1100- The Cult of Mary developed in wake of the extreme interest in Jesus that developed in the Middle Ages. Mary, Jesus' human mother, was viewed as an important mediator with her son, and many people were fascinated with her experience and story as the mother of a principal prophet …

1098- 1179 - Hildegard of Bingen was an abbess of a convent at Disibodenberg in Germany. Hildegard wrote down mystical visions that she experienced in three books. Hildegard was an important composer and she contributed greatly in the area of Gregorian chanting.

1098- The Cistercian order of monks evolved because some monks became disenchanted by the lack of strict discipline in the Benedictine orders. Cistercian beliefs spread rapidly. Monks from this order were required to eat a simple diet, wear only a single robe, and eliminate any type of decoration or adornment …

Although German kings frequently appointed high-ranking clergy to important civic positions, Pope Gregory issued a decree, in 1075, which banned the practice. King Henry IV, 1056- 1106 , who was no stranger to the practice, fiercely opposed the decree since his Investiture of the bishop of Milan, the second most important …

In twelfth century armed combat tournaments attendees generally participated in a melee. The 'melee' was a free for all battle among combatants armed with blunted weapons. Losers were taken prisoner and held for ransom, allowing the victors to reap huge profits at the expense of the losers.

In the high middle ages, , Chivalry was the code of ethics employed by nobility. Chivalry encouraged 'civilized' behavior. Knights were encouraged to defend the church and the meek, and to engage in combat only when an opponent was similarly armed.