Medieval Glossary
Mendicant
A type of religious order (or a member of such an order) that combined monastic principles with an outdoor life. Originally members of mendicant orders had to give vows that they would own no personal or communal property, but these vows decayed over time. Mendicant orders were founded in reaction to the communal wealth and indoor and sometimes lavish living within monasteries of the Middle Ages.
Related term(s): Friar; Friary; Monastic; Monastery
Category: Western Christianity
Added: 07.31.04
Browse
List medieval glossary terms alphabetically:
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z