Italy/France Flashcards
Origins of Communes
expansion in political thought
roman inheritance of infrastructure
socio-economic- immigration increase with rise of trade
new merchantile economy
social divisions between rich and poor greater
11th Century Italian political change
salian emperors often absent - role of bishop-count
urban revolts - led to popular unification
end of centralised monarchy c.1100
new langauges of communities - ‘citizens’ not subjects
wickham- ‘sleepwalking into a new world’ - idea of being unplanned
Communal Italy
sharing of lordships between groups of people
Italy viewed as bizarre to rest of Europe
bishops required to live in city
nobles required to recognise authority of city
conflict on a regional level between lords
growth of regional identity
Frederick Barbarossa
attempts to reassert dominance in Italy
diet of 1158 - half of cities dont attend
sack of milan
creation of alliances of communes
peace of Constance 1183 - imperial recognition for new political entities
Commune Civic Institutions
governed by consuls - roman language
public assemblies, oath-taking
elections where same family cant hold same positions
development of law books, codifications
rise of guilds and societies
use of towers as fortresses of power by consorterias
podestas - outsiders brought in to assert imperial rule, adapted by cities as magistrates
beginning of public palaces for offices, assemblies
Italian factional Conflict
ghibelline and guelf factionalism
worked on local an international level
rise of party of popolo - against higher classes having power
new position of capitanos del popolo- rise of bureaucracy
anti-magnate legislation
establishment of oligarchies eg Venice
features of Signorial Rule
inheritable title of lordship - often other titles attatched
identified with cities eg Ferrara -Este Milan -Sforza Florence -Medici
imitation of monarchical rule with palaces
emerged in different ways- nobles who aquired territory, podestas, gradual transitions
coexistence with communes important
Communal Democracy
concentration of authority in communal councils - due to impracticality of assemblies
Dante - expressed painful being in commune - inefficient government
suffrage very limited
florence revolution 1343 - led to incorporation of guilds into office
therefore in reality closer to oligarchy than democracy
Continuity and Change in Italy
a lot stayed the same, just structural differences
hiring of foreign mercenary groups
new institutions of podesta and signori led to creation of early renaissance courts
new patronage of the arts - led to artistic renaissance
Louis VI (The Fat)
able to conquer castellans through strategic alliances and conflict
suge - wrote life - extremely influential
seen to be very successful
Louis VII
seen to follow on from Louis the Fat
marries heir to aquitaine - huge territory increase
marriage annulled by pope
eleanor of aquitaine goes on to marry Henry II - problematic in future
Philip II (Augustus)
overshadowed by Henry II and Richard I
get captured returning from NOT crusading with Richard I
fiscal and administrative reforms
sets up chancery
conquers normandy and parts of south
pushed plantagenauts out of france almost completely
more territory = more money, but more admin problems
Louis IX
regency of Blanche of Castille
crusading vow - huge failure
builds San Chapelle to house crown of thorns
creates parlement of Paris
use of inquisitors to check work of officials
idea of what government is meant to do
canonised after death
Philip IV (the fair)
use of lawyers and royal prerogative to innovate
closest medieval french king to absolutism
wars in flanders and in gascony with english
broke a lot of time - coinage debased
explusion of jews and suppression of templars - takes porfits from both
establishes treasury
upon death revolt over representation, causes assemblies over taxation
Capetian developments
administrative kingship creation of core of professionals provincial government institutional memory of always seeing same names reinforcement of religious ideas
