Middle ages Flashcards
What was the Gregorian reform? What did it do?
- The last step that led the Church to its peak of power. - Made the priests unable to marry and have sex: showed moral example
- Increase the independence of the Church from the Kings and Lords
- Lords would chose the occupations of people in the Church (in control)
- The King could pick people that would be loyal to him
- ## Popes would fight to be able to choose who would work in the Church
What was the position of the Church in the 13th century? What are some characteristics of its position? (VERY IMPORTANT)
Similar to a monarchy:
- ruled by one pope
- ruled over a large territory
- everyone had to obey to the pope
- huge bureaucracy
- own taxes, divine rights
- own justice system
- the pope had an ‘army’ since he could call Christians to fight for the Church whenever he wanted. (e.g. crusades)
- the Church was at the peak of its power
What were the crusades? What were they for? How long did it last?
Holly wars to take back Jerusalem. Lasted 2000 years
What were the motivations of the Church for the crusades?
- Free Jerusalem from the Muslims
- Called for help for the Emperor of Constantinople
- Wanted to go on a pilgrimage in Jerusalem since it is where Jesus died
- The authority of the Church was strong
What were the motivations of the people who fought in the crusades?
- Salvation since it was said that all their sins would be erased and they would go to Heaven even if they killed people during the crusades
- Wealth
- Prestige and honor
What were the consequences of the crusades? (IMPORTANT)
- Negative relationships with other nations/people such as Jews and Muslims since they did not believe in the right religion
- Development of the economy in Europe (trade of goods in the Middle East)
- Opened Europe culturally (became more sophisticated with the contact with Muslims)
- Important scientific knowledge due to Muslims such as astronomy, medicine and numbers
- Rediscovered a lot of Greek and Roman knowledge
- Created unity in Europe for a common cause
- Military failure
How was the economy at the beginning of the Middle Ages?
Not very diverse and dynamic + Church was against profit, it was not seen as a good thing + based on agriculture + not a lot of trades
What made the economy go from a stagnant level to a dynamic level?
Economic revolution
What are the causes of the economic revolution?
- Crusades created new desires of different goods (Italian merchants)
- Population was increasing
- More merchants, craftsmen, industries and banking in the cities
- Cities could make their own laws, punish crimes, govern themselves (more dynamic cities)
Why was the population increasing with better agriculture?
- People went from using half/half of their land to three/third to produce food)
- New heavy metal plows
- Horse collars
- More food and proteins (beans)
- More people leaving to work in cities (developed cities)
Why were merchants called ‘misfits’ during the EARLY Middle Ages?
They did not fit in any order/group of the society since they did not fight, pray and follow the orders. At the beginning, making profit was seen as a bad thing since it was like merchants did money on the back of the Church.
How did the merchants’ status changed from the Early Middle Ages?
- Created the bourgeoisie
- It was now acceptable to make money and be wealthy
- They became the King’s allies
- They could bring the goods that the population desired
- They became valued since they had power over the trades and the needs of the population
What are the two demographic crises at the end of the Middle Ages?
Famines and the Plague (Black Death)
What are the causes of famine during the end of the Middle Ages ?
Overpopulation, change in the climate that affected harvests, not enough food, etc.
What were the consequences of the plague (Black Death) ?
- Hit a weak population due to famine
- 1/3 to 1/2 of the population died
- Shortage in workers (short-term)
- Better salaries, jobs for everyone, more food (long-term)
- Hard on the nobility: needed to pay the workers more
- Abolition of serfs
- Macabre art (people were psychologically hurt)
- People would punish themselves with flagellation
- People would kill Jews since they thought it was them that brought the disease
- Divided families since people left cities since they didn’t want to get sick (left the sick members of their family alone)
