Economic and Political Organization of Renaissance Society
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Transcript of Economic and Political Organization of Renaissance Society
Economic and Political Organization of
Renaissance SocietyChapter 13
Euro Society in the Age of the Renaissance 1350 - 1550
Race◦ Ideas about race grew out of the notions of ethnic
purity and bloodlines (Ch. 12) ◦ Culture & blood together define what group one
belonged to Gens -People Natio – nation Race – interchangeable with above
Social not physical Dress not skin color Biological notions come later – 18thC
Social Hierarchies
Africa◦ Slaves arrive 1530s
Portuguese explorers 5000 sold each year 3% of Portugal's population
10% of city pop mixed-raced Black servants were highly desirable
Sign of wealth Many included black servants in their portraits
Objects of curiosity & entertainers Supplemented labor force
Little known of Africa and its people Relied on biblical texts & ancient account Color black associated with evil & sin – God light
Also associated with purity Monks wore black
Mourners – blessed by Christ
Social Hierarchies
Class◦ Developed from the work of 19thC theorists◦ Medieval – 3 orders/estates
Those who prayed – the clergy Those who fought – the nobility Those who did everything else – laborers & merchants
France – nobility was inherited (exempt from taxation)◦ Ren – new hierarchy based on wealth
Order & wealth intertwined Clergy & nobility highest status – regardless of wealth
Merchants – wealthy/powerful Wanted noble lifestyle
Marry into noble families Buy noble titles
Sumptuary laws Merchants (wealthier than many nobles) created restriction & visible
distinctions Entrance into privileged groups Access to town citizenship Dress and behavior codes
Social Hierarchy
◦ Sumptuary laws Latin – expenditure (dated back to the Romans) imposed by rulers
curb the expenditure of the people to control behavior ensure that a specific class structure was maintained.
The Medieval Feudal system - everyone knew their place! Clothing provided an immediate way of distinguishing 'Who was Who'!
provided information about the status of the person wearing them. dictated by the Pyramid of Power the ravages of the Black Death significantly reduced the population /changed
society dictated what color and type of clothing individuals were allowed to wear, easy and immediate way to identify rank and privilege.
Royalty were permitted to wear clothes trimmed with ermine. Lesser Nobles were allowed to wear clothing trimmed with fox and otter
Ren system continued these laws Restrictions & visible distinctions
Restricted entrance into privileged groups Restricted access to town citizenship Dress and behavior codes penalties for violating could be harsh - fines, the loss of property, title and even life
Social Hierarchy
Gender◦ The word “gender” not in use (20thC notion)
Women◦ Querelle des femmes – women’s nature/roles◦ Many books and broadsides about women
Roles Virtues & vices
Some writers described women Devious Scheming
Other writers described women Praised exemplary women for being like men
◦ Feared disruption of subordinate position - destabilize society Conflict – women rulers
Mary Elizabeth ! Isabella
Demonstrated masculine qualities Bravery Stamina Wisdom duty
Social Hierarchy
Origin of Political Institutions◦ Representative assemblies◦ Bureaucracies◦ Juries◦ Ren – changes in the monarchy
Applied ideas of pol. Thinkers Enforced their power & sovereignty
Tamed the nobles by reducing their political power Use of violence
Politics & the State
Change in the power of the nobles was enabled by changes in military technology. Artillery, the longbow, and early forms of the rifle, were all wielded by commoners, making knights less useful on the battlefield and their castles easily penetrable. Since monarchs no longer depended on the nobles to fight, the nobles lost their prestige, although they soon became the officer corps of the royal armies.
AP Tip
France◦ Hundred Years’ War
Depopulated Econ. Devastated
◦ Recovery under Charles VII (crowned thru efforts by Joan of Arc) Brought dissident Burgundians into fold Gave middle class greater influence in the royal council Estab. two taxes as the main source of royal income
Salt Land
Asserted rights over the Fr. Church Confirmed the kings right to select bishops and abbots
◦ Louis XI (son of Charles VII) Focus on econ issues
Funded new industry Entered into commercial treaties with other states
Improved army Took control of Burgundy Stopped fur collar crime
Politics & the State
England◦ The Hundred Years War◦ Eng. Aristocracy broke into factions
War of Roses Created disorder & Econ. Woes Yorkist side initially defeated the Lancastrians
Restored strong monarchial rule Repressed the power of the nobility Kings
Edward IV Richard III Henry Tudor (Lancastrian) – Tudor dynasty
Politics & the State
Lancaster – York = Tutor
Richard III was the title character of Shakespeare’s play that repeated the accusation that Richard murdered the two sons of his brother. This remains a subject of debate. Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time is a modern mystery novel that exonerates Richard. Considering both sides of the debate is an excellent way to understand POV for DBQs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vqeZV8_3oQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4oHV8c_7so
AP Tip
England cont.◦ Tudor Rule
Parliament’s power grew during the Hundred Years’ War Tudors maneuvered around their obligations to call Parliament Henry VII - Royal council
12 men mostly gentry (lower landowning class) & lawyers. Became the center of royal authority Star Chamber (offshoot)
Tried those accused of interfering with royal authority (usually aristocrats) Torture & secrecy used against the traditions estab. by the Magna
Carta & common law Tudors promoted prosperity
Justice of the Peace to run local government (usually landowners) Maintained order & pro-commerce prosperity
Cloth & shipbuilding industries Ireland peace – thru military action Scotland peace – thru marriage
Politics & the State
Spain◦ Two Large Kingdoms – Castille & Aragon
Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille Married – did not united kingdoms Shared foreign policy Jointly warred to defeat remaining Muslim kingdom –
Granada Restricted aristocracy thru hermandades (town councils)
Successful in repressing violence Disbanded in 1498
Restructured royal council Excluded magnates – replaced by middle-class lawyers
Used the church to dominate politics Appointed bishops of Spain & New World colonies Funded armies with income from church estates
Politics and the State
Spain cont.◦ Minorities
Jewish resentment grows Although Jews supported royal power – several brutal incidents Late 14thC many Jews converted after wave of violence
New Christian – conversos Some held high positions in the church, business, law, medicine & gov.
Highly influential Many were suspicious of the New Christians
1480 Inquisition to uncover those whose conversion was insincere Most coversos rejected such claims Torture was used to get confessions
1492 (also time of Muslim defeat) Jews expelled from Spain 150,000 Same treatment toward Muslims (however not expelled for another Century)
◦ Joanna (Ferdinand & Isabella’s child) married to Philip (Habsburg heir to Holy Roman Empire) Child of this marriage – Charles V His son Phillip II unified Portugal & Spain
Politics and the State
Hapsburgs
Common misconception is that the Inquisition tried and persecuted Jews. As an ecclesiastical court, it no authority over Jews or Muslims, only those who were members of the church. While most of the victims of the Inquisition were conversos, they were persecuted as Christians, not as Jews, although it was their Jewish origin that made them targets. The Inquisitors claimed & probably believed that they were protecting the accused’s immortal soul by forcing confession through torture. The loss of most of the Jewish & Muslim population of Spain deprived it of people with expertise in agriculture, business, and scholarship. This had harmful consequences for Spain.
AP Tip
http://spiritualmind.com/2009/07/inquisition-history-channel/
The Inquisition