Late Medieval Europe Late Medieval Europe (ca. 1300-1500) (ca. 1300-1500)
Jan 19, 2018
Late Medieval EuropeLate Medieval Europe(ca. 1300-1500)(ca. 1300-1500)
The ChurchThe Church
Pope Boniface VIII
Limits of Papal PowerLimits of Papal Power– King Philip of France needed King Philip of France needed
money money taxed French taxed French clergyclergy
Boniface VIII (r. 1294-1303) Boniface VIII (r. 1294-1303) protestedprotested
King’s response: economic King’s response: economic pressure pressure Boniface backed Boniface backed downdown
– Philip arrested bishop for Philip arrested bishop for treasontreason
Boniface outraged!Boniface outraged! King’s agents invaded papal King’s agents invaded papal
palacepalace Boniface died soon after, Boniface died soon after,
humiliated humiliated – Papacy now weaker than Papacy now weaker than
monarchsmonarchs
The ChurchThe Church
Tomb of Pope Gregory XI,Church of S. Francesca Romana, Rome
The “Babylonian Captivity” The “Babylonian Captivity”
(1309-1377)(1309-1377)– French pope elected to French pope elected to
papacypapacy– Moved to Avignon (1309)Moved to Avignon (1309)
Near to, influenced by, Near to, influenced by, FranceFrance
French popesFrench popes Reports of corruptionReports of corruption Almost 70 years!Almost 70 years!
– Many were unhappyMany were unhappy Avignon a “Babylon”!Avignon a “Babylon”! VisionariesVisionaries
– Papacy returned to Rome Papacy returned to Rome (1377)(1377)
The ChurchThe Church The Great Western Schism (1378-1417)The Great Western Schism (1378-1417)
– Returning pope died (1378)Returning pope died (1378)– Turbulent election Turbulent election new, Italian pope new, Italian pope
Became zealous reformerBecame zealous reformer French cardinals unhappy French cardinals unhappy elected another elected another
pope!pope!– SchismSchism
Two popes! Then three popes!Two popes! Then three popes! Europe divided Europe divided spiritual and political crisis! spiritual and political crisis!
– Resolution: Council of Constance (1414-17)Resolution: Council of Constance (1414-17) Three rival popes deposed Three rival popes deposed Martin V elected Martin V elected
The ChurchThe Church Questions?Questions?
SocietySociety The Socioeconomic SituationThe Socioeconomic Situation
– Population growth Population growth overpopulation overpopulation (14(14thth cent.) cent.) Less land to cultivateLess land to cultivate Wages decreasedWages decreased FaminesFamines
SocietySociety The Black Death The Black Death
(1347-1350)(1347-1350)– Deadliest disaster Deadliest disaster
of Late Middle Agesof Late Middle Ages– Traits of the PlagueTraits of the Plague
Epidemic Epidemic Spread rapidly, Spread rapidly,
contagiouscontagious Noticeable, painful Noticeable, painful
symptomssymptoms Very quick deathVery quick death
SocietySociety
The Black DeathThe Black Death– OriginsOrigins
In China In China traveled westward along trade routes traveled westward along trade routes Carried by fleas on infected rats Carried by fleas on infected rats
– Arrival in EuropeArrival in Europe Spread from Mediterranean ports to rest of EuropeSpread from Mediterranean ports to rest of Europe
SocietySociety The Black DeathThe Black Death
– Cause?Cause?– Why???Why???– AftermathAftermath
Death of approx. 1/3 Death of approx. 1/3 to 1/2 of Europe’s to 1/2 of Europe’s populationpopulation
Obsession with deathObsession with death– ““Dance of death”Dance of death”
Recurred until 18Recurred until 18thth cent.cent.
SocietySociety Questions?Questions?
Politics and WarPolitics and War The Hundred Years War (1337-1453): The Hundred Years War (1337-1453):
CausesCauses– Last Capetian monarch died (1328) – Last Capetian monarch died (1328) –
who succeeds?who succeeds? English king was a relationEnglish king was a relation Philip VI elected by French nobilityPhilip VI elected by French nobility Neither candidate conceded claims Neither candidate conceded claims war! war!
– English claims to French landsEnglish claims to French lands
Politics and WarPolitics and War The War: Initial The War: Initial
English SuccessEnglish Success– Strategy of raidsStrategy of raids– Employed new Employed new
technologytechnology LongbowsLongbows CannonsCannons
– Made territorial Made territorial gainsgains
– English king gained English king gained place as heir to place as heir to throne (1420)throne (1420)
Battle of Créçy (1346)
Politics and WarPolitics and War
Politics and WarPolitics and War
Siege of OrléansSiege of Orléans
France Strikes BackFrance Strikes Back– JOAN OF ARC (1412-1431)JOAN OF ARC (1412-1431)
Teenage peasant, mysticTeenage peasant, mystic Claimed mission from Claimed mission from
God (1428)God (1428)– Had to join French armyHad to join French army– Would lift siege at Would lift siege at
OrléansOrléans– Would see French heir Would see French heir
crownedcrowned– France reboundedFrance rebounded– Joan captured, sold to Joan captured, sold to
English English burned at burned at stake (May 1431)stake (May 1431)
Politics and WarPolitics and War Ultimate Ultimate
French French VictoryVictory– Northern Northern
France France reconqueredreconquered
– English English driven out by driven out by 14531453
Politics and War Politics and War Developments in Developments in
High medieval SpainHigh medieval Spain– Muslim power weakened Muslim power weakened – Christian princes seized Christian princes seized
opportunityopportunity– RECONQUISTARECONQUISTA
Christian reconquest of Christian reconquest of Islamic SpainIslamic Spain
– Launched during 11Launched during 11thth centurycentury
– Intermittent Intermittent – Successful!Successful!
Result: Christian Iberian Result: Christian Iberian states emergingstates emerging
Politics and WarPolitics and War
Ferdinand and Isabella
Spain under Spain under Ferdinand & IsabellaFerdinand & Isabella– Unified Spanish Unified Spanish
crowncrown Ferdinand: heir of Ferdinand: heir of
Aragon, CataloniaAragon, Catalonia Isabella: heir of Isabella: heir of
CastileCastile– Married (1469)Married (1469)
– Completed Completed ReconquistaReconquista (1492)(1492)
Politics and WarPolitics and War
Politics and WarPolitics and War
Ferdinand and Isabella
Religion under Religion under Ferdinand and IsabellaFerdinand and Isabella– Fervent CatholicismFervent Catholicism– ExpulsionsExpulsions
Muslims (1504)Muslims (1504) Jews (1492) Jews (1492)
– Must convert or Must convert or leave! leave!
– Jewish converts Jewish converts ((conversosconversos)) treated treated suspiciously, resentedsuspiciously, resented
– SPANISH INQUISITION SPANISH INQUISITION (1478)(1478) Tool of StateTool of State Principal goal: attack Principal goal: attack
“judaizing” traditions “judaizing” traditions among among conversosconversos
Politics and WarPolitics and War Questions?Questions?