The Crisis of the 14The Crisis of the 14thth CenturyCentury

A Distant Mirror of Our Own A Distant Mirror of Our Own Times?Times?

Adapted by Dianne SiasocoAdapted by Dianne Siasoco

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 “tortured century” with century” with parallels to our parallels to our own time. 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.

7.1 Crisis of the 7.1 Crisis of the 1414thth century century

WarsWarsThe Hundred Years’ The Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)War (1337-1453)What was it? A series What was it? A series of long, deadly wars, of long, deadly wars, between England and between England and France. France.

HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR (1337-1453) HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR (1337-1453) check your book for the yearscheck your book for the years

Causes: Causes: France tried to control France tried to control the English’s Guyenne in the English’s Guyenne in SW FranceSW FranceThe French supported The French supported the Scots against the Scots against England.England.The French tried to The French tried to control Flanders and the control Flanders and the English wool tradeEnglish wool tradeFights over the English Fights over the English ChannelChannel

Consequences:Consequences:Destroyed harvests Destroyed harvests and fieldsand fieldsdisrupted trade disrupted trade throughout northwest throughout northwest EuropeEuropeIn the east, war was also In the east, war was also disrupting trade routes as disrupting trade routes as the Ottoman Empire began the Ottoman Empire began to expand throughout the to expand throughout the region.region.POPULATION DECRESEDPOPULATION DECRESED

FamineFamine

What was it? People starved What was it? People starved to death or became weak to death or became weak against disease. During against disease. During 1315-1322, famine 1315-1322, famine devastated most of Europe. devastated most of Europe.

FAMINEFAMINE

Causes:Causes:CLIMATE CHANGE (SEE CLIMATE CHANGE (SEE NEXT SLIDE)NEXT SLIDE)A LITTLE ICE AGE! SAY A LITTLE ICE AGE! SAY WHAAA??@#$@?!?WHAAA??@#$@?!?

CONSEQUENCES:CONSEQUENCES: Agricultural Agricultural

productivity declinedproductivity declined Grain prices Grain prices

increased greatly.increased greatly. Diseases destroyed Diseases destroyed

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

POPULATION POPULATION DECREASEDDECREASED

Climatic ChangesClimatic Changes What was it? Starting about What was it? Starting about

1250, a Little Ice Age began 1250, a Little Ice Age began weakening Europe's agricultural weakening Europe's agricultural productivity. productivity.

The Baltic Sea (locate it on The Baltic Sea (locate it on the map) froze, Alpine the map) froze, Alpine glaciers advanced, and in glaciers advanced, and in some areas, grain cultivation some areas, grain cultivation stopped. stopped.

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

Question for thought:Question for thought:

Are we having a climate change Are we having a climate change now?now?

The Black DeathThe Black DeathWhat was it? What was it? In 1347, the Black Death In 1347, the Black Death hit Europe. Those bitten hit Europe. Those bitten by infected fleas died horrible by infected fleas died horrible deaths within a week's time. deaths within a week's time. Those who inhaled the virus Those who inhaled the virus died even sooner.died even sooner.

THE BLACK DEATHTHE BLACK DEATH

Causes:Causes:Came from Asia Came from Asia and spread along the and spread along the trade routestrade routes

Consequences:Consequences:

POPULATION DECREASEPOPULATION DECREASEDecimated(destroyed) the Decimated(destroyed) the populations of the densely populations of the densely populated cities of Northern populated cities of Northern Italy. Florence fell from Italy. Florence fell from 90,000 to 50,000 people. 90,000 to 50,000 people. Killed 40% of the English Killed 40% of the English population and nearly 60% population and nearly 60% of the population in of the population in northeastern France. northeastern France. 

HOMEWORK: READ THE BOXES AND MAP ON HOMEWORK: READ THE BOXES AND MAP ON PAGE 90 AND 91. ANSWER NUMBER 4.PAGE 90 AND 91. ANSWER NUMBER 4.

7.2 Consequences 7.2 Consequences of the crisisof the crisis

1. POPULATION DECREASE1. POPULATION DECREASE

FROM 80 TO 45 MILLION BETWEEN FROM 80 TO 45 MILLION BETWEEN 1300-14001300-1400

2. Economic Decline or 2. Economic Decline or recessionrecession

3. Social Conflicts3. Social Conflicts

Countryside:Countryside:Cities:Cities:

Peasant Uprisings in the Peasant Uprisings in the countrysidecountryside

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' demands feudal lords' demands 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 was The rural population was

not alone.  not alone.  Artisans and the urban Artisans and the urban

poor spontaneously rose poor spontaneously rose in protest against in protest against hunger and against the hunger and against the upper classes upper classes (especially the (especially the aristocrats), who lived in aristocrats), who lived in luxury and used their luxury and used their political power to keep political power to keep wages low. wages low. 

Are you seeing this Are you seeing this today?today?

Banking Crisis Banking Crisis In the mid-1300s, France and In the mid-1300s, France and

England both refused to pay off loans England both refused to pay off loans made bymade 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 Italy.  in Florence and Sienna in Italy. 

Banking failures disrupted the flow Banking failures disrupted the flow

worsened the depression of most worsened the depression of most

European cities. European cities.

Stop here. Review.Stop here. Review.

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.

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 Years’ War, English kings Hundred Years’ 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 Years’ War, stimulated important Years’ 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.