Inventions of the Middle Ages

Although it has always been affirmed that the Middle Ages was a very dark period in the history of Europe, we must know that it was not like that at all. Later studies have recognized that, during the Middle Ages, important linguistic, scientific advances, etc., so we must stop assimilating the historical period as a dark moment that existed between the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. In this lesson from a PROFESSOR we bring you a list with the most important inventions of the Middle Ages.

We will start this article with the most important inventions of the Middle Ages speaking of those that are integrated into everyday use and that managed to improve citizens' day-to-day lives. The most prominent are the following:

Glasses

Although from the V century a. C. the first lenses are known in Egypt, it will be in the 13th century when glasses were invented themselves appearing in western Europe. Its creator is not exactly known, although we can affirm that it was a monk because, in addition, the first pictorial references appear in a codex of songs.

It seems that they were created to read the smallest print at a medium distance, possibly to read the smallest parts of those great songbooks that were in the monasteries.

The compass

In China, throughout the ninth century a invention that would change the way you navigate completely. At first, this instrument consisted of a magnetized needle that floated in a vessel filled with water.

Little by little a much more stable element was created, changing the vessel for a rotating shaft, to which the famous compass Rose to calculate all possible wind directions while sailing.

Quadrant and astrolabe

They are utensils known since ancient times, although during the Full Middle Ages they received a series of modifications by the Arabs, making them measure a distance between two points. much more accurate.

These two inventions, together with the compass, were essential elements for the creation of new trade routes and the time of discoveries.

The mechanical watch

In the middle of the 12th century the first mechanical watch appeared in Europe, although we know that, for a long time, humanity had ways of measuring time.

But it was from that moment when the way of perceiving the days changed because the time for the prayers of the monks to use a "secular" time, which differed greatly from the previous.

Now we are going to discover another of the most important inventions of the Middle Ages talking about those utensils that were created to improve technology and society. They are as follows:

Print

Again China, in the year 440 a. C. An instrument was used to print a series of texts or drawings on paper. In Europe, in the year 1450, Johannes Gutenberg was the inventor of the modern printing press which greatly facilitated the creation of new books, mostly being ecclesiastical commissions for monks or nobles. The first volume to be printed was the Bible.

Over time it would end up being used for the elaboration of all kinds of works, causing knowledge to expand in to a great extent, since until then it was the monks who made the copies by hand of the works (being very expensive to make).

The water and windmills

The mill has been known since practically the Neolithic, although it was pulled by some animal, which moved the stone and, this, crushed the cereal. But it will be in the Middle Ages, especially from the Plena, when they began to install another type of mills that sought to harness the power of air or water to grind the raw material.

These originally belonged to the lords or the cities, therefore, citizens who wanted to use it had to pay a tax. In Flanders, for example, they also served to gain ground from the sea, by creating a large row of windmills that dried up the marshes and canals. After this, retaining walls were reinforced and the lands were fertilized, thus little by little they were gaining ground from the sea.

Gunpowder

Of Asian origin, appeared in Europe from the 13th century and for the year 1334 it is known that it was manufactured in England. An element that many people do not know is that the Spanish were the first to use it as a weapon in battles, being, in addition, one of the fundamental pillars of the famous Spanish thirds.

Flying buttresses

Among the most important inventions of the Middle Ages, the architecture also underwent major improvements as was the creation of flying buttresses, which appeared in the 13th century. They were an element that helped create taller and lighter buildings, being very characteristic to find them in Gothic cathedrals.