The later middle ages

1. The later middle ages Crisis and Disintegration in the 14th Century

2. Famine and Population • Toward end of 13th century, Europe experienced a “little ice age” • Small drop in overall temperatures • Shortened growing seasons, heavy rain storms, and constant rains • The conditions destroyed harvests and caused serious food shortages • Famine killed 10% of Europe’s population in the first half of the 14th century.

3. Famine cont’d • By 1300, Europe had reached it’s max population potential. • The land could not support any more people • Famine led to: • Chronic malnutrition • Increased infant mortality • Lower birthrates • Higher susceptibility to disease

4. The Black Death • The most devastating natural disaster in European history • Originated in Asia – spread by flea infested rats carrying the bacteria. • Mongol conquests and trade routes contributed to the rapid spread of the disease. • Once infected, often spread from human coughing.

5. Two Types of Plague Bubonic PNEUMONIC • Most common • Deadly bactieriumYersiniapestis • Symptoms: • High fever • Aching joints • Swollen lymph nodes • Bleeding beneath the skin • Bacterial infection spread to the lungs • Symptoms: • Severe coughing • Bloody sputum • Easy spread of bacillus (due to coughing)

6. Effects of the Black Death • Severe decrease in population • Estimated Europe lost 25-50% of its population • About 19-38 million people • Population didn’t recover until 1500 and still took several generations to get back to 13th century level. • Reckless behavior • Sexual and alcoholic orgies • Flagellants – men and women who wandered from town to town flogging themselves with whips to win the forgiveness of God.

7. Effects of the Black Death • Anti-semitism: Jews were accused of causing the plague by poisoning wells • Pogroms – organized massacres of the Jews. • Led to a majority of Jews moving eastward to Russia and Poland, where the king offered them protection. • Lack of respect for life • Treated life as cheap and passing • Violence and violent death appeared to be more common after the plague than before.

8. Economic and Social Upheaval • Labor shortage = rise in the price of labor • Less demand for product = lower prices for goods • As a result, aristocratic incomes dropped more than 20 percent. • Felt threatened by world of higher wages and lower prices • To counterbalance this, aristocrats tried to create new governmental taxes. • This led to peasant revolts

9. Revolt in France • Known as the Jacquerie • 1358 in northern France • Peasants upset because troops during wars laid waste to their lands and mercenaries were eating their produce. • Peasants burned castles and murdered nobles • Nobles eventually close ranks and savagely massacre the rebles

10. Revolt in England • A product of rising expectations not desperation • Monarchy attempted to place a poll tax on every male member of the population • Revolt: • Successful • Kill nobles, burn manors, murder archbishop of canterbury • End result: • Poll tax eliminated and rebels pardoned

11. Revolts in the Cities • Oversupply of goods and an immediate drop in demand led to a decline in trade • Merchants and manufacturers responded by attempting to restrict competition and resist the demands of the lower classes. • However, accustomed to ruling, the established classes easily combined and quashed dissent.

12. Hundred Years’ War • Caused by a dispute over the succession to the French throne. • The Capetian dynasty failed to produce a male heir for the first time in 400 years. • Closest male relative = Edward III of England, son of Isabella who was the daughter of Philip IV (last capetian king) • French nobles argued that inheritance could not go through the female line and chose Philip, duke of Valois, to be King Philip VI

13. Joan of Arc • Born in 1412 to a wealthy peasant family • Experienced visions and came to believe that her favorite saints had commanded her to free France and have the dauphin crowned as king. • Because of her the French army found new confidence in itself and fought better. • She was captured by the English, tried as a witch, and burned at the stake before the war ended. • Later made a saint by the Catholic Church

14. End of the War • Use of the cannon was important to French success. • Castle walls and armor don’t hold up well against cannonballs and gun powder…. • Defeats of the English armies at Normandy and Aquitaine particularly detrimental. • France wins the war

15. Political Instability • Lord-vassal relationship based on land and military service replaced by contracts based on money • Monarchs liked this because they could hire more reliable, professional soldiers • Led to broke monarchies bc they had to pay soldiers • By mid-15th century, many monarchs were not direct descendants of prior rulers • Two claimants to French throne, two factions in England, three German princes trying to be Emperor

16. Growth of England’s Political Institutions • Parliament increased in prominence and developed its basic structure and functions bc of the need to levy new taxes. • House of Commons: typically approved measures by Lords, but begin drawing up petitions that could become laws. • Two factions competing for crown – Lancasters and Plantagenet. This led to the War of the Roses.

17. Problems of the French Kings • Monarchy always a bit weak bc various French territories maintained their own princes, customs, and laws. • Also, the third estate of the French parliament usually only represented northern France. • Two factions for King after insane Charles VI: Orleanist (supported by most nobles) and Burgundiands (supported by Paris and other towns)

18. The German Monarchy • A land of hundreds of virtually independent states • Rulers of states had some obligations towards King and Holy Roman Emperor, but typically acted independently. • At the beginning of the 15th century, 3 emperors claimed the throne. This created a condition that verged on anarchy.

19. Italy • Southern Italy divided into the kingdom of Naples (ruled by French house of Anjou) and Sicily (rule by Spanish house of Aragon) • Northern Italy • Ducy of Milan: Visconti family ruled through purchase of the dukedom • Florence: republican government run by 7 major guilds. • Venice: merchant families took control of the city and created a “great council”

20. Papacy at Avignon • After the death of Boniface VIII, Philip IV put pressure for a French cardinal to be elected pope. • Clement V (1305-1314) is elected and moves the papacy to Avignon. • Widely believed French monarchy now controlled the papacy • During the 72 years of the Avignonese papacy, 134 new cardinals chosen by popes and 113 were French.

21. The Great Schism • Citizens of Rome threatened cardinals not to pick another Frenchman during the conclave of 1378. • Fearful for their lives, they elected Urban VI, an Italian. • Later, they issued a manifesto claiming to have been coerced by the mob so Urban’s election was invalid. • Elected a Frenchman in Avignon – Clement VII

22. Two Popes • Europe’s loyalty divided • France, Spain, Scotland, & Southern Italy support Clement • England, Germany, Scandinavia, & most of Italy support Urban • Badly damaged the faith of Christian believers. • Pope was supposed to hold the keys to Heaven. Having two undermined the very foundation of the church.

23. Two Popes cont’d • Conciliarism • Belief that only a general council of the church could end the schism and bring reform. • Council of Pisa • Elected a third Pope, but the other two refused to step down so now there were three (yikes) • Council of Constance • Three competing popes finally resigned or were deposed of – new pope is Martin V.

24. Popular Religion • Church failed to provide sufficient spiritual comfort. • Priests abandoned parishes to escape plague • People played an active role in their own salvation • Emphasis on good works, pilgramages, charitable contributions • Mysticism • To achieve true spiritual communion with God one must imitate the life of Jesus and serve the needs of others.

25. Brothers and Sisters of the Common Life • Not a regular religious order • Lived in houses together (segregated by gender) • Did not take monastic vows, but voluntarily lived by quasi-monastic rules that they imposed on their own communities.

26. Vernacular Literature • Dante • From a noble Florentine family • Divine Comedy: story of the soul’s progression to salvation • Petrarch • Florence • Sonnets inspired by his love for a married woman • Boccaccio • Florence – uses the Tuscan dialect • Decameron – prose romances

27. Vernacular Literature • Chaucer • English author • Canterbuy Tales – told by 29 pilgrims journeying from London to the tomb of Thomas Becket. • Criticizes the church and gives various perspectives • Christine de Pizan • Widow who wrote to support her family • French prose written in defense of women • Encouraged women to defend themselves against the attacks of men.

28. Changes in Urban Life • City ordinances against waste in streets • Bath houses also shut down • Organized brothels and put a tax on prostitutes • Seen as better for men to use them than married women or virgins • Wore red hats to distinguish themselves from other women • Couples marry at a younger age • Children’s education and health taken more seriously

29. Medical Hierarchy • Physicians – usually clergymen who received their education form universities • Surgeons – performed operations, setting broken bones, and bleeding patients. • Midwives – delivered babies • Barber-Surgeons – blood letting, minor fractions, tooth extractions • Apothecaries – filled herbal prescriptions and prescribed their own

30. Inventions • Clock • Expensive • Gave more meaning to time • Typically in church towers or municipal buildings • Eyeglasses and Paper • Helped to see tiny print on paper. Not as good as today’s. • Paper made of cotton rags, but superior to modern paper • Cannons and gun powder