Civilisation - Episode 2

This episode centred around the 10-12th centuries and the rise of the church. Clark started off in England, showing some of the great English cathedrals and telling us that the abbeys and priories were repositories of art and learning, with many of the most intelligent becoming monks.

The rest of the episode was then spent in France. First at Cluny Abbey in the Loire region. The land and money to build the cathedral was given by William I of Aquitaine, who unlike other reigious donors, gave the abbey and abbot free reign over all the lands and income, requesting only that prayers were said for him and his family.

Cluny Abbey became very rich and powerful and had dependant priories in France, Spain, England, Scotland and Italy which were ruled over by its Abbot. It focused more on prayer, learning and looking after the poor. It could afford workers for the Abbey and lands, giving the monks more time for prayer. Three successful abbey buildings were constructed, and Cluny was a major influence on Western European architecture. It's most enduring legacy however was probably the major role in causing Christianity to permeate and solidify in the core of Central Western Europe.

The episode went on to talk about St Denis and Chartres (the latter originally built in the Romanesque style and rebuilt after fire in the Gothic style after change in tastes, brought about by the former). St Denis was the trendsetter for Gothic style and its architect kept a detailed diary about the building of the cathedral.