THE LATER MIDDLE AGES: THE LATER MIDDLE AGES: 1300-14501300-1450

Unit 1.1

Learning Objective:

Students will understand the evolution of European society from antiquity through the Later Middle Ages and analyze the ways in which religious, economic, and social upheaval affected late-Medieval society.

Major Periods in Major Periods in European HistoryEuropean History

I. Ancient Greece/Rome (c. 500 BCE-500 CE) II. Middle Ages- 5th Century CE to approx.

1450 A. Early Middle Ages (476 CE to 900 CE) B. High Middle Ages (1050- 1300) C. Later Middle Ages (1300- 1450) III. Modern Era (1450 to the present) 1. Renaissance: 1450- 1600 (1300-1527

in Italy) 2. 17th – 21st centuries

Unit 1.1

I. Black Death (1347) A. Causes

1. Bubonic plague was carried by fleas on Asian black rats and brought to Europe on ships returning from

Asia 2. Overcrowding in cities

and homes facilitated the spread of the disease

3. Poor sanitation in cities 4. Widespread malnutrition

5. Poor hygiene

B. Results: Loss of 1/3 of Europe’s population

Map of the Black Death

Time-lapse Map of Black Death

1. Some cities, such as Florence, saw death rates reach above 50%

The Toggenburg Bible (1411) contains an illustration of the

Black Death

2. Economy in towns suffered significantly

Plague doctors often wore attire, such as seen above, with the beak stuffed with spices or herbs to protect the doctor from the disease.

3. In some areas, workers enjoyed higher wages

4. Impact on the peasantry a. Serfdom ended in many

areas of western Europe b. Major peasant revolts in

England and France5. First enclosure of fields in

England6. Best of the clergy died helping

the sick7. Jews were often blamed for the

plague

8. Literature and art reflected pessimism

a. Danse of Death (Danse Macabre)

b. Northern Europe developed a fascination with death that was later reflected in the art of the Northern RenaissanceDancing

skeletons were a

common motif in the Danse

of Death

II. Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)A. Cause: the English crown lay claim to the duchy of Aquitaine inside of France

Duchy of Aquitaine (in pink) seen inside modern French borders.

B. Joan Of Arc (1412-1431) 1. Peasant girl claimed she heard voices from saints and

persuaded the king to allow her to accompany the troops 2. In 1429, led the French army to victory at Orléans -- The French heir to the throne was crowned

3. She was later burned at the stake by her English captors

Time-lapse Map of the Hundred Years’ War

C. Results of 100 Years’ War

1. France permanently removed England from France (except Calais)

2. Modernization of state building in England and France

Battle of Crécy, 1346

3. Peasant Revolts

a. Causes: taxation from the 100 Years’ War, desire for higher wages, hostility toward the nobles, higher expectations among the peasantry.

b. English Peasant Revolt (1381): largest revolt, over 100,000

involved c. Jacquerie in France

was less successful d. End of serfdom in England

Richard II meeting with

peasant rebels, 1381

III. Crisis in the Catholic ChurchA. Background

1. Western and central Europe was dominated by the Catholic church since the fall of the Roman Empire 2. The Middle Ages were characterized by religious unity under the Catholic church

B. Early critics of the church 1. Marsiglio de Padua (1270-

1342): Defensor Paxis (Defender of Peace)

a. Claimed the church should be subordinate to the state

b. Believed the church should be governed by a council of laity and priests who would be superior to the pope

2. John Wyclif (1320-1384) a. Believed the church

should only follow Scripture -- This view foreshadowed

Martin Luther’s in the early-16th century

b. Translated the Bible into English c. His later followers were known as Lollards

3. John Hus (1369-1415): Ideas similar to Wyclif a. Led a nationalist movement in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic)

• Burned at the stake for his heretical views

b. Hussites: followers of Hus who staged

large rebellions in the 14th century

C. Babylonian Captivity (1309-1377) 1. 1305, a struggle between the pope and the French king led to the election of a French pope who set up his leadership in Avignon, France 2. Seven successive popes ruled from Avignon3. Damaged papal prestige, especially in Germany and England

The papal

palace at Avignon

D. The Great Schism (c. 1377-1417)

1. Further conflict occurred in 1377 when two popes were elected—one in Rome, one in France—neither of whom recognized the other 2. Further damaged the prestige of the church

The Great

Schism

E. Conciliar Movement (1409-1418): ended the Great Schism 1. Sought to reform the church by creating a council of cardinals that would be more powerful than the pope

2. Failed as a movement; newly- elected Pope Martin V ensured papal power remained supreme

IV. Fall of the Byzantine Empire A. The Byzantine Empire had been the dominant power in southeastern

Europe for a thousand years 1. Began as the Eastern Roman Empire 2. Eastern Orthodox Church was

dominant

The empire under

Justinian in the 6th century

B. 1453, the Ottoman Empire took Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine Empire and its last remaining stronghold

1453: Ottoman Turks took Constantinople

C. Ottoman Empire spread into Europe, threatening Hungary and Austria

V. Nationalist literature of the later Middle Ages A. Rise in the use of the vernacular (national language) B. Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), The Divine Comedy C. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400): Canterbury Tales portrayed English life D. Francois Villon (1431-1463): Grand Testament

VI. Life in the Later Middle AgesA. Marriage 1. Average age for men: mid-20s; for women: 16-18 years of age

2. Economic reasons were most important

3. Divorce was non-existent4. Prostitution existed in

cities

B. Work

1. Agricultural cycles and church ritual were closely linked

2. Guilds: protected artisans in towns

3. Serfdom was reduced in many areas

C. Recreation

1. Aristocracy: jousting tournaments

2. Common people: archery, wrestling, bull-baiting, bear baiting, alcohol consumption

D. Laity increasingly managed church lands

V. Scholasticism: Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

A. Became the cornerstone of late- medieval philosophy

B. Aquinas sought to reconcile faith and reason by using logic to support

Christian doctrine --Reconciled philosophy of

Aristotle with the Bible C. Dominated Catholic

philosophy for centuries