoletta, Feudal System by Ho Sung, Crusades by Matteo, Italy by Naike, Knights by Riccardo, Marriage by Jessica, Monastery Life by Cesare, Vikings by Nick. Good
as suggestion for classes.” Good
BIOGRAPHIES OF WOMEN IN THE
MIDDLE AGES
http://www.ozedweb.com/history/middle_ages_biographies_women.htm
Brief biographical paragraphs of women in the Middle Ages. Sections: Women in Religion, Women in the
Trades, Women in Politics, Women in War, Women in Science and Medicine, and
Women in the Arts. Suitable for students
of all grades. Good
BUILD A MEDIEVAL CASTLE
http://www.yourchildlearns.com/castle.htm
Free downloadable
software with instructions for building a medieval castle. Also software to print our shield and the
elements of heraldry. Good
BUILD AN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/games/arches/index.shtml
Answer 5 questions to build a virtual arch. Good
THE CAERLAVEROCK
http://www.suat.demon.co.uk/caerlaverock/index.htm
Follow the excavation of an English castle. Updates from the excavation show what has
been uncovered. Suitable for students
elementary and up. Good
THE CAMELOT PROJECT
http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/cphome.stm
Information about the Arthurian legends and texts. Suitable for high school students. Good
THE
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Cha2Can.html