What were the most important monastic orders of the early middle ages?

Answer 1

If you mean "Orders" of monks, there were more than three.

Originally the Benedictines were the only Order of monks in Europe; they wore "black" habits and were often termed Black Monks.

The Cluniac Order was established as an attempt to "improve" upon the Benedictines, in 910 AD. They also wore black habits, but added extra rules to the Rule of St Benedict followed by the Benedictines. They rejected manual labour for monks and spent far more of their time in services.

In 1084 the Charterhouse or Carthusian Order was established in the French Alps. They wore natural wool habits over hair shirts and had their heads entirely shaved. Carthusians lived together in monastic communities but each monk was secluded from contact with all the others, except for a few specific services and other occasions.

In 1098 the Cistercian Order was established at Cîteaux in France; they wore natural wool habits and were termed White Monks.

Answer 2

It depends how you define "early middle ages". If you mean the Saxon/Viking period of 450 to 1066 AD (the period formerly known as the Dark Ages), there was really only one monastic Order in existence during most of that period - the Benedictines. The period 550 to 1150 has been called "the Benedictine centuries".

If you consider the "early medieval" to mean the 11th and 12th centuries, this was the period when many other monastic Orders came into being, each aiming to "improve" on the traditions of the others. The following text is taken from my own web page on the history of monastic Orders during the 12th century:

"Various religious Orders existed in the twelfth century, but Friars were not among them. The first Friars (the Dominicans and Franciscans) were introduced in the early thirteenth century, so all the familiar Robin Hood stories in which Friar Tuck is a contemporary of Richard the Lionheart are entertaining but historically inaccurate. The image typical of the friars - grey or brown habits, cord belts with three knots and sandals on their feet - is today (sadly) often confused with that of the monks.

Here is a list of the main Orders which did exist in England at this time:

Augustinian (Austin) Canons, or Canons Regular. Not strictly monks but more a guild of priests living together under the rule of St. Augustine. They were established around 1100 to staff and maintain certain cathedrals. Also called Black Canons from the colour of their habits, but their cowls and cloaks were white.

Benedictine or Black Monks. Introduced into England by St. Augustine in 597 A.D. and for almost 400 years the sole monastic order in the Church of Rome. In the twelfth century black habits, scapulars and cowls were worn and monks were permitted to wear beards and linen shirts. They followed the rule of St. Benedict. The Order included many nuns in separate religious houses.

Carthusians or Charterhouse Order. Established in 1084 in France and never very numerous in England. The monks (there were no nuns in the Carthusian Order) had their heads completely shaved, wore rough hair shirts under their habits, lived almost like hermits apart from each other in small private cells, followed a strict vow of silence and lived an extremely austere lifestyle. Their only contact with their fellow monks was at the three daily services in the church and at meals on Sundays. Clothing was of undyed wool.

Cistercians or White Monks. Founded in 1098 in France, with the aim of returning to the strict observance of St. Benedict's rule. Their English monasteries tended to be sited in lonely, moorland places in the north. Many "luxuries" were theoretically forbidden - no underwear, no central towers or decorated stonework in their abbey churches, no beards and no illuminated capitals in the books produced by their scribes. Clothing for both monks and nuns was of very coarse undyed wool.

Cluniacs or the Congregation of Cluny. Founded in 910 in Cluny, France as a stricter form of the Benedictine Order. About 30 monasteries were established in England, many of them small. The monks and nuns wore the black clothing of the Benedictines.

Gilbertines. The only Order which originated in England, the Gilbertines were established in 1131 by Gilbert of Sempringham, specifically for women. The nuns wore Cistercian white habits, since Gilbert hoped that the Cistercian Order would provide the priests necessary to hold Mass, lead the services, hear confessions and so on. When they refused, Gilbert turned to the Augustinian Canons, who agreed - these are often referred to as "Gilbertine monks" but were strictly speaking priests who continued to wear the black habits and white cowls of their parent Order.

Praemonstratensians or White Canons. An offshoot of the Augustinian Canons and much influenced by the strict regime of the Cistercians. They combined a contemplative life with active teaching and preaching. They wore white (undyed wool) habits and worked extensively among the poor."

Answer 3

If you mean vows, then they are chastity obedience and poverty