Middle Ages Gothic

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Gothic Alphabet

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Alphabetic writing system attributed to Wulfila used exclusively for writing the ancient gothic language. Wulfila used it to translate the Bible into Gothic. It appears to be derived from the Greek alphabet with some borrowings from Latin.

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Blackletter (also known as Gothic script, not the Gothic alphabet)

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Blackletter was used in Western Europe approximately 1150 to 1500. It continued to be used for the German language until the 20th century. Forms of Blackletter are Textualis- the most calligraphic form.
Cursiva-like modern cursive writing there is no real standard form. It develped in the 14th century as a simplified form of textualis. Hybrida- also called bastarda (France) refers to a hybrid form. Developed in the 15th century.

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Carolingian (direct and linear ancestor of blackletter)

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Books in the 12th century such as business, law, grammer, history, and religion were written using this earlier script.

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The name Gothic script

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Gothic was first used to describe this script in Italy in the 15th century. It was said that Blackleter was invented by the Lombards after their invasion of Italy in the 6th century. It was known as a barbarian script. Whereas, Carolingian was highly legible and called "the ancient letter."

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Gothic Furniture

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Furniture such as the 10' high, 19th century, Gothic revival buffet can run in price from $25,000 up. It was first introduced in 1100 and went to 1550. It returned to popularity in the late 18th century in England. George IV refurnished Windsor Castle in Gothic in 1823. In America, it became a symbol of wealth in the 1840's.

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Gothic Novels

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Gothic applied to literary genre because the genre dealt with such emotional extremes and dark themes and it found its natural settings in castles, Mansions, and Monsateries. Horace Walpole