| A | B |
|---|
| accolade | ceremony in which a man was given its knighthood |
| armor | a complete bodysuit made of metal that was worn by knights as protection |
| battering ram | heavy wooden beam used to ram castle walls and gates during a siege |
| beastiary | a book of stories about animals or beasts |
| castle | fortified home. A lord would turn his home into a fortress to protect himself and those who served him |
| catapult | a large wooden arm with a cup at one end used to fling stones and other objects during a battle |
| chivalry | the code, rules and values that guided a knights way of living |
| coat of arms | an emblem or symbol used to identify the members of the family. The design usually represented some aspect of the family's beliefs or history. |
| embrasure | an alcove in a castle wall with an opening to the outside through which arrows could be shot |
| feudalism | system where a king gave land to a knight in exchange for the knight's services |
| gargoyle | stone carving on a medieval roof that served as a water spout. It was usually in the shape of a strange creature |
| guild | an organization formed by people who worked the same trade. The guild watched over the quality of work done and protected and helped its members |
| herald | official in charge overseeing the design of a coat of arms. It was his responsibility to see that there were no duplicates |
| illumination | colorful hand painted decorations on the pages of some medieval books. The designs sometimes included gold or silver |
| joust | a contest of warfare skills between two knights on horseback |
| knight | a man raised to special military rank and pledged to chivalrous conduct |
| lord | wealthy landowner who ran an estate |
| manor | large estate or section of land |
| portcullis | a heavy wood and iron grating that protected the entrance to a castle |
| relic | skeletal remains or an object worshipped because of its association wiht a saint or martyr |
| scriptorium | the part of a monastery where the monks worked on copying and illuminating books |
| siege bow | a large mounted crossbow used in battles. It is also called a ballista |
| siege tower | a wooden shed that was several stories high which could be rolled up to a castle wall. From there, fighters could go over the wall. |
| tithe | tax collected by the medieval churc |
| trebuchet | a giant sling that was used to throw rocks over a castle wall during a battle |
| trobadour | poet, musician or storyteller who traveled from castle to castle to provide entertainment |
| vassal | a man who was granted land under the feudal system |
| vellum | a form of paper made from animal skin. Most of the books of medieval times were written on vellum |
| trencher | flat piece of bread that was used as a plate |
