Medieval cities

Unit 3

2º ESO

Maira Gil Camarón

Source: Santillana Richmond

The improvements in agriculture made the population increased. Some of these improvements were:

1. New lands: cutting forests and draining marshes2. New techniques: three-year system of crop rotation

1- Why did Europe become more prosperous since the 12th century?

Before peasants left the half of the land fallow. Since the 12th century they only left a third of the lands fallow

3. New machinery: mouldboard plough

3. New techniques and crops introduced in the Mediterranean coasts due to the contacts with the Muslims

4. The use of mills did the work of more than 40 people: new lands were worked and many peasant had to go to the cities looking for a job

Food production increased and population also increased. There were more people to work and some of then went to the cities cities grew

The mouldboard plough:It was more efficient than the Roman plough

2- How did trade grow?

Trade developed from the 12th century, and there were two important sea routes:The Mediterranean route, linking Spanish and Italian cities with Muslim ports and the Byzantine Empire

It was by sea and the main important seaports were Cadiz, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Geonoa, Naples, Venice, Constantinople, Antioch and Trebizond

The Europeans imported luxury items (perfumes, silks, porcelain, spices) and exported cloth an weapons

The Atlantic and Baltic route, dominated by the Hanseatic League, linking the coasts of Portugal and Cantabria with Flemish, German and Russian cities.

Members of the leage exchanged Spanish and English wool, French wine, English tin and products from the Baltic (amber, furs, wood, wheat)

Merchants met at trade fairs (the most important: Champagne, Leipzig, Medina del Campo)

As a result of the increase in trade, banking techniques changes and new financial methods were developed: Payment by creditBills of exchange

The development of banking

The importance of cities

From the 12th Century cities grew again. Some were old cities, but others were new ones.Medieval cities were small, no more than 30,000 inhabitants, and the largest were Paris.

3- Why did cities grow?

Many peasants had to migrate to cities to find work due to the improvements in agriculture (less workers were necessary)

The revival in trade made cities the centre of the exchanges (markets)

Cities offered a better life where all the inhabitants were free. The city council was the government of the cities

The causes of urban growth

Rich merchants, who governed cities. Craftsmen, shopkeepers or domestic

service (most of the population) Poor people without a job

Most of the population were Christians, but there were also other groups who lived in separated quarters:

Ghettoes: Jewish people lived there Moorish quarters: muslim people (on

the Iberian Peninsula)

Inhabitants of the cities

CRAFTSMEN They were workers who made products with their hands in the cities and townsWhere did they work? They worked in workshops and they sold those products at the same place

4- What was the role of craftsmen?

The number of craftsmen raised because of the increase in the demand

Craftsmen of the same profession often lived in the same street, named after trades: Baker Street…

The house of a craftsman: a walthy tailor’s home and workshop

GUILDS Associations of craftsmen who belonged to the same profession

Guilds controlled production and distributed raw materials, controlled the number of workers and established pricesNobody could work in a trade if they did not join a guildGuilds had social tasks: To look after the workers and their families, build hospitals and other buildings… Guilds had a great power in the cities

Craftsmen in the 12th centuryBetter agriculture More production of food Increase of the population People moved to the cities Great demand of products in the cities Number of craftsmen increased Trade is bigger Cities are wealthier

Three categories of craftsmen:

•MASTER• He was the owner of the workshop and he lived there with his family• Masters controlled the guilds

•JOURNEYMEN• Skilled craftsmen with a salary

•APPRENTICES• Young men who learnt a trade• They worked for the master but they did not have a salary• If they were good, they became journeymen

The growth of Royal authorityAgriculture, trade and cities grew in the 12th century

Kings could collect more taxes, and they created strong royal armies

Kings controlled nobles and their kingdoms

5- Why did monarchies grow stronger?

The kings created the Parliaments: institutions where the different estates made agreements, but the only people who were represented were:the kingthe noblesthe clergythe city mayorsKings used Parliaments to reduce the noble power supported by the citiesThe main functions of the Parliaments were:establish new taxesapprove special budgets for wars

The creation of Parliaments

Conflicts between European kingdoms

• INTERNAL OR CIVIL WARS caused by fights related to succession:

• When a king died without children• When a king was considered to be unsuitable

• INTERNATIONAL WARS• Different kingdoms fought to expand their boundaries

Maira Gil CamarónTwitter: @magilca

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