europe in 1650 overview of politics and society. political map of europe in 1650
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Europe in 1650
Overview of Politics and Society
Political Map of Europe in 1650
Holy Roman Empire in 1650
Crises of the 17th Century
•War
• Plague
• Famine
Thirty Years War: 1618-1648
• Defenestration of Prague
• Causes: – Religious– Political– Confused
• General Devastation in central Europe
Treaty of Westphalia: 1648
• Rulers in each of the states within the Holy Roman Empire independent of Emperor
• HRE a loose confederation of 352 states
• Recognition that different religions can co-exist within the Empire
Effects of Thirty Years War
• German states of central Europe fragmented for more than 200 years
• Population of central Europe decimated:
• In 1600, approximately 20 million people– By 1648, only 13 million– By 1700, still only 14 million
English Civil War: 1641-1648
• Struggle between Royal forces (Cavaliers) and Parliamentary forces (Roundheads)
• Issues:– Religion– Royal authority – Taxation
• War ended with trial and execution of King Charles I in 1649
Fronde in France: 1650s
• Rebellious groups of nobles attacked royal strongholds, trying to capture child King Louis XIV
• Issues:– Religion– Royal Authority– Taxation
• Revolt fizzled, largely because nobles were not united
Plague
• Epidemics of plague ravaged Europe
• 1649-1654: Mediterranean region
• 1657: Southern Italy
• 1665: London and southern Englan
• 1675-1685: Spain
• 1720: France
Bubonic Plague or ‘Black Death’
Bubonic plague from bite of an infected flea:– enlarged and inflamed lymph nodes
(around arm pits, neck and groin). – headaches, nausea, aching joints, fever of
101-105 degrees, vomiting, and a general feeling of illness
– 1-7 days to appear– mortality rate was 30-75%
Pneumonic Plague
• Second most common form of early modern plague
• Spread through droplets from coughs• Infected the lungs• Slimy sputum tinted with blood,
becoming progressively worse & bright red
• Mortality rate: 90-95%
Causes of Plague
• Poor sanitation
• Overcrowding, especially in cities
• No understanding of disease and its causes
• Bubonic Plague spread by fleas carried by brown rat
• Often half population died
• Famine often preceded or followed plague
Famine: Why?
• 85% of population lived directly dependent on the land for survival
• Low yield: 4:1 ratio needed for prosperity
• Little or no fertilizer—2/5 of land left fallow each year
• Climate colder and wetter during 17th century: seeds sometimes rotted in ground
Results of Famine
• In rural areas, lack of food to survive winter and plant next year
• In towns and cities, rising prices created hardship for poor and even ‘middling’ folk
• Poor transportation networks made movement of food difficult
• Example: Weavers of Beauvais
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