Chapter 10

Europe in the Middle Ages

1000 A.D. – 1500 A.D.

Key Events• The revival of trade led to the growth of

cities and towns, which became important centers for manufacturing

• The Catholic Church was an important part of people’s lives during the middle ages

• During the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, Europeans experienced many problems including the Black Death, the Hundred Years’ War, and the decline of the Church

The Impact Today• The revival of trade brought with it a

money economy and the emergence of capitalism, which is widespread in the world today

• Modern universities had their origins in medieval Europe

• The medieval history of Europe can be seen today in Europe’s great cathedrals.

Chapter Preview

“Life In London”

Section 1

Peasants, Trade, and

Cities

The New Agriculture• The population in Europe almost

doubled between 1000 and 1300, from 38 million to 74 million– Significant improvements in technology

related to farming• Watermill• Windmill• Carruca

– Peace Time (No additional Arab or Asian invaders)

– Climate Change improved food production

The New Agriculture (Continued)

• The use of the heavy-wheeled plow led to the growth of farming villages

• The shift from a two-field to a three-field system of crop rotation added to the increase in food productions

The Manorial System

• A manor was an agricultural estate run by a lord and worked by peasants• Free peasants continued to

exist, however a large number of free peasants became serfs

Daily Life of the Peasantry

• Peasants (serfs) continuously worked all year long, taking breaks only at holidays and local feasts• Peasant women were

expected to work the fields and at the same time bear children

Food and Drink• The wealthy ate meat and

drank wine regularly• Peasants ate a diet of mostly

bread and vegetables and drank ale

The Revival of Trade• By the 12th century, a regular

exchange of goods was taking place between Flanders and Italy• A money economy (an

economic system based on money, rather than barter) began to emerge• Commercial capitalism began

The Growth of Cities• The revival of trade led to a

revival of cities• The physical environment of

medieval cities was not pleasant and pollution was a problem

Industry and Guilds• Cities and towns became important

centers for manufacturing• Craftspeople organized themselves

into guilds for carpenters, bakers, banking, etc.

• An apprentice would become a journeymen, and eventually try to produce a masterpiece to join the guild.

Section 2

Christianity and

medieval Civilization

The Papal Monarchy• The Catholic church was heavily

involved in the political and military decisions in medieval Europe

• Various Pope’s and King’s had many differing views on who should control certain powers throughout the land

• The church tried to maintain tight control by appointing specific lords and nobles to powerful positions

Popular Religion in the High Middle Ages

• The sacraments of the Catholic Church were central in importance to ordinary people

• Rites such as baptism, marriage, and communion made the church a crucial part of people’s lives from birth to death

• The sacraments were seen as means for receiving God’s grace and were necessary for salvation.

Imagery in Religion

• Imagery, like relics, buildings, and art, were widely influenced by the Catholic church in Europe.• Imagery introduced god into all aspects of society.

Section 3

The Culture of the High

Middle Ages

The Rise of Universities• The university as we know it today,

with faculty, students, and degrees, was a product of the High Middle Ages.

• Curriculum began with a traditional liberal arts course of study.

• After 4 to 6 years of study students would take an oral exam given by a committee of teachers to get a bachelor or masters of arts degree.

Universities (Continued)

• After completing a liberal arts program, a student could go on to study law, medicine, or theology.

• Theology was the most highly regarded subject of the medieval university.

• A student who passed his final oral examinations in one of these areas was granted a doctor’s degree.

Scholasticism and philosophy

• The study of theology in the universities was strongly influenced by scholasticism

• The chief task of scholasticism was to harmonize Christian teachings with the works of the Greek philosophers

• St. Thomas Aquinas played a central role in European philosophy, using logic and reason to develop rational beliefs

Architecture

• Many advancements made in the way of church architecture during the 11th and 12th centuries• Review of various styles on page 332

Section 4

The Late Middle Ages

The Black Death• The black death was the most

devastating natural disaster in European history.

• Bubonic plague was the most common form of the black death.

• Of the total European population of 75 million, as many as 38 million people died of the plague between 1347 and 1351.

Theories of the Black Death

• At the time, people did not know what caused the plague

• Many believed that it had been sent by God as a punishment for their sins or had been caused by the devil

• Some Europeans blamed the Jews, creating Anti-Semitism in Europe

• In some towns Jews were accused of causing the plague by poisoning town wells

Black Death – Economic Consequences

• Trade declined significantly• A shortage of workers caused

a dramatic rise in the price of labor• The decline in the number of

people lowered the demand for food, resulting in falling prices

The Decline of Church Power

• The Great Schism, which lasted from 1378 to 1417, divided Europe

• Great Schism – A split in the Catholic church during which time their were rival popes in Rome and in the French city of Avignon.

• Out of the split come a reformation and a loss of political power for the Catholic church.

The Hundred Years’ War• In the 13th century, England still

held one small possession in France, known as the duchy of Gascony

• In 1337, the King of France seized Gascony in an attempt to make it part of the French kingdom

• In response, King Edward III of England, declares war on France

The Hundred Years’ War (Continued)

• The war saw the dominance of new weapons like the longbow and cannon

• Joan of Arc (French) brings the war to a decisive turning point in 1429-1430

• Joan of Arc’s achievements helped bring victory to the French in 1453

Political Recovery• In the 15th century, new

monarchies were established in France, England, and Spain.

• The Holy Roman Empire establishes rule in central Europe, and was ruled by the Hapsburg dynasty until the Holy Roman Empire ends in 1805

Chapter 10

Europe in the Middle Ages

Wrap Up and Review

Key Events (Re-visited)• The revival of trade led to the growth

of cities and towns, which became important centers for manufacturing

• The Catholic Church was an important part of people’s lives during the middle ages

• During the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, Europeans experienced many problems including the Black Death, the Hundred Years’ War, and the decline of the Church

The Impact Today (Re-visited)

• The revival of trade brought with it a money economy and the emergence of capitalism, which is widespread in the world today

• Modern universities had their origins in medieval Europe

• The medieval history of Europe can be seen today in Europe’s great cathedrals.