Transcript The Rise of France, Spain and Portugal

The New Monarchies
1450-1550
Territories were diverse:
linguistically, culturally,
historically
Consolidation of power by political means:
Diplomacy
Marriage
War- most common
 Look at map: nearly 500 distinct political
units
Holy Roman Empire
Germanic peoples
 Ecclesiastical city-states(Church lands),
principalities, fiefs, free towns, counties,
duchies
 Succession to role of Holy Roman Emperor
was left to 7 princes (votes)
 States relatively stable but the empire as
whole was becoming powerless
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Holy Roman Empire (cont.)
Boundaries shifted according to marriages,
war, inheritance
 No Papal authority in the Empire
 Arms manufacturer of the world
 Big commercial centre: agric., mineral
ores, industrial
 Ports- north, west
 Eventually replaced Italians as
international bankers
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Italian Peninsula
Power balance between:
 Duchy of Milan, Republic of Venice,
city-state of Florence,
 Papal States
 Kingdom of Naples & Sicily
( Fr. then Aragon –Spanish rule)
* Rome- city-state but politics intertwined
with those of the Papal States
The
Italian
Peninsula
ca. 1400
Italian Peninsula (cont.)
 City-states
governed themselves as
separate political units form those of the
neighbouring regions/city-states
 Rule by local despots/noble (important)
families (Milan) or an elite group of people
(Venice)
 Genova, Modena, Siena, Lucca, Bologna,
Ferrara, Urbino
Italian Peninsula (cont.)
 Due
to insecurity of power balance,
diplomacy developed & was refined:
 ambassadors
 espionage
 alliances between smaller &weaker citystates to oppose the larger one
 1494 became arena for Franco-Spanish
rivalries & Italian diplomacy began ot
influence northern kingdoms
Iberian Peninsula: Spain &
Portugal
 Moors
during Middle Ages
 8th to 15th centuries: reconquest of
peninsula: reconquista
 1492 completed at Granada: Moors left &
Jews expelled
 Several kingdoms including Portugal
 Its borders confirmed in 1500- same as
today
Iberian
Peninsula:
Spain &
Portugal
The last
reduct of
the Moors
in the
Iberian
Peninsula
after the
fall of
Granada
in 1492
Iberian Peninsula: Spain &
Portugal (continued)
 1469
Marriage of King Ferdinand (Aragon)
& Queen Isabella (Castile) created Spain
as a political unit
France
 End
of 15th century it was still divided into
small fiefs
 Centred on Paris, Champagne, Normandyroyal domain
 Others were contested lands between
England & France
 Cause of conflict
England
 Romans,
Danes, Angles, Saxons,
 11th century 1066 French Normans
 Scotland & Wales were separate from
England
 Series of unstable monarchs & rivalries
over the throne of England- Wars of the
Roses
 Traditional rivals of France
Previously the Church
 was
the object of highest allegiance
 Church led by the Pope who resided in the
Papal States (mid-Italian peninsula)
 Clergy as Pope’s delegates helped to lead
& morally guide the peoples of Europe
 Papal authority over churches of various
kingdoms- becoming weaker by now
 Collapse of papal spiritual prestige & a gulf
between Church & its flock
NOW
Formation of States:
Machiavelli
A successful prince:
Unites peoples & lands
Secures his borders &
Brings prosperity to his subjects
Power can be centralised or dispersed
Thus, the role a prince plays is essential to
this process.
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Principe (The Prince) is a
political treatise by Niccolò
Machiavelli
written in 1513,
Published in 1532, after
Machiavelli's death
“A prince must have no other
objective, no other thought,
nor take up any profession
but that of war, its methods
and its discipline, for that is
the only art expected of a
ruler. And it is of such great
value that it not only keeps
hereditary princes in power,
but often raises men of lowly
condition to that rank.” –
Chapter XIV
The Prince
Formation of States: difficulties
 Transportation:
eg, dependent on winds,
seasons
 Communication: distances, languages,
literacy, cultural practices
 Difficult to ensure directives from the
centre of power were adhered to in
distant parts of the domains
Formation of States
 States
were generally inherited
 A Prince must outdo his rivals & defend
his throne from others with strong claims
to legitimacy
 Rule of primogeniture: inheritance by
eldest son
 Variations: estates divided among
sons/children of either gender; excluded
females (Fr.), equality to both (Castile,Sp)
Formation of States
 Late
(cont.)
Middle Ages- constant warfare
 Alliances to prevent this: marriages
 Independent institutions:
the Church,
fortified towns- armies, privileges
 Assemblies to represent propertied
classes- resistance to taxation. Parliament,
Cortes (Sp)
Formation of States
(cont.)
Too many small states made consolidation
of political entities inevitable
 Problem of dynastic marriages- small
states inherited, matters of instability,
precarious position
 Technological advances in warfare-eg,
fortifications no longer held, gunpowder,
lightly armoured & mobile soldiers
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Confusion of authority leads to
New Monarchies
Dukes & earls- their interests conflicted
with those of their monarchs
 Threat to royal authority
 Monarchs aimed to rectify this:
by having central govts. & officials to
represent royal interests
 Solid boundaries/national frontiers
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What were the New Monarchies?
New monarchies were the rulers of European
nations during the 15th century who created
a strong central government, ie, during the
Renaissance.
 Centralised governments:
 enabled the New Monarchs in the 15th
century for an era of colonisation & conquest
in the 16th century
 paved the way for rapid economic growth in
Europe.
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What were the New Monarchies? cont.
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Rule was hereditary in nature, but they cared
for the aspirations of the people.
The new monarchs created a strong central
government with the help of large standing
army.
Centralised system of taxation & tariffs.
Laws were enacted according to their wish &
they controlled many aspects of religion.
The rise of these new monarchs was a great
blow to the Church & nobles, but the middle
class supported them.
What were the New Monarchies? cont.
Law & order existed
 To get support of the middle class: reduction of
local tariffs
 Rulers fostered domestic & international trade.
The stability of these governments led to
colonisation in the 16th century & led to further
development of trade.
 Some of the rulers of the new monarchies were
Charles, the VII of France, Louis XI of France,
Henry, the VII of England, Queen Isabella I of
Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, etc..
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Dynastic Rivalries
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The kings of these emerging countries spent
much of their time re-organising their
governments & keeping their lords in line
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From the 16th C they spent their time
increasing their territories, as a result, war
was constant & ruthlessness a virtue
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Expansion came at dire cost
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Explained in “The Prince” by Niccolo
Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Different routes to centralisation of
govt. early 14th & mid-15th
Centuries
France, Spain , Portugal & England
approached the problem in different ways
 These attempts were affected by:
1. wars
2. internal dissensions
(conflicts/disagreements)
3.Riots
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Different routes to centralisation of
Govt. (cont.)
4. Famines
 5. Plagues
 End of 15th century- royal
houses of England,
France, Spain & Portugal
regained control of their
governments
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England, France, Spain
and Portugal
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Many independent
states
Loyalty= fealty to
local ruler= lord ,
not king
Policy : inheritance,
marriage, war, the
French crown
achieved territorial
sovereignty
Philip IV the Fair
1268- 1314
Forced the Pope to
dissolve the Knights
Templars in 1313 &
appropriated their
wealth
France
Papal Court moved to Avignon
(in France from Italy) in 1307
NEXT
Louis X & Philip V
reigned next
 1322 Charles IV to
throne: increased taxes,
debased coinage,
confiscated noble
estates
 Death without a male
heir in 1328 =end of
Capetian dynasty which
led to
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The Valois Dynasty
The Valois dynasty
which ruled France
during the 14th 15th
Centuries
 The Hundred Years’
War allowed this
dynasty to establish
its power,
consolidated during
the reign of Philip IV
(1285-1314)
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Hundred Years’ War
1328 Philip VI (1293-1350) crowned
King of France. Valois Dynasty
 Edward III of England eventually
contested the crown of France leading
to the 100 Years’ War.
 1340 French fleet destroyed in the
Netherlands
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100 Years’ War
1346 French defeat at
Crecy
 French lost Calais in 1347
 Philip VI signed truce
with Edward III until his
(P’s) death in 1350
 Most of the fighting
occurred on French soil,
the French people
suffered
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100 Years’ War continued
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Mercenaries, disease,
famines,
1356 Loss at Poitiers, John II
captured
His son, the Dauphin,
appointed regent
Instead France was ruled by
Etienne Marcel, a cloth
merchant- assumed control of
govt.
1358 Revolt of the peasants,
the Jacquerie
Peasants’ revolt 1358
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No leader so eventually
crushed by the aristocracy
1364 dauphin, Charles,
assumed regency until his
father’s death & he
became known as: Charles
V (1337-1380)
1380 English withdrew &
abandoned further milt.
advances
Charles set about
strengthening his power
and the Crown’s revenues
Charles VI the Mad (1380-1422)
Unstable king from 1380
 Henry V of England began
the war again
 Agincourt 1415 forced
Charles VI to sign a treaty
with Henry V & thus
accepted him (Henry) as
heir
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Charles VI of France
(1368-1422) &
Henry V (1387-1422)
of England welcomed
by the clergy, Paris,
1420 as they make
their triumphal
entrance to the allied
courts in Paris.
The Treaty of Troyes, signed on
21st May 1420, recognised
Henry as Charles' heir to the
French throne & as the virtual
ruler of most of France.
TREATY OF TROYES 1420
Dauphin Charles was
disinherited from the succession.
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Marriage of Charles
VI's daughter
Catherine to Henry V,
who was made regent
of France
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acknowledged (along
with his future sons)
as successor to the
French throne.
Henry VI
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Next king: Henry VI (son
of Henry V) of England
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Joan of Arc entered
history here. Victory at
Orléans led to crowning
of Charles VII (14031461) at Reims in 1429.
Last battle of the 100 Years’ War
1453 Castillon the
English lost all
territories except
Calais
 Charles VII
consolidated royal
authority
 Authority over the
Church’s income &
personnel
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•Son of Charles VII
•King 1461 – 1483
•As a young man he spent
much of his time organising a
series of rebellions against
his father, Charles VII
• one of the most effective
kings of France
•Through guile, wit & sheer
brute force he united all of
France
Louis XI
The Reign of Louis XI
1461 – 1483
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unpopular man, ruthless
& efficient ruler
Brought the Church,
nobles & merchants to
heel
Smashed the Dukes of
Burgundy
Left a strong, united,
nationalistic France that
possessed a strong
central government
Charles VIII (1470-1498)
1491 was on throne
under a regency
 1494 invaded Italy &
briefly occupied
Naples
 Driven out through a
strenuous Italian
effort
 France attempted to
invade Italy in the
next half century
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France by 1500
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Had become a
strong nation.
Flourishing
economy staffed by
noble & middle
class bureaucrats
The Rise and Decline of Portugal
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On the western coast of
the Iberian peninsula,
was once a great power
of Europe.
For much of its history it
was fought over by
Moors, the Spanish and
even the French.
By the 15th C, the country
became united and
through its sailors,
established its place in
Europe.
The Aviz Dynasty
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This dynasty, founded by
John I (king 1385-1433)
established a powerful
parliament, called the
Cortes
They formed an alliance
with England & together
defeated their Spanish
and Arab enemies
He broadened his empire
into northern Africa & his
son Henry found the first
sea route to India
Decline of Portugal
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a super power at sea,
commanding most sea routes
around Europe
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Under the rule of John II (king
1481-1495) & Emanuel I (king
1495 – 1521) its navy won sea
battles against Egypt & Turkey
Territories: Africa, Brazil,
India, China & Japan
weak kings allowed Spain to
conquer Portugal in 1580 &
soon after lost most of her
territories
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Prince Henry exploring the coastline
of Africa
The Unification of Spain
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Centuries of conflict with
Muslim Moors (8th C)
failed to unite the Iberian
peninsula
Divided: Portugal, Castile,
Aragon & Moorish state
of Granada
Greed, pride & political
differences prevented any
unification like in England
or France
Limits of the Kingdom
of Castile & Kingdom
of Aragon in 1210.
Ferdinand and Isabella
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In 1469 Ferdinand, heir to
the crown of Aragon,
married Isabella, heiress to
the crown of castile
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This marriage united the
Christian factions & helped
create a single Spanish
monarchy
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Under their leadership
(1474-1516) they reorganised their government
& gained support from the
Church, middle-class &
nobles
Spain, opening the world
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1492 The Reconquista &
stopped tolerance of any
other religion
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Sponsored Columbus’
exploration to the New
World & established
colonies in Americas
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Such actions, combined
with their beneficial
alliances, allowed Spain to
become the richest & most
important monarchies
Sources
 Medieval
Europe. C. Warren Hollister
 Civilization in the West. M. Kishlansky,
P. Geary & P. O’Brien