Medieval and Renaissance Education

Are you the kind of person who loves to go to Renaissance Faires or Medieval Reenactments?  Are you always impressed with the authenticity that those who run Faires bring to the table?  It is impressive to see someone portraying a King or Queen and to see them in period clothing and speaking as if they were from the historical era.  It’s almost as if they walked right out of a time machine.

Do you want to be able to interact with these characters as if you were from the same era?  If so, you are going to need two very important things:

1)  A Renaissance Costume:  Renaissance or Medieval costumes are extremely important in terms of creating an atmosphere that represents the time period you are trying to recreate.  Since humans rely mostly on their sight to portray atmosphere, being in authentic garb and costuming really helps to set the scene.  You can find authentic Renaissance clothing at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com.

2)  Speaking Guide:  Being able to converse with someone who is portraying an actor from a different era is important also to help create atmosphere.  But in some cases, knowing what to say and who to say it to can almost be like learning another language.  We looked around and found that this site provided a good basic article for understanding how to speak in the Elizabethan era.

Now that you have the elements you need, try to put them together and go out and enjoy your Renaissance Faire!

If you are a LARPer or a Medieval/Renaissance reenactor, it is getting to the time of year where you must be conscious of your camp fires.

During the summer months, forests can get very dry.  Moisture continuously evaporates as the sun’s hot rays beat down upon the forests, fields, and brush in the camps that are typically used for these types of events.  The danger is increased if there has been a long period of no rain.

If your campground is extremely dry, then all it can take is one spark to set off a massive fire.  But you can do a few things to help keep the danger of a fire low.  The first is to pay attention to see if there are any fire advisories.  Most park offices will issue these when the forest is dry so that you know that  you need to take extra care.

Secondly, only use indoor fireplaces or well established fire pits that are surrounded by large stones.  Starting a small camp fire in a place that is not protected can easily spark a forest fire.

Lastly, once you are done, make sure to put out your fire.  By leaving your fire smolder all night, or all day while you go into the woods, a rogue ember can fly out and into an area of brush.  Likewise, all it takes is one gust of wind to blow hot ashes into a dry area of the forest.

So take extra care this summer as you build your camp fires so that you don’t accidentally start a brush fire that can present a danger to your favorite campgrounds.

We at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com would like to take a few moments to introduce you to a good friend of ours, Joyce DiPastena.

Joyce is a Medieval and Renaissance enthusiast who is the author of Illuminations of the Heart, a historical romance novel that was a finalist for the 2009 Whitney Award.  She is also currently in the process of a second novel, also set in the Medieval era.

We met Joyce through her blog, Medieval Research with Joyce, where she offers a wealth of information about the Medieval era, based upon the research she conducts for her books.  This information covers a number of aspects concerning Medieval lifestyles, historical events, and historical figures.  You will be sure to find a lot of interesting and entertaining facts, stories, and fables throughout Joyce’s blog posts.

So if you have a few moments in between dressing for the ball, holding court for potential suitors, or attending the joust, make sure to visit Medieval Research with Joyce.

If you are reading this blog, that means that you have a vested interest in the Renaissance era, Medieval era, or the fantasy genre.  At PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com, we love to be your provider of high quality Renaissance costuming.  Our outfits are both historically accurate and comfortable.

But instead of just looking at our outfits, we invite you to actually get out and attend Renaissance faires or Medieval reenactments.  These types of events are your chance to experience actual, living history.  Most of us only get a chance to interact with history from textbooks or television specials.  Why sit inside when you can actually get out and see it for real?

Why read about a sword fight, when you can see two men in actual armor dueling it out with real weapons?  Why read about Medieval recipes when you can get to a Medieval reenactment and taste the food for real?  Why just look at Renaissance clothing, when you can put on your own costume and join others who have the same passion for this historical era as you do?

So get up, get out, and experience history first hand.  If you decide to take an opportunity to learn about history, let PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com help you get dressed in historically accurate garb.  Then you can really fit the part.

A Renaissance faire is not only fun, but also very educational.  One can learn about knights, royalty, minstrels, jesters, blacksmiths, and a whole host of other Medieval figures.  A Renaissance faire can really help someone get a good sense of Medieval food, clothing, music, entertainment, and other lifestyles.

Therefore, when you go to a Renaissance faire, why not take your children with you?  Within this educational environment, they are sure to learn just as much as you do.

If you take your children, make sure you let them dress up in a costume.  Children love to wear outfits and this is the perfect opportunity.  You can find a vast assortment of children’s clothing, for both boys and girl, at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com.

These costumes are all handmade and are of high quality.  These outfits will make your young squire or maiden stand out from a crowd.  They can also double for this year’s Halloween costume.  So make sure to visit PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com to find the costume that will make your kiddo smile.

If you are a Scout Master, you may be searching for activities for your troop. If you are looking for something off the beaten path, we have a suggestion for you.

Boy Scouts are taught skills that they can use to survive in nature. Cooking, hunting, using rope, and identifying plants and wildlife, are just some of the skills that they have learned. Understanding how to survive in an outdoor setting is a vital skill to master.

When your troop goes camping, it is almost reminiscent of Medieval times. People who lived in the Medieval era survived without electricity or modern tools. A fun activity, that can really instill a sense of appreciation for historic times, can be to have a “Medieval Weekend.”

In this scenario, not only do you remove electronics, but you also remove modern camping devices. Examples of modern camping devices include: switchblade knives, Swiss army knives, collapsible tents, fire starting logs, modern fishing poles, etc. The goal is to really test the Scouts’ ability to improvise, should they ever find themselves in a survival scenario. Plus, it’s a great way to teach Scouts about this interesting and exciting period in history.

If you want to create an added sense of authenticity, you could consider having the Scouts dress in period costumes and participate in games that are authentic to the era. Not only will this make the retreat more fun, but it will also enhance the experience for your Scouts. Who knows? Maybe you’ll inspire a member of your troop to pursue his interest in studying Medieval culture!

If you are in need of high quality Medieval costumes to complete this activity, make sure to visit PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com.