Facts about medieval monks
The Benedictines -
The Order of St. Benedict, or the OSB/the Benedictines, was the largest and arguably the most important order of monks in medieval times.
The Benedictines -
They were known for their shaved hair patches (tonsure) and for wearing black robes.
The Cistercians -
The Cistercians were founded in 1098 by French Benedictine abbot Roland of Molesme.
The Cistercians -
There were also Cistercian nuns, who lived in separate monasteries, of course.
The Cistercians -
The Cistercians dedicated a great deal of their time to agriculture and were mostly self-sufficient.
The Carthusians -
The Carthusian Order was founded in 1084 by a former priest from Germany named Bruno of Cologne (c. 1030-1101).
The Carthusians -
The Carthusian Order did end up writing their own set of rules, called the 'Statutes.'
The Dominicans -
The Dominican Order was founded in 1216 by a Spanish canon regular (a priest) named Dominic de Guzmán, who later became known as Saint Dominic.
The Dominicans -
The Dominicans also followed their own set of rules: the Regula Sancti Augustini (‘The Rule of Saint Augustine’).
The Dominicans -
Preaching was a big priority of the Order and indeed heresy became a concern for the Dominicans.
The Franciscans -
This order of monks was founded in 1209 by the Italian friar and mystic Saint Francis of Assisi.
The Franciscans -
Saint Francis of Assisi emulated the life of Christ and spent his life preaching and in extreme poverty.
The Franciscans -
Franciscans lived by strict rules. Until the late 13th century, it was forbidden for Franciscans to own property (even communally).
The Augustinians -
The Augustinians follow the ‘Rule of Saint Augustine,’ by Augustine of Hippo.
The Augustinians -
Famous protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546) was an Augustinian friar from 1505 until 1520, when he was excommunicated.
The Carmelites -
The Carmelites are believed to have been founded by hermits sometime in the 12th century on Mount Carmel in Israel (then part of the Crusader States).
The Carmelites -
Spanish Carmelite Saint Teresa of Ávila founded the first Carmelite convent for women in 1452.