Transcript Europe in the Middle Ages

Europe in the Middle Ages
Population
Feudalism

Political System




King
Lords
Knights
Peasants/Serfs
Life of a Knight
•Tournaments were public
contests of skill between
knights
•The Joust: The joust was a
form of combat between two
knights.
•The Melee: The melee was a
team sport. Each team of
knights had colored flags on
their backs. Each side tried to
knock their opponents flags
off using clubs and blunt
swords.
Growth of European Kingdoms
England
England




1066: King Edward died without a son.
William of Normandy wanted to be
king.
Anglo-Saxons wanted Harold.
Norman Conquest: Oct 14, 1066



Battle of Hastings: William of Normandy
fought the English for the crown (King
Harold)
William new king of England2
William AKA “William the Conqueror”

1066-1087
England

King Henry II 1154-1189




Expanded the king’s power
Created royal court systems
Common law
Wanted to control the Church


Thomas Becket, killed in his own catherdral
Married to Eleanor of Aquitaine
Magna Carta

Magna Carta: 1215 (King John)


Cornerstone for constitutional government
Document that restricted the royal power





Consult with citizens about taxation before imposing
them.
Protected nobles rights
A step for the development of the British Parliament
Parliament: make the laws with king’s approval
Common Law: laws that applied equally to all
people
France
Philip II Augustus


1180-1223 turning point in French
Monarchy
Gained French territory from England
England vs France


The Norman conquest was the beginning of
centuries of hostilities between England
and France.
The nations fought the “Hundred Years’
War” between 1336 and 1453.
The Crusades
“Religious
wars”
Causes

Three major religious groups all claimed
Jerusalem in the land of Palestine as their
holy city.



To Christians, it was the place where Jesus was
crucified and ascended to heaven
To Muslims, it was the place where Muhammad
ascended to heaven
To Jews, it was the site of the ancient temple
built by Solomon
The Crusades



The First Crusade
The Problem: Around 1095, a new group of
Arabs took control of Jerusalem. They
closed the city to Jewish and Christian
pilgrims.
The Solution: The Pope acted. He called for
a crusade - a volunteer army whose goal
was to retake Jerusalem. Many people
volunteered. About 30,000 men left Western
Europe to fight in Jerusalem.
Other Crusades




More Crusades: It was a short victory. Less than 50 years
later, Muslims once again conquered Jerusalem. Again the
pope called for a crusade to take back the city.
The Second Crusade lasted from 1147-1149. It was not
successful.
The Third Crusade lasted from 1189-1192. It was not
successful.
The Fourth Crusade lasted from 1202-1204. Instead of
attacking Jerusalem, the crusaders attacked
Constantinople. They stole statues, money, paintings and
jewelry. They burned libraries. They destroyed churches.
Their ridiculous excuse was that they needed money to
defend Constantinople from the same fate as Jerusalem,
as well as to fund the rescue of Jerusalem. The people of
Constantinople did not find this excuse acceptable, and
they were filled with hatred for the west.
Effects of the Crusades




Although the crusades failed, they had a major impact on
Western Europe.
They helped to break down feudalism by increasing the authority of kings.

Some nobles died in battle without leaving an heir. Their lands passed to the
king.

Some nobles sold their land in an effort to raise money to pay the special tax
levied by the king to offset the cost of the crusades.

Some nobles gave their serfs a chance to buy their freedom in an effort to
raise money they needed to buy armor and weapons

Some young men who could buy their way out of feudal obligation joined the
crusades. Many died. That reduced the work force. If a farm failed, it passed
to the king.
From their exposure to superior Muslim technology, Europeans learned how to

Build better ships

Use a compass
Western Europe began to express an interest in trade. The crusaders brought back
luxury goods. These items were vastly popular. To get more, Western Europe began
to trade with her neighbors. Goods brought back included:

Silk

Spices

Sugar

Art

Literature
The Inquisition
The Inquisition




Around 1232, the Church started a new
program
This court was staffed with church officials
who were supposed to seek out and punish
people suspected of not obeying the church.
Heresy is any act or action against the church
or church beliefs. A heretic is someone who
commits an act of heresy.
It was an awful time. The court of Inquisition
was open to great abuse.
Black Death
The Black Death






erupted in the Gobi Desert in the late 1320s
began there and spread outward
China the population dropped from around
125 million to 90 million (14th century)
Bubonic plague is the medical term
an organism, most usually carried by rodents
Fleas infest the animal (rats, but other rodents
as well), and these fleas move freely over to
human hosts.
Europe Get HIT
Black Death Cycle
Black Death Pictures
Effects of the Black Death





Population-30% of the population of Europe
was killed in two years
Economy-Financial business was disrupted,
Construction projects stopped
Culture-the plague touched everyone, rich
and poor alike
Art-brutality appeared in paintings
Politics- Government did not know hot to
control
Changes in the Middle Ages





introduction of gunpowder
increased importance of cities
economic and demographic crises
political dislocation and realignment
powerful new currents in culture and
religion
Achievements of the Middle Ages








Things were pretty rough during 500 to 1500, in medieval
Europe. It was a period of famine and war. But it was not
without its achievements.
Law: Justinian's Code, Great Council (Parliament), Magna
Carta
Commerce: Marketplace & Trade Fairs, Banks
Buildings: Cathedrals, Castles
Education: Guilds, Universities
Pride and Honor: Code of Chivalry, Heraldry, Holy Relics
The Arts: Stained Glass Windows, Tapestries, Gregorian
Chants, Medieval Music, Epic Poetry, Troubadours,
Illuminated Manuscripts, Mystery Plays, Miracle Plays,
Morality Plays
Agricultural Advancement: Horse-drawn plow, Horse Collar,
Horseshoes
Hundred Years’ War

When the last French king in the direct Capetian line
died in 1328 AD, the English king Edward III, who
already held a large part of France, claimed the right
to rule all of France - to be the king of France as well
as the king of England. At this time Edward III was
only eighteen years old. War broke out in 1338. At
first the English won some big battles. But the war
went on and on, even after Edward III died in 1377.
Partly because of the Black Death, neither side could
really end the war. Under their new young king
Henry V, the English won a especially big battle at
Agincourt in 1415, where Henry used a new
weapon, cannons, to help him win the battle.
Joan of Arc



a national heroine, led
the resistance to the
English invasion of
France in the Hundred
Years War.
Dressed as a man
brought inspiration and a
sense of national identity
and self-confidence