Economic and Political Organization of Renaissance Society

1. Economic and Political Organization of Renaissance Society Chapter 13 Euro Society in the Age of the Renaissance 1350 - 1550

2. Social Hierarchies • Race • Ideas about race grew out of the notions of ethnic purity and bloodlines (Ch. 12) • Culture & blood together define what group one belonged to • Gens -People • Natio – nation • Race – interchangeable with above • Social not physical • Dress not skin color • Biological notions come later – 18thC

3. Social Hierarchies • Africa • Slaves arrive 1530s • Portuguese explorers • 5000 sold each year • 3% of Portugal's population • 10% of city pop mixed-raced • Black servants were highly desirable • Sign of wealth • Many included black servants in their portraits • Objects of curiosity & entertainers • Supplemented labor force • Little known of Africa and its people • Relied on biblical texts & ancient account • Color black associated with evil & sin – God light • Also associated with purity • Monks wore black Mourners – blessed by Christ

4. Social Hierarchy • Class • Developed from the work of 19thC theorists • Medieval – 3 orders/estates • Those who prayed – the clergy • Those who fought – the nobility • Those who did everything else – laborers & merchants • France – nobility was inherited (exempt from taxation) • Ren – new hierarchy based on wealth • Order & wealth intertwined • Clergy & nobility highest status – regardless of wealth • Merchants – wealthy/powerful • Wanted noble lifestyle • Marry into noble families • Buy noble titles • Sumptuary laws • Merchants (wealthier than many nobles) created restriction & visible distinctions • Entrance into privileged groups • Access to town citizenship • Dress and behavior codes

5. Social Hierarchy • Sumptuary laws • Latin – expenditure (dated back to the Romans) • imposed by rulers • curb the expenditure of the people • to control behavior • ensure that a specific class structure was maintained. • The Medieval Feudal system - everyone knew their place! • Clothing provided an immediate way of distinguishing 'Who was Who'! • provided information about the status of the person wearing them. • dictated by the Pyramid of Power • the ravages of the Black Death significantly reduced the population /changed society • dictated what color and type of clothing individuals were allowed to wear, • easy and immediate way to identify rank and privilege. • Royalty were permitted to wear clothes trimmed with ermine. • Lesser Nobles were allowed to wear clothing trimmed with fox and otter • Ren system continued these laws • Restrictions & visible distinctions • Restricted entrance into privileged groups • Restricted access to town citizenship • Dress and behavior codes • penalties for violating could be harsh - fines, the loss of property, title and even life

6. Social Hierarchy • Gender • The word “gender” not in use (20thC notion) • Women • Querelle des femmes – women’s nature/roles • Many books and broadsides about women • Roles • Virtues • vices • Some writers described women • Devious • Scheming • Other writers described women • Praised exemplary women for being like men • Feared disruption of subordinate position would destabilize society • Conflict – women rulers • Mary • Elizabeth ! • Isabella • Demonstrated masculine qualities • Bravery • Stamina • Wisdom • duty

7. Politics & the State • Origin of Political Institutions • Representative assemblies • Bureaucracies • Juries • Ren – changes in the monarchy • Applied ideas of pol. Thinkers • Enforced their power & sovereignty • Tamed the nobles by reducing their political power • Use of violence

8. AP Tip Change in the power of the nobles was enabled by changes in military technology. Artillery, the longbow, and early forms of the rifle, were all wielded by commoners, making knights less useful on the battlefield and their castles easily penetrable. Since monarchs no longer depended on the nobles to fight, the nobles lost their prestige, although they soon became the officer corps of the royal armies.

9. Politics & the State • France • Hundred Years’ War • Depopulated • Econ. Devastated • Recovery under Charles VII (crowned thru efforts by Joan of Arc) • Brought dissident Burgundians into fold • Gave middle class greater influence in the royal council • Estab. two taxes as the main source of royal income • Salt • Land • Asserted rights over the Fr. Church • Confirmed the kings right to select bishops and abbots • Louis XI (son of Charles VII) • Focus on econ issues • Funded new industry • Entered into commercial treaties with other states • Improved army • Took control of Burgundy • Stopped fur collar crime

10. Politics & the State • England • The Hundred Years War • Eng. Aristocracy broke into factions • War of Roses • Created disorder & Econ. Woes • Yorkist side initially defeated the Lancastrians • Restored strong monarchial rule • Repressed the power of the nobility • Kings • Edward IV • Richard III • Henry Tudor (Lancastrian) – Tudor dynasty

11. AP Tip Richard III was the title character of Shakespeare’s play that repeated the accusation that Richard murdered the two sons of his brother. This remains a subject of debate. Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time is a modern mystery novel that exonerates Richard. Considering both sides of the debate is an excellent way to understand POV for DBQs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vqeZV8_3oQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4oHV8c_7so

12. Politics & the State • England cont. • Tudor Rule • Parliament’s power grew during the Hundred Years’ War • Tudors generally maneuvered around their obligations to call Parliament • Edward IV - when new taxes were to be levied by following a cautious foreign policy. • Henry VII - Royal council • 12 men mostly gentry (lower landowning class) & lawyers. • Became the center of royal authority • Star Chamber (offshoot) • Tried those accused of interfering with royal authority (usually aristocrats) • Torture & secrecy used against the traditions estab. By the Magna Carta & common law • Tudors promoted prosperity • Justice of the peace to run local government (usually landowners) • Maintained order & pro-commerce prosperity • Cloth & shipbuilding industries • Ireland peace – thru military action • Scotland peace – thru marriage

13. Politics and the State • Spain • Two Large Kingdoms – Castille & Aragon • Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille • Married – did not united kingdoms • Shared foreign policy • Jointly warred to defeat remaining Muslim kingdom – Granada • Restricted aristocracy thru hermandades (town councils) • Successful in repressing violence • Disbanded in 1498 • Restructured royal council • Excluded magnates – replaced by middle-class lawyers • Used the church to dominate politics • Appointed bishops of Spain & New World colonies • Funded armies with income from church estates

14. Politics and the State • Spain cont. • Minorities • Jewish resent grows • Although Jews supported royal power – several brutal incidents • Late 14thC many Jews converted after wave of violence • New Christian – conversos • Some held high positions in the church, business, law, medicine & gov. • Highly influential • Many were suspicious of the New Christians • 1480 Inquisition to uncover those whose conversion was insincere • Most coversos rejected such claims • Torture was used to get confessions • 1942 (also time of Muslim defeat) • Jews expelled from Spain • 150,000 • Same treatment toward Muslims (however not expelled for another Century) • Joanna (Ferdinand & Isabella’s child) married to Philip (Habsburg heir to Holy Roman Empire) • Child of this marriage – Charles V • His son Phillip II unified Portugal & Spain

16. AP Tip Common misconception is that the Inquisition tried and persecuted Jews. As an ecclesiastical court, it no authority over Jews or Muslims, only those who were members of the church. While most of the victims of the Inquisition were conversos, they were persecuted as Christians, not as Jews, although it was their Jewish origin that made them targets. The Inquisitors claimed & probably believed that they were protecting the accused’s immortal soul by forcing confession through torture. The loss of most of the Jewish & Muslim population of Spain deprived it of people with expertise in agriculture, business, and scholarship. This had harmful consequences for Spain.

17. The Inquisition • http://spiritualmind.com/2009/07/inquisition-history-channel/