Monasticism and the Crusaders

Early Monasticism

• Ancient India is believed to have had the earliest monks.
• The main focus of early monks was spiritual enlightenment through meditation, prayer, and asceticism.

Medieval Western Europe

• Monks sustained a spiritual life in medieval Western Europe by living in monasteries, following a rule of life, and performing manual labor.
• The role of literate monks in monasteries was to copy and preserve manuscripts, contributing to the preservation of classical knowledge.

High Middle Ages

• The High Middle Ages occurred from the 11th to the 13th century.
• The Catholic Church became the dominant religious institution in Western Europe leading up to the High Middle Ages.
• The Pope's role in the Catholic Church during the High Middle Ages was to serve as the supreme authority and spiritual leader.

Revival of Classical Knowledge

• The Crusades led to the discovery of ancient manuscripts written by classical scholars.
• The increased demand for education and literacy led to the opening of town schools in Western Europe.

Emergence of Universities

• The Latin term 'universitas' means "a community of scholars and teachers".
• The University of Bologna was one of the first to adopt a charter that allowed academic freedom.
• The University of Paris was formed after a quarrel between a student, school officials, and locals in Paris.
• The Dominicans and Franciscans, two religious orders, settled in Oxford and created housing for students.

Educational Developments

• The rediscovery of Aristotelian logic and philosophy inspired reasoning and problem-solving skills in education during this time.
• The increased demand for clerics who could read and keep records in Western Europe led to the growth of educational institutions.