Afraid of Genghis Khan's army, the normally fearless Saracens pleaded for
England's help in protecting the Holy Land. They were turned down.
A caravan of healthy Arab camels could cover 200 miles of sand in a week.
The end of the 13th century, the last Christian territories in the holy land
fell to Egypt and brought an end to nearly two centuries of crusades.
The Teutonic Knights, a charitable German order from the Holy Land, moved to
eastern Europe after the failure of the Crusades. They fought as mercenaries
against the pagan tribes in Poland and the eastern frontier. In the late
1200's, they formed an alliance with a Baltic order of knights called the
Brothers of the Sword.
Heraldic devices on shields, surcoats, and banners became popular with
Christian Knights during the late 1100's and early 1200's to identify each
other in armor during battle.
Popular forms of sport were bear-baiting, bull-running, badger-baiting, and
cockfighting.
Goliards were wandering students performing as minstrels during the 12th or
13th century. They wrote Latin verses that were often bawdy and sacrilegious.
Troubadours, strolling minstrels, were lyric poets who composed songs, often
about courtly love.
During the 13th century, English doctors would drape red cloth around a
patient's bed in an attempt to cure smallpox.
Taken from Magic Moments - May 2001 Volume 4/Issue 5