Exploring History: Medieval to Modern 1400 - 1900

Ever wanted to understand the key themes driving over five hundred years of European history? In this album, architecture reveals the social, religious and economic fortunes of some of the most influential people between 1400 and 1900. By the end of the 19th century Queen Victoria presided over the vast British Empire. She looked out from London, the heart of her empire, with its buildings echoing Imperial Rome. Brussels’ architecture, like London’s, was also designed to show the world the power and imagination of its 19th century king, Leopold the 1st. Architecture was also used in the medieval period to show devotion to God or simply to signal wealth and authority. The wealthy French nobleman, Jacques Coeur, completed his imposing palace in 1450 and Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick’s chapel not only reflects contemporary ideas about death and salvation but also the status of one of the most powerful English noblemen of the 15th century. This material is taken from The Open University course A200 Exploring history: medieval to modern 1400 - 1900.