The “Middle” Medieval Period, 1000-1200

World History - Libertyville HS

Middle Ages Characteristics• Agricultural– More land was under

cultivation because land was political POWER

– Side effect was a dramatic increase in population & increase in revenue for the owner of land

– Tech developments• Spread of iron tools• Better harnessing of animals• Use of wind, water driven mills

for food processing

Middle Ages Characteristics• Social– From 1000 to about

1300, a population boom occurred

– Population doubled• In 1000 = 36 million• In 1300 = 79 million• In 1500 = 81 million

– By comparison, Islamic population was steady or slightly declining

Middle Ages Characteristics• Social, continued– Primogeniture led to

aggressive adventures of colonization and conquest• Younger sons sought their

fortune wherever they could• Influenced crusades, giving

younger sons somewhere to try to carve out a land of their own

– Peasants were enserfed, becoming tied to the land until after the Bubonic Plague (about 1400s)

Middle Ages Characteristics

• Economic– Increase in agriculture drove

expansion of trade– Markets rewarded farmers for

their increased production– Towns and cities benefited

from increased trade b/c people moved from farms to cities

– Emerging world markets• Following crusades, Islamic

trade goods in demand• Goods = spices, luxury goods

Middle Ages Characteristics

• Rise of Guilds, around 1100– Guild was an association of

craftsmen of a particular trade

– Examples = blacksmiths; tailors, merchants

– Controlled access into their craft, who maintained the quality of work and price structure

– Strict hierarchy of guild maintained

Grand-masterMaster

Craftsman

Journeyman

Apprentice

Middle Ages Characteristics

• Political– Slow process of political

consolidation– Political reality was that

power would go to whomever could control his vassals and attract adventurers to his cause

Middle Ages Characteristics• Church corruption increasing– Priests were marrying– Simony: church selling

positions in church to rich people

• Reaction and reforms– Rise of monastic orders

• Strict vow of poverty, chastity• Set example for others

– Papal reforms were mainly strictly enforcing rules against marriage, simony

What was going on in France?• Northern France settled by

Vikings in 900s– “Normans” began conquering

other parts of Europe, like Sicily, Southern Italy (& England)

– Dukes of France = Normandy, Anjou, Brittany, Burgundy, Provence) very powerful – often stronger than the king

• Capetian Dynasty controlled French throne for 800 years, but spent most of their time fighting with and marrying into the Ducal families

What was going on in England?• Angles & Saxons (Germanic

tribes) invaded Roman Britain• Became Christian by 700• Viking attacks terrorized England

after 793• Invasion by Normans in 1066

– Normandy was a part of Northern France settled by Vikings

– William the Conqueror was the Duke of Normandy

– Invaded, defeated last Anglo-Saxon King of England at the Battle of Hastings

– French speaking Normans became rulers of England

What was going on in …?• The Holy Roman Empire?

– Otto’s heirs lost right of investiture to church

– By 1300, HRE decentralized– Became a loosely controlled area equal

in size to modern day Germany, Austria, part of Switzerland

• Eastern Europe?– Poland: pagan, became Christian by

966 AD– Hungary: Magyars; became Christian in

1000 AD• Italy?

– Papal States: Pope ruled as monarch– Popes became corrupted by secular

power

HRE in 1050

HRE in 1300

What was going on in…• Spain?– Following Islamic conquest in

700s, Catholics, Muslims and Jewish people lived in uneasy peace

– Muslim centers of learning included Cordoba, Seville

– Reconquista• Gradual re-conquest, over 700

years, of Spain by Catholic forces

• Catholics slaughtered Jewish and Muslims alike, “purifying” Spain