Objective and Reading Questions
Objective: Explain the causes and consequences of political decentralization in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450.
A. What is decentralization?
B. What was the result of a decentralized government?
C. In feudalism, there were several relationships, explain them below:
- Monarch:
- Lords:
- Peasants:
D. What was the 3 Field System?
E. Describe the manorial system;
F. What was the Magna Carta?
G. What was the Estates General?
J. Describe the governing system of The Byzantine Empire and what led to its decline.
K. Explain the governing system of Kiev Rus and how it was influenced by the Byzantines.
State Building in Western Europe
In Afro-Eurasia, political states were organized as centralized imperial bureaucracies like the Abbasid and the Song. However Western Europe experienced decentralized rule known as feudalism after the fall of Rome. Instead of a united empire under one ruler, Europe was divided into many small kingdoms. Political borders were often based on the local geography (rivers, mountains, etc.) since they provided military protection. Without any strong centralized government, Western Europeans often experienced warfare from rival kingdoms or nomadic invasions. Every Western European kingdom has a monarch, usually a king, that grants land to lords in exchange for money and soldiers, especially in times of war. The lords (whose wealth was measured by land rather than gold or luxuries) provided land to the knights, who pledge to fight for their lord as well as the king. The knights protect the peasants and serfs, who were obligated to farm the lord’s land and provide the lord with crops and livestock as well as obey the lord and king’s orders.
Manor System: Since land-based empires achieved political stability, Afro-Eurasian societies specialized their labor to produce luxury and bulk goods that were sold throughout different trans-regional trade networks. But feudalism prevented Western Europe from achieving stability, trans-regional trade was rather uncommon. Instead, Western European economies was based on the manor system. Manor grounds were small villages that included a church, a blacksmith, a mill (a building that grinds grain into flour using a wheel turned by the flowing water of a stream), and presses for wine and oil. The manor produced everything the people living on it needed, limiting the need for trade or contact with outsiders. Manors were mostly populated by serfs, peasant farmers required to work the land for their lord. While technically not slavery, historians argue serfdom was a form of coerced (forced) labor since serfs could not travel off the land or even marry without their lord’s approval. By paying tribute to their lord with crops and labor, the peasants received protection from the knights. The manor system provided economic self-sufficiency to feudal kingdoms, decreasing any desire for regional trade between different European states or trans-regional trade with Afro-Eurasian societies.
Agriculture became more efficient due to a new farming technique. The three-field system, where crop production rotated in and out of three field, was practiced. One field was planted to grow wheat and grains as the staple crop. A second field was planted to grow legume plants like peas and lentils. These plants made the soil more fertile by adding nitrogen to it. The third field is called the fallow field, which means its unused by farmers for the entire harvest year, as a way to help replenish the nutrients in the soil. Every year, the fields rotate on which grow crops, and which is unused or fallow. Other technological advancements included windmills and lighter plows. Those advancements would lead to population growth and increased stability.
Agriculture became more efficient due to a new farming technique. The three-field system, where crop production rotated in and out of three field, was practiced. One field was planted to grow wheat and grains as the staple crop. A second field was planted to grow legume plants like peas and lentils. These plants made the soil more fertile by adding nitrogen to it. The third field is called the fallow field, which means its unused by farmers for the entire harvest year, as a way to help replenish the nutrients in the soil. Every year, the fields rotate on which grow crops, and which is unused or fallow. Other technological advancements included windmills and lighter plows. Those advancements would lead to population growth and increased stability.
The End of the Middle Ages
The end of the Middle ages came due to the increased trade and banking, Black Plague, and the 100 year war. The end of feudal lord rule helped create stronger central monarchies. We will learn about in the next two chapters. We will learn how monarchs created stronger central monarchies and began to expand in Afro Eurasia.
The end of the Middle ages came due to the increased trade and banking, Black Plague, and the 100 year war. The end of feudal lord rule helped create stronger central monarchies. We will learn about in the next two chapters. We will learn how monarchs created stronger central monarchies and began to expand in Afro Eurasia.
The money system in turn caused the birth of a middle class, which didn’t fit anywhere into the feudal system. It was made up of the serfs and peasants that left the feudal system in search of making money in trade. For the middle class, the king granted Charters, made a uniform law, started banking, offered protection, and expanded territory. In return, the middle class paid taxes to the king. While this money economy grew, the feudal lords were put into an economic squeeze. As one may see, that didn’t leave much of a place for the nobles, who were rapidly losing power.
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The Crusades spurred the growth of trade, which in turn gave rise to a money system. The modern bank system rose in Italy. Christians and Muslims were not allowed to charge interest according to their religions. Jews were not allowed to own land. As a result many Jews began to lend money and collect interest. The Medici family in Italy then became enormously wealthy lending money.
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The Middle Ages ended towards the end of the 14th century One of the things that ended the Middle Ages was the Black Plague. The plague decimated the European population killing 200 millions people. There were less peasants to work the fields. Also advances in agriculture led to urbanization and many peasants leaving for the city. The remining peasants rebelled leading the landed elite to begin to pay wages.
Another factor that ended the Middle Ages was the 100 year War. Between 1337 and 1453 England and France were in what historians call the 100 year war. They were fighting mostly for land. English archers helped win the war with the longbow. The longbow could pierce the knight's armor. Another innovation was Chinese gunpowder. The Mongols brought to invention to Europe via de Silk Road. Europeans began to use gunpowder to develop cannons. The new innovations effectively made knights and castles obsolete. Also, the war created allegiance for the king instead of the nobles and a sense of nationalism or pride in one's country. Both the Black plague and increased trade as well as the 100 year war help end the Middle ages.
Another factor that ended the Middle Ages was the 100 year War. Between 1337 and 1453 England and France were in what historians call the 100 year war. They were fighting mostly for land. English archers helped win the war with the longbow. The longbow could pierce the knight's armor. Another innovation was Chinese gunpowder. The Mongols brought to invention to Europe via de Silk Road. Europeans began to use gunpowder to develop cannons. The new innovations effectively made knights and castles obsolete. Also, the war created allegiance for the king instead of the nobles and a sense of nationalism or pride in one's country. Both the Black plague and increased trade as well as the 100 year war help end the Middle ages.
Politics in Western Europe and the Beginning of Democracy
England the Magna Carta and Parliament
In 1199, King John came to power in England. He lost many wars and taxed the nobles heavily. He also began to arrest them at will. In 1215 angry nobles forced a meeting with the King of England. There thy insisted that he sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was an agreement between the nobles and king. The king could still rule but he also had to respect the noble's rights such as the right to a trial. King John also had to consult the nobles before raising taxes. Although this document only guaranteed the rights of the nobles, it began the tradition that the king did not have absolute rule.
In 1295, Edward I, King John's grandson took another step towards including more people in government. Edward created the Model Parliament. This governing body included nobles and high ranking clergy but it also included low ranking clergy and commoners.
France and the Estates General
France also created a representative government called the Estates General. This was a representative body similar to the Congress in the US. However they represented the clergy, the nobility and the commoners. The Estates General only had the power to advice. The French king still had the ultimate decision.
In 1199, King John came to power in England. He lost many wars and taxed the nobles heavily. He also began to arrest them at will. In 1215 angry nobles forced a meeting with the King of England. There thy insisted that he sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was an agreement between the nobles and king. The king could still rule but he also had to respect the noble's rights such as the right to a trial. King John also had to consult the nobles before raising taxes. Although this document only guaranteed the rights of the nobles, it began the tradition that the king did not have absolute rule.
In 1295, Edward I, King John's grandson took another step towards including more people in government. Edward created the Model Parliament. This governing body included nobles and high ranking clergy but it also included low ranking clergy and commoners.
France and the Estates General
France also created a representative government called the Estates General. This was a representative body similar to the Congress in the US. However they represented the clergy, the nobility and the commoners. The Estates General only had the power to advice. The French king still had the ultimate decision.
Objective and Reading Questions
Objective: Explain how the beliefs and practices of the predominant religions in Europe affected European society.
A. Explain how the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches emerged from the Christian Church in Europe in 1054.
B. The Roman Catholic church was extremely influential in Europe at this time - why?
D. Summarize the main goal of the Christian Crusades.
E. Explain how religious, social, and economic pressures resulted in the Crusades.
A. Explain how the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches emerged from the Christian Church in Europe in 1054.
B. The Roman Catholic church was extremely influential in Europe at this time - why?
D. Summarize the main goal of the Christian Crusades.
E. Explain how religious, social, and economic pressures resulted in the Crusades.
The Power of the Catholic Church
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The Roman Catholic Church was the most powerful institution in a Western Europe divided into hundreds of small feudal states. Organized similar to the administrators obeying the centralized ruler of an empire, the Roman Catholic Church had an extensive hierarchy of cardinals, bishops and priests, who declared allegiance to the pope, the supreme bishop in Rome and leader of the Catholic Church. The cardinals determine who gets to be pope. The bishops selected and supervised local priests. Those who dedicate their lives to a religious institution like the Catholic Church were part of the clergy. The Roman Catholic Church’s bureaucracy was responsible for conducting the seven sacraments and other rituals for Christian communities. Since the Bible was written in Latin, only those who were part of the clergy were able to read the holy text. Most Western Europeans were illiterate, so they had to rely on the clergy to teach them about the Bible and Christianity
The Crusades: During the Foundations Period, the Roman Catholic Church sought to reclaim control of the Holy Land, the region of Israel in the Middle East that contains sites of spiritual significance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. European Christians had enjoyed access to these lands for centuries, even after they came under Muslim control. The Seljuk Turks took control of the Middle East and limited access to the Silk Roads. Fearing more Turk incursions, the Byzantine Emperor asked for help from the Catholic Pope. Since the Roman Catholic Church has a great deal of influence across all feudal kingdoms in Western Europe, the pope called for all kings to send their armies to reclaim Jerusalem for Christians. The Church authorities told peasants they would be forgiven for all their sins if they would fought in the Crusade. From 1099 to 1204, the Church organized four major crusades that sent thousands of Christian soldiers to the Middle East. Only the first Crusade did they successfully conquer Jerusalem, but over time lost control to Muslim forces. The Christian Crusaders killed thousands of Muslims and Jews and destroyed many cities while traveling to Jerusalem.
The Crusades increased European interaction with the Middle East, causing significant long-term consequences. Tens of thousands of Europeans came into personal contact with the Islamic world, from which the picked up a taste for the many luxury goods available there, stimulating European demand for Asian goods. They also learned techniques for producing sugar on large plantations using slave labor, a process they will transfer to the Americas in the Early Modern Period. Muslim scholarship, along with the Greek learning and science that was preserved in the House of Wisdom, began to flow into Europe. However, the European trade with the Middle East in the Mediterranean Sea also opened Europe to the spread of the Black Death plague, which killed over 25 million Europeans.
The Renaissance
By 1300, innovations in farming led to a population increase, increased urbanization and increased trade. That increased trade led to wealth from the merchant class. The Bubonic Plague brought great turmoil to Europe but it also helped end the Middle Ages. The end of the Middle ages brought new cultural opportunities. The Renaissance is said to have started from 1300 to 1600 CE. However, there is no clear starting or ending date. The Renaissance began in Italy were many wealthy merchants and bankers had grown rich from the increased trade in the Mediterranean. One of those wealthy banking families were the Medici.
Renaissance artists created a new interest in the classical ideas of the Greeks and Romans. Scholars recovered these ancient works due to increased contact with both the Byzantines and Muslim merchants. The innovation of the printing press with movable print by Johannes Gutenberg allowed the cheap printing of books and increased literacy as well as spread knowledge throughout Europe.
Three very important ideas that guided the Renaissance were humanism. This philosophy balances the religious point of view with the secular point of view. It emphasizes the dignity and worth of the individual. They focus on creating art that focuses on human life rather than the spiritual. Some famous Renaissance artists include Dante Alighieri, Niccolo Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo Davinci.
The Roman Catholic Church was the most powerful institution in a Western Europe divided into hundreds of small feudal states. Organized similar to the administrators obeying the centralized ruler of an empire, the Roman Catholic Church had an extensive hierarchy of cardinals, bishops and priests, who declared allegiance to the pope, the supreme bishop in Rome and leader of the Catholic Church. The cardinals determine who gets to be pope. The bishops selected and supervised local priests. Those who dedicate their lives to a religious institution like the Catholic Church were part of the clergy. The Roman Catholic Church’s bureaucracy was responsible for conducting the seven sacraments and other rituals for Christian communities. Since the Bible was written in Latin, only those who were part of the clergy were able to read the holy text. Most Western Europeans were illiterate, so they had to rely on the clergy to teach them about the Bible and Christianity
The Crusades: During the Foundations Period, the Roman Catholic Church sought to reclaim control of the Holy Land, the region of Israel in the Middle East that contains sites of spiritual significance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. European Christians had enjoyed access to these lands for centuries, even after they came under Muslim control. The Seljuk Turks took control of the Middle East and limited access to the Silk Roads. Fearing more Turk incursions, the Byzantine Emperor asked for help from the Catholic Pope. Since the Roman Catholic Church has a great deal of influence across all feudal kingdoms in Western Europe, the pope called for all kings to send their armies to reclaim Jerusalem for Christians. The Church authorities told peasants they would be forgiven for all their sins if they would fought in the Crusade. From 1099 to 1204, the Church organized four major crusades that sent thousands of Christian soldiers to the Middle East. Only the first Crusade did they successfully conquer Jerusalem, but over time lost control to Muslim forces. The Christian Crusaders killed thousands of Muslims and Jews and destroyed many cities while traveling to Jerusalem.
The Crusades increased European interaction with the Middle East, causing significant long-term consequences. Tens of thousands of Europeans came into personal contact with the Islamic world, from which the picked up a taste for the many luxury goods available there, stimulating European demand for Asian goods. They also learned techniques for producing sugar on large plantations using slave labor, a process they will transfer to the Americas in the Early Modern Period. Muslim scholarship, along with the Greek learning and science that was preserved in the House of Wisdom, began to flow into Europe. However, the European trade with the Middle East in the Mediterranean Sea also opened Europe to the spread of the Black Death plague, which killed over 25 million Europeans.
The Renaissance
By 1300, innovations in farming led to a population increase, increased urbanization and increased trade. That increased trade led to wealth from the merchant class. The Bubonic Plague brought great turmoil to Europe but it also helped end the Middle Ages. The end of the Middle ages brought new cultural opportunities. The Renaissance is said to have started from 1300 to 1600 CE. However, there is no clear starting or ending date. The Renaissance began in Italy were many wealthy merchants and bankers had grown rich from the increased trade in the Mediterranean. One of those wealthy banking families were the Medici.
Renaissance artists created a new interest in the classical ideas of the Greeks and Romans. Scholars recovered these ancient works due to increased contact with both the Byzantines and Muslim merchants. The innovation of the printing press with movable print by Johannes Gutenberg allowed the cheap printing of books and increased literacy as well as spread knowledge throughout Europe.
Three very important ideas that guided the Renaissance were humanism. This philosophy balances the religious point of view with the secular point of view. It emphasizes the dignity and worth of the individual. They focus on creating art that focuses on human life rather than the spiritual. Some famous Renaissance artists include Dante Alighieri, Niccolo Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo Davinci.