Changes in Medieval Society

1. Changes in Medieval Society Section 14.2

2. A Growing Food Supply • Changes in Agriculture • What was one of the changes from 800 to 1200? • The climate warms. What was the result? • More land became open to farming • What was the result of the changes in technology? • More food production http://www.gribbitonline.com/images/Historic%20Climate%20Change%20Trends.JPG

3. Using Horsepower • Horses replaced oxen • Their harnesses were changed from around the neck to around the body • Originally almost choked the horse • Why did the harnessed horse increase food supply? • Horses plow three times as much a day as oxen • Oxen were cheaper to have, but a lot slower

4. Three Field System • What is The Three-Field System? • Plant two fields, let one rest • Could grow crops on 2/3 of field, not just 1/2

5. Results of Three Field System • This produces more food and leads to population increase • Better sources of protein • Vegetable and bean protein • Healthier people • Resist more disease • Larger families • Live longer

6. Trade and Finances Expand

7. The Guilds • What were the Guilds? • Organization of people in the same occupation • Similar to a union of today http://www.flickr.com/photos/scalleja/387203550/ http://www.traditioninaction.org/OrganicSociety/Images_1-100/A_023_Blacksmith.jpg

8. The Guilds • What they did: controlled prices and wages in their craft. • Merchant guilds begin first; What do they do? • Keep prices up • Provide security • Skilled artisans, men and women, form craft guilds http://www.flickr.com/photos/24675232@N03/2422994335/

9. The Guilds • Guilds set standards for: • Quality • Prices • Wages • Working conditions • Ex. Bread • Guilds supervise training of new members of their craft • What did the wealth of guilds influences? • Government and economy

10. Fairs and Trade • Most trade happened in towns • Peasants in manors would travel to towns on fair days to trade • Cloth was most common trade item • Other items: bacon, honey, cheese, wine, leather • No longer were manors self-sufficient • Trade fairs are held several times a year in towns

11. Commercial Revolution • Where were the trade routes open to? • Asia, North Africa, and Byzantine ports

12. Business and Banking • What did Merchants do to avoid carrying large sums of money? • Develop credit • Merchants take out loans to purchase goods, and banking grows • Could only take out money from Jews because according to Christianity, lending money with interest was a sin called “usury” • Not considered a sin in today’s church

13. Society Changes • What was the result of these Economic changes? • The growth of cities and of paying jobs www.cartoonstock.com/directory/C/CITIES.asp • www.cartoonstock.com/directory/s/sieges.asp

14. Growing Urban Population • Growing Urban Population • From 1000–1150, Europe’s population rises from 30 million to 42 million • Most towns are small, but they help drive change • Paris- 60,000 • Town- 1,500-2,500 • Not very big

15. Trade and Towns grow together • Many people leaving manors to live in towns/cities • Why were towns uncomfortable? • Crowded • Dirty- no baths, sewage, clean water • Full of fire hazards- houses made of wood • Many serfs ran away from their manors

16. Towns and Social Order • Serf could be free after living in a town one year plus one day • How did people feel about of Feudal lords taxing and governing towns? • Resentment • What was the result? • Towns are taken over by burghers—town merchants

17. Methods of Punishment

18. Keeping Order in the Middle Ages

21. Keeping order for the more harden criminal

22. The Head Crusher • the top screw of this awful device was slowly turned, compressing the skull tightly. • First the teeth are destroyed, shattering and splintering into the jaw. • Then the eyes are squeezed from the sockets • Lastly, the skull fractures and the contents of the head are forced out.

23. Cat’s Paw • The Cat’s Paw (or Spanish Tickler) was oftentimes attached to a handle • in size and appearance it was an extension of the torturer’s hand • In this way it was used to rip and tear flesh away from the bone, from any part of the body.

24. Knee Splitter • Built from two spiked wood blocks, the knee splitter is placed on top of and behind the knee of its victims. • Two large screws connecting the blocks are then turned, causing the two blocks to close towards each other and effectively destroy a victim’s knee. • This device could also be used to inflict damage on other parts of the body such as the arms.

25. Spanish Donkey • The Spanish Donkey was a device which consisted of a main board cut with a wedge at the top fastened to two cross-beams. • The naked victim was placed astride the main board as if riding a donkey, and various numbers of weights were attached to his or her feet. • The agony could be ‘fine-tuned’ by using lighter or heavier weights. • Sources relate that on occasion, the wedge would slice entirely through the victim as a result of the immense weight attached to his or her feet

26. Lead Sprinkler • The lead sprinkler was essentially a ladle on the end of a handle. • The top half of the sphere could be removed and the lower half was filled with molten metal, boiling oil, boiling water, pitch or tar. • The perforated top half was then re-attached. Shaking or flicking the sprinkler towards the victim showered him or her with the boiling contents of the ladle.