1300-1600: Tremendous Change in Europe

• Renaissance: New views on learning and art

• Reformation: New views on religion

• Scientific Revolution: New views on nature

• Age of Exploration: New views on world

Basic European History Time Line

• Antiquity Middle Ages Modern Era• Middle Ages (500 – 1500)– Includes the Renaissance (1350-1550)– Break down of Middle Ages• Early Middle Ages (500-1000)• High Middle Ages (1000-1300)• Later Middle Ages (1300-1500)

– To appreciate full significance of the Renaissance, must be familiar with Early and High Middle Ages

Early Middle Ages: 500-1000

THE DARK AGES

Invasions!

• 476 Fall of Rome• Various invasions mostly by Germanic tribes• Western Europe breaks into many small

kingdoms• Recall Byzantine Empire not affected by

invasions to degree that Western Europe was– Growth of Byzantine Empire under Justinian (527-

565)

Social Consequences of Constant Warfare

• Trade collapses• Cities abandoned as centers of administration• Population becomes mostly rural• Decline of learning• Germanic invaders were illiterate• Literacy mostly limited to priests and church officials• Knowledge of Greek, long important in Roman culture,

was almost lost entirely• Loss of common language of Latin• By 800 CE French, Spanish, and other Roman based

languages evolved from Latin

Political Changes

• No strong central government lots of small Germanic kingdoms replace Roman provinces

• Concept of government changes:– Roman government: loyalty to public government

and written law had unified society– Germanic society: loyalty based upon family ties

or personal relationship (felt no obligation to obey a king did not know or obey king’s official sent to collect taxes or administer justice)

Importance of Frankish Kingdom

• 511: Clovis unites the Germanic group the Franks into largest and strongest kingdom

• Clovis converts to Christianity– Strategic alliance between Franks and Church

marks start of partnership between 2 powerful forces

• By 600, with help of Franks, many German tribes had converted to Christianity

Important Leaders of Frankish Kingdom

• Charles Martel: mayor of palace (actually had more power than king) who defeated Muslim invaders at Battle of Tours in 732 (less than 100 miles outside of Paris)– After this, no further efforts by Muslim invaders to take more of

Western Europe (focused on North Africa and Eastern Europe instead)

• Charlemagne:– Builds up empire greater than any since Roman Empire– Spreads Christianity– 800: Historic coronation when Pope Leo III crowns him emperor

• Pope claimed to have political right to confer title • Signifies joining of Germanic power, Church, and heritage of Roman Empire

Charlemagne• Strong personality and military might

inspire loyalty• Not have huge standing army or way to

collect taxes, but still a huge success• Strengthened rule by limiting power of

nobles: used royal agents to govern empire• “Carolingian Renaissance”:

– Invited scholars from all over Europe to his court for discussion of religious and scientific matters

– Encouraged study of Latin literature– Ordered monasteries to open schools to train

future monks and priests, and to preserve books in libraries

– Charlemagne’s patronage was crucial for Carolingian Renaissance

– Carolingian Renaissance limited to Charlemagne’s court and monasteries

New Breakdown in Central Power Leads to Feudalism

• Upon death of Charlemagne, no capable rulers to replace him

• 800-1000: series of invasions from all sides– Muslims seize Sicily– Magyars from east– Vikings from north

• No central authority• Leads to new social order: feudalism

Feudal System• Feudal system: Social system based mutual obligations involving land holding and protective

alliances among king, lord, and knight– Lord could be a noble or a bishop– Knights were mounted horseman who pledged to defend lord

• Manor system: – Economic side to feudalism– System between lord and peasant where lord provides housing, farmland and protection in exchange for

serf’s farm work, portion of crops, and various taxes • In feudal system, status determined by power (usually inherited)

– Those who fought (nobles and knights)– Those who prayed (men and women of the Church)– Those who worked (peasants)

• Majority of the people were peasants• Self contained world: peasants’ work produces almost everything lord needs• Harsh life for peasants

– Life of pure work– Taxes owed to lord and to Church– Illness and malnutrition were widespread– Despite hard life, believed that God determined person’s place in society and they could not expect anything

more than what they had

Code of Chivalry• Feudal lords raised private armies of knights because nobles were constantly

fighting each other• Code of chivalry for knights

– Glorified both combat and romantic love– Demanded that knight fight bravely in defense of 3 masters

• Earthly feudal lord• Heavenly lord• Chosen lady

– Also supposed to protect the poor and weak, but most failed to meet this standard (treated lower classes poorly)

– Training for knight began at age 7. Full knight at 21.– Forced to engage in truly brutal warfare

• Literature, poetry, and songs of chivalry– Played down brutality of knighthood– Idealized glory of battle and romance– Songs and poems sung by traveling musicians called troubadours

Power of Church• Religion occupied center stage in much of the Middle Ages• Amid weak central governments, Church emerges as unifying

force and powerful institution• Church recognizes that living is harsh for most, but encourages

all people to follow path to salvation (which is everlasting life in heaven)– Sacraments were path to salvation

• Affect every day lives of many: – Church law existed regarding marriage and religious practices; Church

participated in celebration of religious festivals and administration of sacraments administer sacraments

– Most regular contact with people was through the parish priest

Monasteries• To adapt to rural conditions build

religious communities called monasteries– In these communities, Christian men

called monks and Christian women called nuns give up private possessions and devote lives to serving God

• Monasteries become Europe’s best educated communities– Monks open schools, maintain libraries,

and copy books– Made beautiful copies of religious

writings decorated with ornate letters and brilliant pictures (preserving at least a part of Rome’s intellectual heritage)

Example of Work by Monks:Book of Kells

Role of Pope• Pope is head of Church; considered to be successor to St. Peter• Popes broadened power beyond spiritual role by becoming involved in

political matters such as:– Using Church revenues to raise armies, repair roads, help poor– Negotiating peace treaties with invaders (Lombards)– Crowning Charlemagne emperor in 800 and Otto the Great in 962

• Land allegedly governed was from Italy to England and Spain to Germany• Idea of a churchly kingdom, ruled by pope, is central theme of Middle Ages

– Clashes between pope and political leaders regarding extent of power, including who could appoint bishops (powerful positions in Church)

– 2 harshest punishments Church could use to get rulers to cede to pope:• Excommunication: banish ruler from Church, denied salvation• Interdict: shut off ruler’s town from sacraments (people fear losing salvation so pressure

ruler to cede to pope)

Church Reform

Problems in Church• Problems in Church

– Too worldly: wealthy, own too much land, too involved in politics

– Priests and bishops not follow canon law regarding celibacy (had been marrying, having children contrary to law)

– Some bishops selling positions in Church

– Popes and clergy of questionable morals

Age of FaithNew spirit in Church leads to reform in 900s called the “Age of Faith”

– Start in monasteries: return to basic principles of Christian religion (spirituality versus worldliness)

– Popes stand behind reforms designed to eliminate problems

– Popes try to further restructure Church as a kingdom with pope at head

– New religious orders begin: Franciscans and Dominicans

Cathedrals Reflect Zeal for Faith• Cathedral: viewed as

representing City of God that should be decorated with all riches Christians could offer

• 800-1000: Romanesque style– Rounded arches– Heavy roof held by thick

walls and pillars– Tiny windows that led in little

light

High Middle Ages: 1000-1300

CHANGES IN

MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

Population, Guilds, Trade • Invasions cease; more stability• Population explodes: Improved farming techniques led to more food, better nutrition,

better chance at survival• Guilds emerge: organization of individuals in same business working to improve

economic and social conditions of its members (like modern day union)– Merchant guilds: control number of goods traded and keep prices up– Craft guilds: standards for quality of work, wages, conditions, training of workers– Guilds become powerful influence in economy and government

• Trade develops:– Local fairs in towns– International trade: Italian merchants in particular travel Mediterranean to

Constantinople, and to Muslim ports in North Africa– Business acumen develops:

• Increased market for goods profit reinvest profit to buy more goods to sell• Letters of credit used by traders• Banking systems formed in Italy

Towns Grow; Feudal System Declines

• Towns grow:– People attracted to lucrative trading in towns– Feudal system starts to die out as serfs run away to towns

• Merchant class: – Shifted traditional social order of noble, clergy, peasant

(merchant was wealthy but not by inheritance – through own intelligence and work)

– Feudal lords at first try to control towns where merchants were

– Merchants organize selves and fight for control

Age of Faith Inspires New Church Architecture

• New spirit in Church fuels Gothic style

• Money from growing wealth in towns

• Characteristics:– Thrust upward as if reaching heaven– Pointed arches– Flying buttresses– Huge stained glass windows– All elements meant to inspire

magnificence of God• 1170-1270: over 500 Gothic

cathedrals built• Show of faith: took long time to

build with little tools

Age of Faith Inspires Conquest and Inquisition

Conquest• Crusade: Holy war to gain

control of Holy Land• 1095: Pope Urban II

declares holy war against Muslims in Holy Land

• 4 major crusades• End in a truce: Muslims

maintain control, but Christians can make pilgrimages to Holy Land

Inquisition• Inquisition: Church court set

up to try people for infractions against Church doctrine

• Resulted in torture and sometimes death for those found guilty

• Spain had own inquisition (“Spanish Inquisition”) to find heretics and expel Muslims and Jews

Education Advances

• Universities develop– University of Paris and University of Bologna were

first universities– Students usually sons of wealthy merchants– Study to get job in government or the Church

• Poets begin to use local language which increases education (Ex. Dante’s Divine Comedy in Italian and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in English)

12th Century Renaissance• Christian scholars visit Muslim libraries in Spain to study ancient

Greek and Latin works that Muslims had preserved• Christian scholars like Thomas Aquinas study ancient texts

specifically in order to reconcile truth of the ancients with faith– Aquinas and companions called “scholastics”– Focused on finding the absolute truth and logical analysis– In Summa Theologica argued religious truths could be proved by

logical argument• Jurists look to Roman law for guidance• Because of reliance on ancients, this period sometimes referred

to as the “12th Century Renaissance”

Development of Nation States and Democratic Traditions

• As feudal system declines and towns grow more centralized government and development of nations

• Kings in France and England especially consolidate their power, setting up lasting institutions to help them govern

England• Royal court system

– Royal judges go to every part of England at least once a year to collect taxes, settle lawsuits, and punish crimes– Introduce jury system– Use of common law: over centuries, case by case, rulings of English royal judges form body of law known as

common law• Basis of law for England and USA today

• 1215: Magna Carta– Most celebrated document in English history and cornerstone of democratice government– Represents backlash of nobles over king’s efforts to centralize– Nobles sought to limit king’s powers by guaranteeing certain political rights

• No tax without representation• No trial with jury• No case without protection of law

– Underlying principle: all subject to law, even king• 1295: Model Parliament

– Legislative body made up of commoners (non-nobles) and lords– King has to call every time wants to raise a tax– Eventually form 2 groups that make up legislative body operating in England today

• House of Commons • House of Lords

France

• Royal court system – Royal officials called bailiffs sent from Paris to every district in kingdom to preside

over king’s courts and to collect taxes– Appeals court that could overturn local feudal courts

• Estates General– Tiered legislative system: First Estate = Church; Second Estate = Great Lords;

Third Estate = commoners, wealthy landowners or merchants– Centuries later: Third Estate play key role in overthrowing French monarchy

during French Revolution• Summary of England and France centralization of government:

– Took control of more land– Expand power of government through courts and law– Include commoners in government

Other governments

• Germany– Consisted of much of what was Holy Roman Empire– Monarchy not centralize as quickly as in England and France

• Constant clash with pope over authority • Emperor elected by princes (rather than assume power by divine

right as in England and France)• Power based upon feudal bonds versus monarchic institutions in

France and England

• Spain– Not yet ready to centralize because broken into small, weak

principalities

Later Middle Ages 1300-1500

1300s = Europe in Crisis• Serious Problems in Church

– No longer successful at trying to be a papal monarchy because lost moral credibility

– Crusades not end in victory– Church divided within: cannot decide where pope should live or who

should even be pope (time called the Great Schism)– Scholars challenge authority of Church

• John Wycliffe from England; Jan Hus from Bohemia• Reject pope as head of Church• Reject worldliness of clergy• Emphasize importance of Bible and translate it into English• Challenges will reappear with much greater strength and effect during

Reformation

• Famine: Change in climate and overpopulation led to large famine

Bubonic PlagueBubonic plague virus traveled on trade routes in Asia

– Arrived in Europe in 1300s– Name from black and purple spots appear

on skin– Some communities escape unharmed;

others completely annihilated– Kill 25 million in Europe alone

Economic and social effects are enormous– Trade declines– Feudal system disintegrates with serfs

leaving in search of better wages– Nobles fiercely resist peasant demand for

higher wages resulting in various peasant rebellions

– Church loses more authority because unable to stop destruction of plague

Hundred Years War 1337-1453

• War between England and France over French crown

• Disrupts trade; results in even more death on both sides (in addition to famine and plague deaths)

• Marks end of chivalry because knights no longer powerful due to foot soldier’s use of long bow

• Increase in nationalism for France and England

End of Medieval Era

• Many scholars mark the end of the Hundred Years War (1453) as end of Medieval Era

• Twin pillars of Medieval world – religious devotion and chivalry – no longer held power that did before– Age of Faith no longer

• Scandalous wealth• Great Schism• Inability to stop plague

– Knights replaced by foot soldiers