The Late Middle Ages (1200-1400)

1. The Late Middle Ages (1200-1400) World History - Libertyville HS

2. Characteristics of Period • Agriculture • Limits of agricultural land reached • “Mini Ice Age” caused famines, loss of crops due to poor growing seasons / long winters • Politics • Wars common through period as political consolidation continued

3. Characteristics of Period • Economic • Invention of double entry bookkeeping allowed for keeping track of debts and income at same time • Led to development of banking • Rise of Italian banking families • Medici, of Florence • Became patrons of the Renaissance

4. Characteristics of Period • Hanseatic League (N. Holy Roman Empire) • Trading federation among Baltic Sea & inland HRE • Political, economic force in late Middle Ages (fish on Fridays) • Helped create larger, more varied European trading communities • Luxury goods became more available for rich • Iron tools became more common for poor

5. Characteristics of Period • Religious • Real and perceived corruption of Church • Simony, sale of indulgences • Rise of “heretics” (people who disagree with Catholic church) • Jon Hus – Czech philosopher who opposed simony, indulgences • Invited to debate church • Imprisoned, burned at stake • Important because he foreshadowed Protestant Reformation • Inquisition

6. Characteristics of Period • Education • Rise of universities in 1100s, in Europe • “University” = community of scholars • Universities usually run by priests, monks • Purpose of learning was to understand God better • Universities surprisingly accepting of ideas from other cultures (zero, Arabic numbers for math)

7. Black Death (1347-1350) • Estimated death toll = 50 million • Between 1/3 and ½ of population of Europe • Death toll high, but not only b/c of plague • Trade stopped (no food) • Famines • Labor shortages, in fields • 100 Years War started in 1337

8. Black Death (Bubonic Plague) • Bubonic plague carried by fleas • Fleas carried by Rats • Plague actually a virus • Made its way to Europe from China • Probably brought from East by Italian merchants • Rats on ships brought infected fleas to Europe

9. Bubonic Plague Characteristics • Fever, blotches all over body • Huge swelling under armpits, around lymph nodes, called buboes • If they burst, you were ok; if not, you were dead within hours • Puncturing them with a knife did not help

10. Responses to the Plague • Doctors thought it was transmitted through the air (herbs, incense) • Religious leaders thought God was punishing man for sins • Flagellant cult: travelling groups who prayed for forgiveness & whipped themselves as a sign of repentance • Blamed Jews for plague (attacks)

11. Effects of Plague • Peasant life improved • Population way down, but their service became valuable • Demanded wages, better working conditions from Lords • If life didn’t improve, peasants rebelled • Nobility were less affected by plague • Less contact with virus carrying rats • 1 prince, relatively few nobles died • Affected more by economic, political changes