Medival engineers created marvellous machines, some of which were capable of immense destructive power. But others were useful in other areas such as architecture, farming and industry.
The first area which we will be discussing and analysing is warfare and inventions. One that really came into action was gunpowder in medieval Europe. Gunpowder was introduced to Europe during the 13th century after information broke out that the Chinese developed a dark powder of some kind. Although we know that what they called in medieval china as black powder we know now as gunpowder. Early gunpowder weapons used in medieval Europe were heavy, inaccurate, very difficult to use and normally operated by multiple people. Bombards were often made of iron and were used to fire hefty boulders and stones. A bombard is merely one of many different machines operated by gunpowder.
A trebuchet is the second advancement during medieval times in the warfare. The Medieval Trebuchet was similar to a catapult in it’s design and look. The trebuchet was used for hurling heavy stones to smash castles or city walls. The trebuchet was an invaluable Medieval siege attack weapon, it’s hurling action was second to none. Thousands of man-hours were spent perfecting its accuracy and speed. The trebuchet was later on replaced by the catapult.
Architecture in medieval Europe fell into several categories gothic, pre-Romanesque and Romanesque. The roof of the house was generally made from straw, this is because of its easy access to peasants and folk people alike. Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls inside the house. Its adjustable nature and relatively easy construction made it an exceptional construction material. These materials were also used for the manor house. This particular house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor.
Inventions tell us a lot about the society in which it was created in. Through the study of inventions and technologies, we have learnt that medieval times were brutal and unforgiving. Yet they produced many things in which our society has grown around. Through gunpowder, bombards, architecture, trebuchets and catapults we know now that middle ages were.
Mechanical clocks- Mechanical clocks were used in monasteries to keep
a calendar of when everything was happening. They used mechanical clocks to calculate lunar and solar eclipses. The monasteries also used it to keep track of prayer times. They could do all of that with utmost accuracy and precision. Mechanical clocks were the most reliable way of telling the time in medieval times, as they were more accurate than any other clocks, such as water clocks, candle clocks, sundials and other forms of clocks.
Universities - Medieval universities first started appearing in the high middle ages across Europe, in countries like; Italy, France and England. The first universities to appear in England was constructed in Oxford in the 11th century, and another one was constructed in Cambridge. Medieval universities arose out of the conditions of medieval Europe. Students and teachers that were around in the middle ages, applied to universities to protect themselves from the dangers that surrounded them.
Plough - New technology started being developed in the area of farming, a specific invention; the plough blew into popularity. It turned European agriculture and economy, on its head. The heavy plough allowed access to areas which in the past were impossible to dig or mine. An example is the ability to harness clay soil. The clay soil was more fertile than the other light soils and made it possible to harness it. The Medieval steel plough is one of the most important medieval histories inventions, it was made for many uses like turning soil, to bury crop residuals and to help control weeds.