This week we explored the Later Middle Ages, which for all practical purposes witnessed the end to the medieval period. I suppose what makes the Middle Ages distinctly "medieval" is the way in which society progressed and was fostered through feudalism. In other words, the feudal system, which established the great kingdoms of England and France, as well as the Papal Monarchy came to a crashing end during the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries as a result of various factors. Specifically these factors can most readily be seen in the feudal politics between Church and State, the devastating Hundred Years' War, and finally the Bubonic Plague, better know as the "Black Death".
The issue regarding the politics began during conflict between England and France at the turn of the fourteenth century. Pope Boniface VIII wrote a scathing papal bull to monarchs' Edward I of England and Philip IV of France entitled Clericis Laicos, which forbade the state from taxing the clergy, both England and France protested and Boniface VIII ended up losing the battle when Philip IV sent his henchman William of Noraget to arrest Boniface and publicly flog him. Boniface VIII would soon die and over the course of the next two years, Philip IV used his power of manipulation and persuasion to place his childhood friend Bertrand de Got into running for the next Papal Monarch and he won the election in 1305 and was named Clement V. By 1307, Clement V, under the thumb of Philip IV, moved the Papacy to the French Rivera -- Avignon, which began what is better known as the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. This Crisis in the Church would span the remainder of the fourteenth century and completely come to an end until beginning of the fifteenth century. The long term cause of this schism would give the fuel that would eventually fan the fire of the Reformation in the following century.
Arguably the most significant development in the Later Middle Ages was the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) fought between two medieval juggernauts--England and France. Not really one, but several long series of campaigns broken up by occasional interludes of truce and peace, this war shows both the power and weakness of the feudal system. What began ultimately as a dynastic scuffle over the French Crown ended with the collapse of England's influence on the European continent. For most of the phases during the war, the English Army significantly defeated the French. The Battle of Poitiers on September 19, 1356, for example illustrates the English dominance, where they would not only win the battle but also capture the French King John II, as well as several of his nobles. Ironically, while England continued to be successful during the second and third phases of the war, ultimately France came out on top by the end of the war in 1453.
The last factor which brought about the closing of the Middle Ages was the cultural significance of the Bubonic Plague. The Plague swept through Europe between 1347-1430 wiping out many villages and crippling several communities. By the end of the Plague Wind, more than 2/5 of the population was decimated. The experience of living through the Black Death exemplifies the cultural experience of the event, as portrayed in various works of art, such as Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, or Boccaccio's The Decameron. Moreover, we can see the development of humanism as a result of the massive death toll. As you read for next week's class pay attention to how Renaissance Europe emerged from the ashes of the Middle Ages. How does humanism tie into the meaning of this "rebirth"? Lastly, be able to identify how various historians view the Renaissance.
The issue regarding the politics began during conflict between England and France at the turn of the fourteenth century. Pope Boniface VIII wrote a scathing papal bull to monarchs' Edward I of England and Philip IV of France entitled Clericis Laicos, which forbade the state from taxing the clergy, both England and France protested and Boniface VIII ended up losing the battle when Philip IV sent his henchman William of Noraget to arrest Boniface and publicly flog him. Boniface VIII would soon die and over the course of the next two years, Philip IV used his power of manipulation and persuasion to place his childhood friend Bertrand de Got into running for the next Papal Monarch and he won the election in 1305 and was named Clement V. By 1307, Clement V, under the thumb of Philip IV, moved the Papacy to the French Rivera -- Avignon, which began what is better known as the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. This Crisis in the Church would span the remainder of the fourteenth century and completely come to an end until beginning of the fifteenth century. The long term cause of this schism would give the fuel that would eventually fan the fire of the Reformation in the following century.
Arguably the most significant development in the Later Middle Ages was the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) fought between two medieval juggernauts--England and France. Not really one, but several long series of campaigns broken up by occasional interludes of truce and peace, this war shows both the power and weakness of the feudal system. What began ultimately as a dynastic scuffle over the French Crown ended with the collapse of England's influence on the European continent. For most of the phases during the war, the English Army significantly defeated the French. The Battle of Poitiers on September 19, 1356, for example illustrates the English dominance, where they would not only win the battle but also capture the French King John II, as well as several of his nobles. Ironically, while England continued to be successful during the second and third phases of the war, ultimately France came out on top by the end of the war in 1453.
The last factor which brought about the closing of the Middle Ages was the cultural significance of the Bubonic Plague. The Plague swept through Europe between 1347-1430 wiping out many villages and crippling several communities. By the end of the Plague Wind, more than 2/5 of the population was decimated. The experience of living through the Black Death exemplifies the cultural experience of the event, as portrayed in various works of art, such as Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, or Boccaccio's The Decameron. Moreover, we can see the development of humanism as a result of the massive death toll. As you read for next week's class pay attention to how Renaissance Europe emerged from the ashes of the Middle Ages. How does humanism tie into the meaning of this "rebirth"? Lastly, be able to identify how various historians view the Renaissance.
world-civilization-week-3.ppt |