High Middle AgesBy Tania, Brenna, and Kate

Map of Europe during the high Middle Ages

Geography

Modern Map of Europe

Timeline

1066 - William the Conqueror takes control of England

1215 - King John signs the Magna Carta

1096 - First crusade is launched

1347 - The Black Death breaks out in Italy

1337- The Hundred Years’ War begins

1431 - Joan of Arc is executed

1492- King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella complete the Reconquista of Spain

● The Black Death, or Bubonic Plague, raged across Europe, Asia, and Africa in the 1340’s-1350’s.

● Began in Mongolia and Rapidly spread to Asia, the middle east, and eventually Europe

● Does not matter whether rich or poor, or living in a rural or urban area; everyone was affected.

● Many people blamed God and lost faith in the church, which lost its strong leadership

● Economy in shreds when many workers died, causing labor cost to skyrocket and rise in prices to occur

● 1/3 of Europe’s population died - more than any war in history.

Major Event - The Black Death

● Church and state had about equal power● Monarchs began trying to gain power by:

o Developing armieso Creating tax systemso Becoming friends with middle class

Government

● William of Normandy {Nicknamed William the Conqueror}o Became king of England by force - known as the Norman Conquest

of Englando Granted fiefs, or large chunks of land, to the church and his Norman

lordso Had a census of people and property taken to aid in tax collection

● Henry IIo Created basis of common law based on custom and court rulingso Early version of the jury system we have today

Government {cont.}

● King John Io Faced many feuds and often lost themo Forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215

Stated first basic rights of all citizens Limited the monarch’s power by establishing Parliament

● Parliament is current legislative council of England

Government {cont.}

● Egyptians favored luxuries from the Byzantine Empire ● Crusaders brought items from the Middle East, increased trade● Merchants from Venice who had built ships to transport Crusaders now

used them to trade with the Middle East● Medieval innovations improved farming

○ The iron plow○ A new harness for horses

● These inventions led to more excess food for a surplus, so people could work on crafts to improve trade more

● When the Black Death hit, economy plummeted because workers died, and labor costs rose

Economy

● The Roman Catholic Church became weak and split during the late Middle Ages due to the death count of the Bubonic Plague and the lack of strong governments.

● The Roman Catholic Church was the only Church during this time in Europe

● Popes began claiming Supremacy around 1200 B.C. where only one Pope at a time would claim that they are the only Pope

● There was a split in the Church for decades when 2 or 3 popes at a time would claim to be the True Vicar of Christ

● This ended in 1417 when a Church Council in Germany removed the power from all other Popes and gave in to a new one as a compromise.

Religion

● Many took Pilgrimages to Holy places to help them develop a better relationship with God

● The Church held great power over the rulers of Europe because if they did not listen to what the Church said to do, excommunication would result. This means that the person who was excommunicated could not attend any church services, receive the sacraments and would therefore go straight to hell when they died.

● Monasteries in the Middle Ages were based on the rules set down by St. Benedict in the sixth century. The monks became known as Benedictines and took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to their leaders.

Religion Cont.

Royals

Social Structure

Nobles- Dukes, Barons

Knights & Vassals

The Clergy (Church) Pope

Cardinals, Archbishops,

Bishops

Priests

Monks/NunsMerchants, bankers, doctors, millers,

artisans, craftsmen, shop owners

Freemen/ Free Peasants

Serfs

● There were 3 basic social classes (with Nobles at the top):o oratores (Those who pray)o bellatores (Those who fight)o laborares (Those who work)

● Monarchs were at the top, but usually had limited power

● Nobles & the Church had about as much, sometimes more power than the monarch

Social Structure

● Women didn’t have the same opportunities as men to receive an education, or attend universities.

● Some girls from noble families could attend Notre Dame de Paris

● Christine de Pisan argued that if girls had equal opportunities as men, they would be just as capable of learning

● Men still looked at women as not as well-suited for education as themselves, and that women should pursue their “natural” jobs, like raising children and tending the home

The Role of Women

Christine de Pisan

● The Cultural Heritage was strong and there were many Advances made during the late Middle Ages

● Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a

group or a society that are inherited from past generation ● Universities were a great advancement during the late Middle Ages● The Europeans started to reuse ideas that came to light during the Ancient Greek

times● Greatest achievements were the towering cathedrals that symbolized their power

and wealth● The role and beliefs of the Church were a large part of cultural heritage.

Cultural Heritage and Advancements

● The crusades were a series of wars fought by Christians and Muslims for control of Jerusalem and its surrounding lands or “The Holy Lands”.

● Pope Urban II and the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I allied● First crusade almost successful; Christians take temporary control of

Jerusalem and massacre Muslims and Jewso Other crusades failed

● Helped spread ideas and goods● Caused unrest and forced huge taxes to be collected to fund the war● Formerly religious people lost faith in the church and God● 1/3 of Europeans died

Cultural Conflicts {Crusades}

Christine De Pisan Writing in Her Study. British Library, London.

Cleric, Knight, and Workman. 2012. London. By Sloane.

Knox, Skip. "On Classes, Orders and Social Position." European History. Boise State University. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

<http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/latemiddleages/society/orders.shtml>.

Map of Medieval Europe. By Mrs. Marlowe

Newman, Simon. "Social Classes in the Middle Ages." The Finer Times. The Finer Times. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.

<http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/social-classes-in-the-middle-ages.html>.

"Sites of Encounter in the Medieval World." - California History-Social Science Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

"Social History." European History. Boise State University. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.

<http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/reformation/society/structure.shtml>.

Bibliography