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Medieval Books and Literature
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| Date |
Piece, Author |
Notes |
| c 400 |
Confessions, St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) |
St. Augustine is one of the most influential Christian thinkers. His autobiographical Confessions describes his search/journey from a worldy to a spiritual existence. |
| 524 |
The Consolation of Philosophy ext, Boethius (480-524) |
A Roman philosopher and statesman, Boethius served under the 1st Gothic emperor Theodoric. Boethius was accused of treason and sent to prison where he wrote Consolation. The Consolation offers a message of hope in a cruel world. |
| c 655 |
First appearance of the Koran |
The Koran is the sacred book of Islam. According to Muslim belief, the Koran is the true word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. |
| 731 |
Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Venerable Bede (673-735) |
Bede, often referred to as the Father of English History, covers the period of English history from 54 BC to 697 AD. This work is one of the primary sources for infomation about the early Anglo-Saxons. |
| 893 |
The Life of Alfred the Great, Asser |
Asser was a Welsh clergyman and monk. He went to the court King Alfred where he taught King Alfred latin. |
| c 985 |
Beowulf, Anonymous |
Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic in British literature and is one of the most important pieces of medieval literature. The work describes the exploits of a young Scandinavian warrior from the sixth century. |
| c 1120 |
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Omar Khayyam (c1048 - 1122) |
Omar Khayyam was a Persian poet, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer remembered for his collection of quatrains (verse units of four lines). |
| c 1210 |
Tristan and Isolde, Gottfried von Strassburg |
This Celtic legend of two tragic lovers was often recorded but the version by Gottfried von Strassburg, a German poet, is considered the best. |
| c 1100 |
La Chanson de Roland (The Song of Roland), Anonymous |
One of the first epics of a class known as chansons de geste or songs of high deeds. A French national epic, The Song of Roland describes the defeat of Charlemagne's rear guard in the Pyrenees in 778. |
| c 1310-1320 |
The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) |
Dante's masterpiece is composed of three books: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. |
| c 1385 |
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Anonymous |
This narrative is about Sir Gawain, one of the heroes of Arthurian legend. Gawain is a young knight who must prove his valor, piety and courtesy when confronted with a succession of temptations. |
| c 1387 |
Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer (c 1340-1400) |
The unfinished poem of Canterbury Tales centers around a group on a religious pilgrimage from London to the shrine of St. Thomas à Becket at Canterbury. During the journey they decide to entertain each other by telling stories. These stories provide great insight into the life and times of 14th century England. |
| c 1400 |
Chroniques, Jean Froissart (c.1337-1410) |
Jean Froissart was a French chronicler, poet, and courtier who traveled across much of Europe. His chronicle covers the history of Western Europe from the early 14th century to 1400. |
| 1455 |
Mazarin Bible printed by Gutenburg |
The Mazarin Bible is considered to be the first important work printed by Gutenberg, the German inventor and printer. It is also one of the earliest books printed from movable types. |
| c 1470 |
Morte d'Arthur, Sir. Thomas Malory (d. 1471) |
This famous epic of Medieval literature tells the story of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the round table. |
| 1475 |
William Caxton publishes in English |
William Caxton (c 1421 - 1491) printed the first book in English using Gutenburg's printing press. Over his life time he published 96 books including Canterbury Tales and Morte d'Arthur. |
