Events Leading up to the Renaissance

1. Events Leading up to the Renaissance Ms. Stiles River Dell High School World Civilizations

2. Introduction • After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was divided into small kingdoms with their own kings • Think about what Europe looks like today-is it the same as the above description?

3. Social & Economic Systems • The Feudal System: • Small kingdoms could easily be attacked by Vikings, Magyars, or Muslims • Kings couldn’t protect their land & the land of the nobles that served them at the same time • Nobles built castles (like forts) made of wood to protect themselves & hired knights (highly skilled soldiers who fought on horseback) for protection • Knights had a lot of equipment: • Horses, armor, weapons (all VERY expensive) • Were paid by nobles with land (called fiefs)

4. Fiefs • If you GAVE out fiefs, you were called a LORD • If you were GIVEN fiefs, you were called a VASSAL • Both lords & vassals had responsibilities to each other • Lords often made vassals swear oaths of fealty (loyalty)

5. LORDS: Treat vassals fairly Not be too demanding on their time & money Protect knights who are attacked by enemies Act as judge to settle knights disputes VASSALS: Financial obligations Help pay ransom if lord is kidnapped Give money to lord on special occasions (ex: when lord’s oldest son is knighted) Responsibilities

6. This was a very CONFUSING system • People could be lords & vassals at the same time • No one really knew who owed what to whom • Knights could subdivide their fiefs • Added more people into the vassal/lord situation • Knights could have fiefs from other lords • No rules against accepting land from more than one lord • Could choose who to fight for if their lords fought against each other • Knights were expected to be loyal to both their lords & their king (everyone had to be loyal to the king) • Even though some knights were more powerful than the king • Rules applied only to specific places & times • Rules in France wouldn’t apply to rules in England & vice versa

7. Social & Economic Systems • The Manorial System: Lords, Peasants, Serfs • Manors owned by lords, but the lords couldn’t farm all the land by themselves • Peasants did the farming & lived at the manors in exchange for a small plot of land & protection • Most peasants were serfs • Workers who were legally tied to the land where they worked • Serfs weren’t necessarily slaves • BUT they needed lord’s permission to get married • They couldn’t leave the manor • If your parents were serfs, so were you • Manor had a church, mill for grinding grain, & a blacksmith

8. Monarchy • Eventually, through battle, smaller kingdoms united under powerful rulers called Monarchs

9. England • 1066: William the Conqueror became the strongest of any Anglo-Saxon kings when he defeated the heir to the English throne & declared all of England his personal property • Divided the land up among the Norman soldiers who helped him take the crown • Created a new nobility • Their loyalty went straight to the king, not lords • Kept records of who lived where, who grew what, who owned what land, etc. • Called the DomesdayBook (basis for English tax system)

10. The Magna Carta • After 200 years of kings with the power that William the Conqueror established the nobility created a document that outlined their rights & limited the power of the king • Magna Carta: forced King John to sign it • Wanted to show the king that even he wasn’t above the law • Led to the creation of Parliament • King needed the nobility & the clergy to establish laws & levy taxes • Parliament was made up of groups & clergy that the king went to for advice & approval • Still the governing body in the United Kingdom

11. FRANCE: Charlemagne's death divided the Holy Roman Empire in 2 parts East & West West: France United by the Carpets by 1300’s Unified country, not small kingdoms HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE Germany: divided into small kingdoms Each had their own ruler Called a Duke France & the Holy Roman Empire

12. The Church • The Pope = head of Catholic Church • Feudalism & Manorialism helped spread Christianity through Europe • Clergy officiated major life events (baptisms, marriages, death) & education (clergy usually were the only people who were literate) • Local clergy & bishops held most of the power in the church until Pope Leo IX

13. Pope Leo IX • Didn’t like that bishops & clergy had more power than the pope • Kings didn’t like him because he took power away from the clergy • Clergy & bishops could work together with kings (or be paid off by kings leading to corruption) • Leo excommunicated the bishop of Constantinople for rejecting Leo’s authority as pope • Divided the Christian church into 2 parts • Those who followed Leo = Roman Catholic Church • Those who followed the bishop = Orthodox Church

14. Papal Powers • Churches & courts for moral matters (oversaw them like a judge would) • Ruled territories (like a king) • Needed armies to protect them • Would hire armies to fight for their causes • Crusades started & funded by popes

15. The Crusades • Religious wars against the Muslims to take the Holy Land from them • Holy Land was important to Christians, Jews, & Muslims • There were at least 9 crusades; none of which accomplished the goals of Christians • Muslims & Jews kept control of the Holy Land

16. Changes brought by Crusades • Economic: • Enhanced existing trade routes around Europe & Asia • Spices, textiles, etc. brought back to Europe by Crusaders • Social: • Brought knowledge of Muslim culture to Europe (both a good & bad thing) • Good: Helped some of those who fought to understand & tolerate cultural difference • Bad: Increased intolerance; brought the belief that all non-Christians were the enemy • Persecution of Muslims & Jews flourished • Christians seen as invaders of the Holy Land by Jews & Muslims who lived there • Political: • Lots of knights & nobles died leaving their land unclaimed • Kings took that land • More land = more power

17. The Black Death • Plague that infested Europe, Asia, & Northern Africa from 1347-1351 • Possibly 2 diseases • 1. Bubonic plague spread by fleas on rats • 2. Pneumonic plague spread by person to person contact • People saw it as God’s punishment for sins • Many turned to witchcraft for cures • Jews were blamed, persecuted, & massacred because of the plague

18. CAUSES: Fleas on rats that were aboard ships that traveled all over Asia, Europe, & Africa Fleas bit people & spread the disease Merchants traveled all over & infected people as they went Lack of hygiene helped it spread faster SYMPTOMS: Large black splotches all over body Severe headaches Fever Vomiting The Black Death

19. Consequences • Doctors & clergy who attended sick people often spread & contracted the disease then died themselves • Over 25 million people in Europe died (approx. 1/3 of population) • China’s population dropped from 125 million in the late 1200’s to 90 million in the late 1300’s (also lost approx. 1/3 of population) • End of the manorial system • Few workers that were left demanded higher wages but lords refused to pay • Some peasants moved to cities to work in manufacturing

20. Leads to the Renaissance • How could all of this lead to the Renaissance?