The High Middle AgesThe High Middle Ages1050-14501050-1450

Chapter 9Chapter 9

Growth of Royal Power Growth of Royal Power in in

England & FranceEngland & France

Section 1Section 1

Section 1Section 1Even though, the kings of Europe were at

the top of Europe’s society, the nobles and the Church had the power: they had their own courts, collected their own taxes, and fielded their own armies.

Kings used different methods to centralize power, including strengthened ties with the middle class. This way the townspeople supported the king, who imposed peace and unity needed for trade.

Section 1Section 1When Edward the Confessor died without

a heir, three men claimed they were the king, so they went to war. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, became king with the backing of the pope. The date of 1066 is important in English history. William’s victory meant that the Normans, rather than the Anglo-Saxons, would rule England, which influenced the English language, culture and traditions.

10/4/1066, William of Normandy defeated King Harold of England at the battle of Hastings

William was then crowned King of England Norman knights received land as a fief and

swore allegiance to the king Marriage of French & Anglo-Saxons led to a

new English culture Normans adopted Anglo-Saxon institutions =

office of sheriff, census called Domesday Book William further developed taxation & royal

courts

William I, the ConquerorBrought Norman

Feudalism To England

Section 1Section 1In 1085, in order to ascertain the extent of

his new dominions and to improve taxation, William commissioned all his counselors for the compilation of the Domesday Book. The book was a survey of England's productive capacity similar to a modern census. The book listed every castle, field, and pigpen in England. The book help Williams and future England Kings to develop an efficient system of tax collecting

Section 1Section 1William’s successors continued to increase royal

authority. In the area of finance, they created exchequer, or treasury, to collect taxes. It included fees, fines, and other dues.

In his deathbed, William divided his succession for his sons: the conflictive elder son Robert received the Normandy's dukedom, as Robert III. William Rufus (third son) was next king, as William II. The youngest son Henry received 5,000 pounds, which would be used to buy land. He then became King Henry I of England after William II died without a successor.

Section 1Section 1Henry I died in 1135 of food poisoning. He is

famed for holding the record for the largest number of acknowledged illegitimate children born to any English king, with the number being around 20 or 25.

The succession for the throne was problematic. His only legitimate son was killed. One of his daughters, Matilda, was to take the throne as Queen, however, she got married with an enemy of the Normans, so his nephew was to claim the throne. At the end, her son, Henry II, was proclaimed the King of England in 1154.

Henry IIHenry II Henry II enlarged English monarchy Expanded the power of the royal courts &

king’s power/increased # of criminal cases tried on the king’s court

Common law (was a legal system based on customs and court rulings) replaced law codes across the kingdom

Tried to control Church but failed Thomas Beckett, archbishop of Canterbury

said only Roman Catholic Church could try clergy

Four knights murdered Beckett, Henry was outraged & backed down

Section 1Section 1Jury (a group of men sworn to speak the truth)

trials were initiated to end the old Germanic trials by ordeal or battle. The early juries determined which cases should go to trial and were the ancestors of today’s grand jury.

The process of strengthening the royal courts, however, yielded an unexpected controversy. The church courts instituted by William the Conqueror became a safe haven for criminals of varying degree and ability. Henry wished to transfer sentencing clergy cases to the royal courts, as church courts merely demoted people but didn’t give them punishments for crimes

Section 1Section 1Thomas Beckett, Henry's close friend, was

named Archbishop of Canterbury in June 1162 but distanced himself from Henry and vehemently opposed the weakening of church courts. Beckett fled England in 1164, but through the intervention of Pope Adrian IV (the lone English pope), returned in 1170. Exasperated, Henry publicly conveyed his desire to get rid of the Archbishop - four ambitious knights took the king at his word and murdered Beckett in his own cathedral on December 29, 1170. Henry endured a rather limited storm of protest over the incident and the controversy passed. After this, Henry stopped his attempts to regulate the clergy. Becket was honored as a martyr and declared a saint.

Section 1Section 1Many English monarchs clashed with nobles

and the Church. Most of the battles started because the kings wanted to increase taxes or impose more royal authority.

Henry’s younger son, John reigned from 1199 till his death in 1216. Apart from entering popular legend as the enemy of Robin Hood, he is also known for when he gave in to the nobility and signed Magna Carta, or great charter, a document limiting his power which is popularly thought as an early first step in the evolution of modern democracy.

Magna CartaMagna Carta English nobles resented the growth of the

king’s power/ rebellion was raised against King John

1215, King John was forced to put his seal on the Magna Carta = feudal document, written recognition that the power of the king was limited

13th century, under Edward I = English parliament emerged

Parliament = 2 knights from every county, 2 people from every town, and all the bishops & nobles throughout England

John Was Forced

To Sign the Magna

Carta in 1215

Section 1Section 1John also faced problems with the Church

with he wanted to appoint the archbishop of Canterbury, instead of the one pope Innocent III had selected. The pope excommunicated John and placed England under the interdict. To save himself and his crown, John had to accept England as a fief of the papacy and even had to pay a yearly fee to Rome.

John’s youngest son, Henry III, became the next king and then his grandson, Edward I

Section 1Section 1Edward I reigned from 1272 till 1307. He

was known as Edward the lawgiver because of his legal reforms. It was during his time that Parliament began to meet regularly. And though still extremely limited to matters of taxation, it enabled Edward I to obtain a number of taxation grants which had been impossible for Henry III. This helped create the Model Parliament with representatives of the “common people,” lords, and clergy, which set up the framework for England’s legislature.

English ParliamentEnglish Parliament Eventually 2 houses were formedEventually 2 houses were formed Nobles & church lords formed = House of Nobles & church lords formed = House of

the Lordsthe Lords Knights & townspeoples = House of Knights & townspeoples = House of

CommonsCommons Parliaments granted taxes & passed lawsParliaments granted taxes & passed laws

Edward I Called a ParliamentOf Lords and Commons

Section 1Section 1Unlike the kings of England, monarchs in

France did not rule over a unified kingdom. The successors of Charlemagne didn’t have enough power over the different territories that made up France.

In 987, the feudal nobles of France elected Hugh Capet, the count of Paris, to be the new king. His lands were smaller than those of many of his vassals; however, he and his heirs slowly increased royal power: they made the throne hereditary, and won support from the Church.

French KingdomFrench Kingdom

Kingdom of France was 1/3 of the former Carolingian empire

Hugh Capet was chosen to be king by west Frankish nobles establishing the Capetian dynasty

Capetians had little power & only controlled the land around Paris/ Dukes had more power than kings

Phillip II of Augustus = was the turning point in the French monarchy. Phillip waged war against England & increased his royal land holdings by taking over lands in Normandy (north) and southern France: Maine, Anjou, & Aquitaine, where the pope said heresy had sprung up.

He strengthened royal government: he used paid middle-class officials to fill government positions, granted charters to many new towns, and introduced a new national tax. By 1223, Philip had become the most powerful ruler in Europe.

Section 1Section 1In 1226, Louis IX had become the king

of France. He was generous, noble, and devoted to justice and chivalry. He was declared a saint less than 30 years after his death. Saint Louis was a very religious man: he persecuted Jews and heretics, and led French knights in two wars against Muslims. He expanded the royal courts, outlawed private wars, and ended serfdom in his lands. By the time of his death in 1270, France was an efficient centralized monarchy.

Section 1Section 1Louis’ grandson, Philip IV, ruthlessly

extended royal power. To raise money, he tried to collect taxes from the clergy, but pope Boniface VIII opposed.

The pope forbade him from doing so by saying “God had set popes over kings and kingdoms.” Philip threatened to arrest any clergy who did not pay up. Philip sent troops to seize the pope, who escaped but died soon after. The next pope was a Frenchmen who move the papal court to France (Avignon)

Philip IV Called the Estates-General to Raise Taxes

Section 1Section 1During the struggles with the pope,

Philip gather French support by creating Estates General in 1302. This group had representatives from all three social classes: clergy, nobles, and townspeople. It was almost like a parliament, but it never had the same role as the English Parliament did, as it didn’t served as a balance of royal power.

The Holy Roman The Holy Roman Empire and the Empire and the

ChurchChurch

Section 2Section 2

Section 2Section 2After Charlemagne’s death, his empire

dissolved into a number of separate states. The dukes of Saxony extended their power over German lands. In 936, Duke Otto I of Saxony took the title of King of Germany. He worked closely with the Church and took an army into Italy to help the pope defeat rebellious Roman nobles. Otto was crowned emperor and his successors took the title of Holy Roman Emperor

Section 2Section 2German emperor claimed authority

over much of central and eastern Europe as well as parts of France and Italy. The rulers of the lands were the emperor’s vassals, which created a conflict to control.

Another problem for the emperors was a conflict with the popes over the appointment of Church officials, because the emperors were in charge of deciding who would become bishops and abbots within their realm.

Section 2Section 2Under the pope Gregory VII, the conflict

between emperors and the Church got worse. He banned the practice of lay investiture, meaning that the emperor or any other person who didn’t belong to the clergy did not had the right to appoint and install bishops in office, only the pope could do so.

Holy Roman emperor Henry IV didn’t agree with the ban and the two men exchanged insulting notes. The pope excommunicated Henry in 1706.

Section 2Section 2Henry was forced to make peace with the pope,

who knew that he was doing so to keep his throne and please his people, but as a priest, he had to forgive a “confessed sinner.” In later years, Henry took revenge by forcing the pope into exile when he led an army to Rome.

The conflict about who was to named and invest the bishops dragged for almost 50 years. In 1122, both sides accepted a treaty known as the Concordat of Worms, which stated that the Church had the sole power to elect and invest bishops with spiritual authority.

Section 2Section 2During the 1100s and 1200s, ambitious

German emperors tried to master Italy, so conflict with popes and with the wealthy towns of northern Italy started. The emperor Frederick I, called Barbarossa, dreamed of building an empire from the Baltic to the Adriatic. He arranged the marriage of his son Henry with the heiress of Sicily and southern Italy, Constance. That way German emperors had more power over Italian affairs.

Section 2Section 2The grandson of Frederick I, Frederick II

was the new king. He spent little time in Germany, instead he pursuit his ambitions in Italy. German nobles grew more independent and Germany weakened by his inattention. Germany didn’t achieve unity for another 600 years.

Pope Innocent III, who took office in 1198, tried to restore the prestige of the Holy See in Italy, where it had been overshadowed by the power of the emperor Henry VI. Innocent clashed will all the powerful rulers of his day and in most cases came out ahead.

Section 2Section 2He excommunicated King John of England,

Philip II of France when he tried to unlawfully invalidate his marriage (annul), and even the Holy Roman emperor Frederick II felt the anger of the pope.

In 1209, Innocent launched a brutal crusade, or holy war, against the Albigensians in southern France and northern Spain. The Albigensians wanted to go back to the early Christian Church. Tens of thousands of people were killed in the Albigensian Crusade.

Europeans Look Europeans Look OutwardOutward

Section 3Section 3

Section 3Section 3During Europe’s Middle Ages, Islam had

given rise to a brilliant new civilization that stretched from Spain to India. Muslim traders and scholars spread goods and ideas and technologies even further.

India was politically divided. Hinduism and Buddhism flourished, and wealthy princes built stunning temples and palaces.

In West Africa, the Soninke people were building the great trading empire of Ghana.

Section 3Section 3China had a strong central government. Under

the Tang and Song dynasties, China’s culture flourished and influenced neighboring peoples. The Chinese made amazing advances, inventing paper, printing, and gunpowder.

In the Americas, Mayas had cleared rain forests and built cities dominated by temples. In Peru, Native Americans were building empires and creating great works of art. These civilization remained outside the contacts that were taking among Africans, Europeans, and Asians

Section 3Section 3The Crusades were a series of military

campaigns against the Muslims of the Middle East. In 1076, the Muslims had captured Jerusalem - the most holy of holy places for Christians. However, Jerusalem was also extremely important for the Muslims as Muhammad, the founder of the Muslim faith, had been there and there was great joy in the Muslim world when Jerusalem was captured.

The motive of the Crusades were to free the Holy Land from the control of non Christians.

CrusadesCrusades 1111thth & 13 & 13thth centuries, European Christians centuries, European Christians

carried out a series of military expeditions carried out a series of military expeditions to take back the holy land from the to take back the holy land from the MuslimsMuslims

Seljuk Turks won the battle of Manzikert & Seljuk Turks won the battle of Manzikert & threatened Constantinoplethreatened Constantinople

Crusades began when Pope Urban II Crusades began when Pope Urban II responded to the request of Alexius I to responded to the request of Alexius I to liberate Jerusalem & Palestineliberate Jerusalem & Palestine

Urban II called for crusades @ infidelsUrban II called for crusades @ infidels Infidels were the non believers = Muslims, Infidels were the non believers = Muslims,

JewsJews

Alexius I AskedFor Help and

Urban II CalledFor the

First Crusade

Section 3Section 3The First Crusade was an attempt to re-capture

Jerusalem. After the capture of Jerusalem by the Muslims in 1076, any Christian who wanted to pay a pilgrimage to the city faced a very hard time. Muslim soldiers made life very difficult for the Christians and trying to get to Jerusalem was filled with danger for a Christian. This greatly angered all Christians.

Byzantine emperor Alexius I - feared that his country might also fall to the Muslims as it was very close to the territory captured by the Muslims. Alexius called on the pope - Urban II - to give him help.

Section 3Section 3In 1095, Urban spoke to a great crown at the

Council of Clermont in France. He called for a war against the Muslims so that Jerusalem was regained for the Christian faith.

Those who volunteered to go to fight the Muslims cut out red crosses and sewed them on their tunics. The French word "croix" means cross and the word changed to "croisades" or crusades. The fight against the Muslims became a Holy War.

Section 3Section 3The Crusaders cut down anybody they could and

the streets of Jerusalem were ankle deep in blood. The rest of the Crusaders got into the city when the gates were opened. The slaughter continued and the Crusaders "killed whoever they wished". Those Muslims who had their lives spared, had to go round and collect the bodies before dumping them outside of the city because they stank so much. The Muslims claimed afterwards that 70,000 people were killed and that the Crusaders took whatever treasure they could from the Dome of the Rock.

First CrusadesFirst Crusades Mostly French knights = captured Mostly French knights = captured

Antioch in 1098 & Jerusalem in 1099Antioch in 1098 & Jerusalem in 1099 Massacred Muslim & Jewish inhabitantsMassacred Muslim & Jewish inhabitants 4 Latin Crusader states were established 4 Latin Crusader states were established

that lasted 100 yearsthat lasted 100 years 1120’s, Muslims began to strike back 1120’s, Muslims began to strike back

which led to another Crusadewhich led to another Crusade

22ndnd Crusade Crusade The fall of a Latin Kingdom led to the call The fall of a Latin Kingdom led to the call

of another crusadeof another crusade Saint Bernard of Clairvaux called for the Saint Bernard of Clairvaux called for the

crusade & got the support of King Louis crusade & got the support of King Louis VII of France & Conrad III of GermanyVII of France & Conrad III of Germany

22ndnd Crusade was a total failure Crusade was a total failure 1187, Jerusalem fell to Saladin1187, Jerusalem fell to Saladin 3 important rulers then agreed to begin a 3 important rulers then agreed to begin a

third Crusadethird Crusade

Louis VII and Conrad III RespondTo Bernard of Clairvaux’s Call

For a Second Crusade

Saladin’s Capture of JerusalemSparked the Third Crusade

Section 3Section 3By 1187, Jerusalem had fallen on the Muslim

leader known as Saladin. On the Third Crusade, Europeans failed to retake Jerusalem, but after negotiations, Saladin reopened the holy city to the pilgrims.

33rdrd Crusade Crusade Frederick Barbarossa of Germany, Richard I Frederick Barbarossa of Germany, Richard I

(Richard the Lionhearted) of England, Phillip II (Richard the Lionhearted) of England, Phillip II of Augustus of Franceof Augustus of France

Members of the 3Members of the 3rdrd arrived in the East by arrived in the East by 1189 & encountered problems1189 & encountered problems

Barbarossa drowned while swimming in a Barbarossa drowned while swimming in a riverriver

English & French had success with their naval English & French had success with their naval fleets against coastal cities, but failed as they fleets against coastal cities, but failed as they moved inlandmoved inland

Richard I negotiated a settlement with Richard I negotiated a settlement with Saladin to allow Christian pilgrims free access Saladin to allow Christian pilgrims free access to Jerusalemto Jerusalem

Philip II, Frederick IAnd Richard I Responded

44thth Crusade Crusade 6 years after the death of Saladin in 6 years after the death of Saladin in

1193, Pope Innocent III initiated the 41193, Pope Innocent III initiated the 4thth crusadecrusade

On their way to the East became involved On their way to the East became involved a conflict with the Byzantine Empire over a conflict with the Byzantine Empire over the succession to the Byzantine thronethe succession to the Byzantine throne

Crusaders diverted to Constantinople & Crusaders diverted to Constantinople & sacked the city in 1204/ Byzantine empire sacked the city in 1204/ Byzantine empire was reestablished in 1261 but was never was reestablished in 1261 but was never as powerfulas powerful

Ottoman Turks eventually conquered Ottoman Turks eventually conquered Byzantine 190 years laterByzantine 190 years later

Section 3Section 3Though the Crusades failed to conquer the Holy

Land, they did have significant effects of life in Europe. The Crusades increased trade: crusaders introduced fabrics, spices, and perfumes from the Middle East. The Crusades further encouraged growth of a money economy: rents were pay in money instead of labor, which helped undermine serfdom.

The Crusades also brought papal power to its greatest height, but didn’t last long as the popes engaged in bitter battles with monarchs.

Results of the Results of the CrusadesCrusades

Increased wealth of Italian city-Increased wealth of Italian city-states like Genoa and Venice.states like Genoa and Venice.Began Jewish persecution and Began Jewish persecution and genocide.genocide.Started the breakdown of Started the breakdown of feudalism and an increase in the feudalism and an increase in the power of kings.power of kings.Improved technology such as Improved technology such as better ships and maps, and skills better ships and maps, and skills in siege techniques and in siege techniques and weapons.weapons.

Crusading KittyCrusading Kitty

Section 3Section 3Contacts with the Muslim world led

Christians to realize that there were other civilizations.

In 1271, a young Venetian trader and explorer, Marco Polo, set out to Asia with his father and uncle. His journey through Asia lasted 24 years. He reached further than any of his predecessors, beyond Mongolia to China. The Polos stayed in the Chinese king's court for 17 years, acquiring great wealth in jewels and gold

Section 3Section 3In Spain, the crusading spirit expanded.

Muslims had settled in Spanish territories since the 700s. A few kingdoms survived in the north, but they tried to expand their territory and take over Muslim lands. The campaign to drive the Muslims from Spain became known as the RECONQUISTA, or “reconquest.” The campaign had started back in the 700s, but it wasn’t till 1300 that Christians controlled the entire Iberian peninsula except for Granada, which fell in 1492 after Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon united the kingdoms and were strong enough to push the Muslims out.

Section 3Section 3The kings of Spain were determined to bring

religious and political unity to Spain. They united forces with townspeople against powerful nobles.

Under Muslim rule, Spain had enjoyed a period of religious toleration, where everyone was allowed to worship whoever they wanted. Isabella ended that policy of toleration with the help of the Inquisition, a court set up to try people accused of heresy. She launched a brutal crusade against Jews and Muslims, even those who refused to convert to Christianity were burned at the stake.

The queen achieved unity, but many scholars fled Spain.

Learning, Literature, Learning, Literature, and the Artsand the Arts

Section 4Section 4

Section 4Section 4By the 1100s, Europeans were no longer

preoccupied with surviving: there were many improvements that affected daily life in a good way.

During the High Middle Ages, the need for education expanded because the political and economic conditions improved. He Church wanted better-educated clergy and royal rulers needed literate men for their growing bureaucracy.

Section 4Section 4By this time, schools had sprung up around

the great cathedrals to train the clergy. Some of these schools developed into universities. Students traveled from one school to another to learn different things: law in Bologna, medicine in Montpellier, and religion in Paris.

Student life started at 5 a.m. for prayer, the classes till 10 a.m. and afternoon classes till 5 p.m. Students were expected to memorize what they heard

Section 4Section 4Women were not allowed to attend the

universities, which deprived them of the mental stimulation that was an important part of university life.

One exception was an Italian born woman named Christine de Pizan, who earned a living as a writer. She examined the achievements of women in The City of Ladies.

Men felt women should pursue natural gifts at home, raising children, managing the household, and doing needlework.

Section 4Section 4Muslims and Jews had translated the works of

the Greeks. Aristotle taught that people should use reason to discover basic truths, but Christians accepted many things on faith. Christian scholars tried to resolve the conflict between faith and reason through scholasticism. Thinkers used logic to resolve the conflict.

Thomas Aquinas brought together Christian faith and classical Greek philosophy by explaining that God ruled over an orderly universe

Section 4Section 4In mathematics, Europeans adopted

Hindu-Arabic numerals, which were less cumbersome that the Roman numerals they had been using. Arabic numerals allowed both scientists and mathematicians to make extraordinary advances in their fields.

Section 4Section 4Latin was the language of scholars and

churchmen, but new writings began to appear in the vernacular, or everyday languages of ordinary people such as French, German, and Italian.

Medieval literature included epics (long narrative poems) about feudal warriors and tales of the common people.

The most popular French heroic epic was the Song of Roland about Charlemagne’s knights who died while battling Muslims in Spain

Section 4Section 4Spain’s great epic, Poem of the Cid, also

involves conflict with Islam. The Italian poet Dante Alighieri wrote the

Divine Comedy, about an imaginary journey into hell and purgatory, where souls await forgiveness. At the end, Dante describes a vision of heaven.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer follows a band of English pilgrims traveling to Thomas Becket’s tomb. He sketches a series of characters that add to the picture of medieval life.

Section 4Section 4The greatest achievement in architecture was

the towering stone cathedrals that served as symbols of people’s wealth and religious devotion.

The roof of Romanesque church was a barrel vault, a long tunnel of stone that covered the main part of the structure. The interior was dark and gloomy.

About 1140, Abbot Suger wanted to build a new abbey that would shine with wonderful and uninterrupted. Builders developed a style of architecture known as Gothic.

Section 4Section 4A key feature of the style was the flying

buttresses, or stone supports that stood outside the church.

As churches rose, stonemasons carved sculptures to decorate them inside and out. The sculptors portrayed scenes from the Bible and other religious themes, as well as frightening images of mythical creatures such as dragons, griffins, and unicorns.

Besides their great beauty, cathedrals served to educate the illiterate masses by depicting biblical scenes in their sculpture and stained glass.

Section 4Section 4In the 1300s and 1400s, the

Gothic style was applied to paintings and illumination (the artistic decoration of books). Characteristics of the new style included bold, brilliant colors and decorative detail. Artists decorated prayer books with depictions of castles and towns, knights and ladies in gardens.

A Time of CrisisA Time of Crisis

Section 5Section 5

Section 5Section 5In October 1347, a fleet of Genovese trading

ships fleeing Caffa reached the port of Messina in Sicily. By the time the fleet reached Messina, all the crew members were either infected or dead. It is presumed that the ships also carried infected rats and/or fleas. Some ships were found grounded on shorelines, with no one aboard remaining alive.

The sickness was bubonic plague spread by fleas on rats. The epidemic started in Italy, ravaged the rest of Europe. 1 in 3 people died

The Black PlagueThe Black Plague

oror

The Bubonic PlagueThe Bubonic Plague

oror

The Black DeathThe Black Death

OriginsOrigins Starts in China in the 1330sStarts in China in the 1330s

China busy with tradeChina busy with trade

Spreads West to EuropeSpreads West to Europe

Travels by merchant shipsTravels by merchant ships

Arrives in Europe in the late 1340’sArrives in Europe in the late 1340’s

CausesCauses

Conditions were filthyConditions were filthy People rarely/never bathedPeople rarely/never bathed FleasFleas Overcrowded citiesOvercrowded cities No sewage systemNo sewage system No trash waste systems No trash waste systems Rat populationsRat populations Poor medical practicePoor medical practice

EffectsEffects

Tore society apartTore society apart Changed view of realityChanged view of reality Stopped feudalismStopped feudalism Lowered populationLowered population Created superstitionsCreated superstitions Affected art, science, law, medicine, philosophy, Affected art, science, law, medicine, philosophy,

religion, culturereligion, culture

ImpactImpact Doctors and Church officials Doctors and Church officials

affectedaffected No cure at the timeNo cure at the time

People blamed:People blamed:

ForeignersForeigners

JewsJews

GodGod

Lepers or other people Lepers or other people

with skin problemswith skin problems

Cures and TreatmentsCures and Treatments

BloodlettingBloodletting Sitting in a ring of FireSitting in a ring of Fire QuarantineQuarantine Flower petals in the pocketsFlower petals in the pockets Loud noisesLoud noises ““Abracadabra”Abracadabra”

Section 5Section 5In Europe, the plague brought terror and

bewilderment as people had no way to stop the disease. Some turned to magic and witchcraft for cures. Still others blamed the Jews for the plague and killed them. Normal life broke down.

As the plague kept recurring, the European economy sank down. As workers and employees died, the production declined and caused inflation (rising prices). The plague had spread both death and social decline.

Section 5Section 5The Church was unable to provide the

strong leadership needed in this desperate time. It was weakened by the plague because it was unable to explain why it had happened. Popular preachers, such John Wycliffe, challenged its power and teachings.

In 1309, Pope Clement V had moved the papal court to Avignon, where it remained for 70 years. This period is called the Babylonian Captivity of the Church.

Section 5Section 5In 1378, reformers tried to end the “captivity”

and elected their own pope to rule from Rome. The French elected a rival pope. This created a split in the Church where there were two and even three popes at the time. It wasn’t till 1417 that a Church council ended the crisis.

Another preacher, Jan Hus from Bohemia carried Wycliffe’s ideas. The Church persecuted Wycliffe, his followers and the Hussites. Hus was tried and found guilty. He was burned at the stake in 1415.

Section 5Section 5Between 1337 and 1453, England and

France fought a series of conflicts, known as the Hundred Years’ War.

It was fought primarily over claims by the English Kings to the French Throne and was punctuated by several brief and two lengthy periods of peace before it finally ended in the expulsion of the English from France.

English had a few victories in 1316 and in 1415. Much of their success was due to the longbow used by English archers.

Section 5Section 5In 1429, a 17-year old peasant woman, Joan

of Arc, appeared at the court of Charles VII. She told him that God had sent her to save France. She persuaded him to let her lead his army against the English.

She inspired the troops and led the French to several victories.

She was taking captive by allies of the English and turned over to her enemies for trial. She was convicted for witchcraft and burned at the stake.

Section 5Section 5The execution of Joan made the French upset

and attacked the English with a new powerful weapon, the cannon. In 1453, the English held only the port of Calais in northwestern France.

The war created a growing sense of national feeling in France and allowed French kings to expand their power.

The longbow and the cannon gave common soldiers a new importance on the battlefield and undermined the value of armored knights.