The Late Middle Ages

World History I

•The Black Death (bubonic plague) was the most devastating natural disaster in European history.•The plague was spread by black rats infested with fleas carrying a deadly bacterium.

The Black Death

The Spread of the Black Death• Most historians believe the plague started in Mongolia.• The plague was brought to Sicily by Italian merchants in

October 1347.– By the end of 1347, it spread to southern Italy and southern

France.– The spread of the plague typically followed trade routes.

• Over the next few years, the plague spread throughout Europe.– Between ¼ and ½ of Europe’s population died from the plague.– Italian cities were hit especially hard, losing 50-60% of their

population.• Black Death Interactive Map

Symptoms of the Black Death

Cures for the Black Death?

• Medieval people did not know about germs causing disease. They did not understand that plague was spread by rats and fleas. They thought that people’s bodies were poisoned.

• If the swellings burst and the poison came out people sometimes survived. It seemed sensible to draw out the poison.

• The swellings should be softened with figs and cooked onions. The onions should be mixed with yeast and butter. Then open the swellings with a knife.

• Take a live frog and put its belly on the plague sore. The frog will swell up and burst. Keep doing this with further frogs until they stop bursting. Some people say that a dried toad will do the job better.

Do you think these worked????

Two Cures for the Black Death

Consequences of the Black Death• At the time, people did not know what caused the plague.

– Some believed it was sent by God as a punishment for their sins, while others believed that Jews caused the plague by poisoning the wells.• This led to an outbreak of anti-Semitism, or hostility toward

Jews.

• Economic Consequences– Trade declined.– Shortage of workers led to an increase in the price of labor.– Peasants bargained with their lords to pay rent instead of

providing services.• Decline in serfdom and feudalism.

Decline of Church Power

• In the late Middle Ages, European kings were no longer willing to accept papal claims of supremacy.– King Philip IV of France said he had the right to tax the

clergy.• After the Pope died, Philip elected a French pope.• He moved the papacy to Avignon, in southern France.

• The election of popes became a problem.– Citizens of Rome demanded an Italian was named pope.

Decline of Church Power, cont.– An Italian, Urban VI was elected, but French officials

refused to accept this.• The French elected a new pope in Avignon, while Urban

remained in Rome – there were now two popes.

– This split in the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 is known as the Great Schism.• This was resolved in 1417, when a new pope who was

acceptable to all parties was elected.

– By the early 1400s, the church no longer held political power over the state.

Europe During the Great Schism

The Hundred Years’ War• The Hundred Years’ War was fought between

France and England from 1337 through 1453.– It was fought over an area called Gascony.– Changes in the nature of warfare took place during the

Hundred Years’ War.• Peasant foot soldiers replaced armored knights.

– The English used the longbow to win important battles at Crecy and Agincourt.

The Hundred Years’ War, cont.• The French were losing the war when Joan of Arc

persuaded the French king to allow her to accompany the French army to Orleans.– Joan of Arc, a deeply religious peasant who had visions of

leading France to freedom, inspired the French to capture Orleans.

– Shortly thereafter, Joan was captured and turned over to the English, who condemned her to death for heresy.

– Joan’s achievements were decisive.• The French won the war in 1453.• The cannon and the introduction of gunpowder were also

instrumental in French victory.

Joan of Arc was captured by the English and burned at the stake.

Political Recovery• Despite being exhausted by the Hundred Years’ War,

France developed as a strong state.• England continued to face turmoil with the onset of

the War of the Roses.– The War of the Roses was a struggle between noble

factions to control the monarchy.• The marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella was a major

step toward unifying Spain.

The End of Feudalism (not in book)• Several factors in the late Middle Ages contributed

to Europe breaking away from the feudal system.– The Crusades led a revival in European trade.– Lords sold land to pay for Crusades.– The Black Death led to a decline in population.• Less people available to work made labor very valuable.

– Many serfs bought their freedom and moved to towns.– New weapons led to the end of knights and knighthood.• The Longbow, gunpowder, cannon.