The Calamitous 14The Calamitous 14thth CenturyCentury

A Distant Mirror of Our Own A Distant Mirror of Our Own TimesTimes

A Distant MirrorA Distant Mirror

In In A Distant Mirror, novelist , novelist Barbara Tuchman Barbara Tuchman reveals in reveals in alarming detail a alarming detail a ““tortured centurytortured century”” with parallels to with parallels to our own time. our own time.

People in the 14th People in the 14th century were century were subjected to natural subjected to natural and man-made and man-made disasters, including:disasters, including: Climate ChangeClimate Change Soil ExhaustionSoil Exhaustion Agricultural DeclineAgricultural Decline FamineFamine Black DeathBlack Death The Hundred Years' WarThe Hundred Years' War Political InstabilityPolitical Instability Peasant Uprisings Peasant Uprisings The Babylonian CaptivityThe Babylonian Captivity The Great SchismThe Great Schism

Was Western Europe's Was Western Europe's 14th century a mirror for 14th century a mirror for our own time? our own time? The illustration above The illustration above

depicts the Battle of depicts the Battle of Dunkirk in 1383. It was Dunkirk in 1383. It was part of the Hundred Years part of the Hundred Years War.War.

The one below represents The one below represents a battle at the same a battle at the same location that took place in location that took place in 1940. It was part of the 1940. It was part of the Second World War. Second World War.

CrisesCrises

Economic DeclineEconomic Decline The 14th century saw The 14th century saw

a series of a series of catastrophes that catastrophes that caused the European caused the European economy to weaken.economy to weaken.

A declining population, A declining population, shrinking markets, a shrinking markets, a decrease in arable decrease in arable land, and a general land, and a general mood of pessimism mood of pessimism were evidence of were evidence of deteriorating deteriorating economic conditions. economic conditions.

Climatic ChangesClimatic Changes Starting about 1250, a Starting about 1250, a

Little Ice Age began Little Ice Age began weakening Europe's weakening Europe's agricultural productivity. agricultural productivity. The Baltic Sea froze, Alpine The Baltic Sea froze, Alpine

glaciers advanced, and in glaciers advanced, and in some areas, grain some areas, grain cultivation ceased. cultivation ceased.

In other areas, crops failed In other areas, crops failed as a result of heavy rains. as a result of heavy rains.

Soil exhaustion made the Soil exhaustion made the problem worse.problem worse.

The results were food shortages and famines.The results were food shortages and famines.

FamineFamine

During 1315-1322, famine During 1315-1322, famine devastated most of devastated most of Europe. Europe. Agricultural productivity Agricultural productivity

declineddeclined Grain prices soared.Grain prices soared. Diseases destroyed much of Diseases destroyed much of

Europe's livestock, depriving Europe's livestock, depriving people of meat and dairy people of meat and dairy products. products. 

People starved to death or People starved to death or succumbed to disease.succumbed to disease.

DiseaseDisease In 1347, the Black Death In 1347, the Black Death

struck Europe. Those bitten struck Europe. Those bitten by infected fleas died by infected fleas died horrible deaths within a horrible deaths within a week's time. Those who week's time. Those who inhaled the virus died even inhaled the virus died even sooner.sooner.

The plague decimated the The plague decimated the populations of the denselypopulations of the denselypopulated cities of Northern Italy. The populated cities of Northern Italy. The population of Florence, for instance, fell from population of Florence, for instance, fell from 90,000 to 50,000 people. Within a generation, 90,000 to 50,000 people. Within a generation, the plague wiped out 40 percent of the English the plague wiped out 40 percent of the English population and nearly 60 percent of the population and nearly 60 percent of the population in northeastern France. population in northeastern France. 

WarfareWarfare The governments of The governments of

France and England France and England added to these natural added to these natural calamities by carrying out calamities by carrying out a series of long, deadly a series of long, deadly wars, which are known wars, which are known collectively as the the Hundred Years'Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). War (1337-1453).

Warfare aggravated the problem of agricultural Warfare aggravated the problem of agricultural decline by disrupting trade throughout northwest decline by disrupting trade throughout northwest Europe. Europe.

In the east, war was also disrupting trade routes In the east, war was also disrupting trade routes as the Ottoman Empire began to expand as the Ottoman Empire began to expand throughout the region. throughout the region.

Crisis in the TownsCrisis in the Towns The huge costs of warfare and the The huge costs of warfare and the

collapse of agricultural productioncollapse of agricultural productionand trade took their toll on the and trade took their toll on the urban economy too.  urban economy too.  In the mid-1300s, France and England In the mid-1300s, France and England

both refused to pay off loans made byboth refused to pay off loans made bythe banking houses of Italy.the banking houses of Italy.

This led to financial crisis and collapseThis led to financial crisis and collapsein Florence and Sienna.  in Florence and Sienna. 

Banking failures disrupted the flow of capital to Banking failures disrupted the flow of capital to other merchant enterprises, and worsened the other merchant enterprises, and worsened the depression that gripped most of Europe's cities in depression that gripped most of Europe's cities in the 1300s the 1300s

Peasant UprisingsPeasant Uprisings

The strains of life in the The strains of life in the countryside, of hunger, countryside, of hunger, disease, war and death, disease, war and death, were made worse by were made worse by feudal lords' insistence feudal lords' insistence that peasants continue that peasants continue paying high rents and paying high rents and other feudal dues and other feudal dues and by the burden of royal by the burden of royal taxation.  This led to taxation.  This led to mass uprisings in mass uprisings in France and England.France and England.

Urban RebellionsUrban Rebellions The rural population The rural population

was not alone.  On was not alone.  On several occasions, several occasions, artisans and the urban artisans and the urban poor spontaneously poor spontaneously rose in protest against rose in protest against hunger and against hunger and against the upper classes the upper classes (especially the (especially the aristocrats), who lived aristocrats), who lived in luxury and used in luxury and used their political power to their political power to keep wages low.  keep wages low. 

Popular Religious ResponsesPopular Religious Responses One common response to the One common response to the

multiple disasters and hardships multiple disasters and hardships of the 1300s was to conclude of the 1300s was to conclude that God was passing judgment that God was passing judgment on mankind's sins. Remedies for on mankind's sins. Remedies for sinfulness included:sinfulness included: Engaging in pilgrimages to holy Engaging in pilgrimages to holy

sitessites Punishing the flesh as part of a Punishing the flesh as part of a

flagellant cultflagellant cult Imitating the life of Christ and seeking mystical union with the Imitating the life of Christ and seeking mystical union with the

divine through the Eucharistdivine through the Eucharist Participating in the Lollard movement by obeying the Participating in the Lollard movement by obeying the

teachings of Christ and rejecting the Church and its teachings of Christ and rejecting the Church and its sacraments.sacraments.

Crises of AuthorityCrises of Authority The Babylonian Captivity The Babylonian Captivity

(when the papacy moved (when the papacy moved to Avignon, France) and to Avignon, France) and the Great Schism (a the Great Schism (a period during the 14period during the 14thth century when three century when three popes claimed the seat popes claimed the seat of Peter) brought a crisis of Peter) brought a crisis of authority. The papacy of authority. The papacy lost prestige and church lost prestige and church councils attempted to councils attempted to usurp authority. usurp authority.

ConsequencesConsequences

Economic ConsequencesEconomic Consequences By disrupting existing patterns of life, the By disrupting existing patterns of life, the

various crises created opportunities for various crises created opportunities for new development, such as the revival of new development, such as the revival of classic culture that brought forth new classic culture that brought forth new forms of art.forms of art.

For survivors of the Black Death, there For survivors of the Black Death, there were were new opportunities in the form of improved new opportunities in the form of improved agriculture, more diversified economies, agriculture, more diversified economies, and greater prosperity, including better and greater prosperity, including better wages and living standards.wages and living standards. The new prosperity helped fuel such The new prosperity helped fuel such

developments as the founding of new developments as the founding of new universities and the amassing of wealth universities and the amassing of wealth among urban elites. The Renaissance among urban elites. The Renaissance flourished in both environments.flourished in both environments.

Universities became centers of humanist Universities became centers of humanist learning, and wealthy city dwellers, along learning, and wealthy city dwellers, along with monarchs and popes, became patrons with monarchs and popes, became patrons of Renaissance art, architecture, and music.of Renaissance art, architecture, and music.

Political ConsequencesPolitical Consequences Although frequent warfare proved Although frequent warfare proved

destructive for its victims, it destructive for its victims, it strengthened the political power of the strengthened the political power of the victors, contributing to the growth of victors, contributing to the growth of modern nation states.modern nation states. France benefited from its victory in the France benefited from its victory in the

Hundred YearsHundred Years’’ War, English kings War, English kings consolidated their power following the consolidated their power following the Wars of the Roses, and the Spanish Wars of the Roses, and the Spanish monarch emerged as one of the strongest monarch emerged as one of the strongest in Europe following the unification of in Europe following the unification of Castile and Aragon and the expulsion of Castile and Aragon and the expulsion of the Muslims.the Muslims.

Victory in warfare also benefited many Victory in warfare also benefited many rulers who became important patrons of rulers who became important patrons of the northern Renaissance. Similarly, the northern Renaissance. Similarly, contact between Venice and the contact between Venice and the Ottomans, who had defeated the Ottomans, who had defeated the Byzantines, stimulated the development Byzantines, stimulated the development of the Renaissance.of the Renaissance.

Religious ConsequencesReligious Consequences Upheaval in the church, combined Upheaval in the church, combined

with the horrors of the Black Death with the horrors of the Black Death and the dislocation of the Hundred and the dislocation of the Hundred YearsYears’’ War, stimulated important War, stimulated important changes in European religious life.changes in European religious life. The devastation caused by the plague The devastation caused by the plague

prompted spiritual uncertainty.prompted spiritual uncertainty. Competition among the rival popes Competition among the rival popes

during the Great Schism weakened during the Great Schism weakened the prestige of the papacy.the prestige of the papacy.

The diminished authority of the The diminished authority of the church stimulated new religious church stimulated new religious movements –important precursors of movements –important precursors of the Reformation.the Reformation.

The Great Schism undermined the The Great Schism undermined the political unity of the Church and political unity of the Church and enhanced opportunities for kings to enhanced opportunities for kings to lay claim to the Church in their own lay claim to the Church in their own countries.countries.