P15 Case Studies Flashcards
MEDIEVAL ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ANTI-SEMITISM
Key Historians and findings
- Matteoni - Blood sacralised as seen as uniting human to God. Talmud condemns consumption of blood, and Constitutio pro Judeis (1120) emphasised absurdity of blood libel. Usury tainted money supply. Dehumanised Jew seen as bloodthirsty, seeking blood of children for ultimate sacriligous depravity.
- Abulafia - Sicilian Jews had relative freedom under Islam. Traded in luxury goods, bought houses, married, conducted business. Coming of Normans saw spice and silk trade monopolised by Christians in West. Normans accepted Jews as part of the fabric of society (Obadiah the Proselyte using Hebrew songs). By 1237, Jews became servi camere to Frederick II, but also forbade eating with christians or owning christian slaves. Popular hatred went beyond what the church would admit. Some property protection by Natural Law and Roman Law.
- Berend - Innocent IV claimed ultimate jurisidiction over all, as all had a soul.
- Edwards - Where did augustine tolerance derive from? Psalm 59 - God will let me see my desires upon my enemies. Slay them not, lest my people forget it, but scatter them abroad with my power.
- Nirenberg - Converted Iberian Jews were still outsiders. Conversios were considered clandestine Jews, threatening the health of the Christian community. Women were seen as bride of Christ - an extension of authority and community: bodies guarded from Jews as sex would have defiled the Honour of the Holy Trinity.
- Hshia - Trent 1475 - trial of Jew for blood libel.
ITALIAN CITY-STATES
- Divided by Guelf (imperials) and Ghibiline (Papalists) c.1200
- Dominated by signori, from around 1400. Overpowered, though not always, the podesta. Through rigged elections (Medici - though Cosimo attempted to appear non-dictatorial (Florence)), bought titles (Gian Galeazzo Visconti bought title of Duke of Milan in 1395 for 100,000 florins), citizenship restrictions, legal entitlement (1287 - Ferrara signs over government to Obizzo d’Este’s ‘arbitrary will’.)
- Developed over time - Matteo Visconti required commune support, as did Cosimo Medici. Power concentrated in times of crisis - conflict with other city states (Florence vs Pisa). Carrara arose in Verona to quell factionalism.
- Opposed by Popolo - (bourgeoisie, usually anti-magnate) - Think 1378 Ciompi Revolt and short government
- Venice as resilient - Doge controlled from below. However, Serrata effectively limited power.
- Malatesta - Commune still maintained a strong administrative role.
LOUIS IX
Perfect King: Kingdom at peace; (war was also important); economy was going welll; population growing; good looking and handsome - God wished him well indication - meant to do great things; Loving relationship with wife - atypical; Good father - written teachings for his sons.
Louis bought the holiest relic of all - the Crown of Thorns - bought in 1239, alongside the largest available piece of the Cross - these were kept in the ‘Holy Chapel’ - shaped like a box - mostly stained glass - complete masterpiece - this is what was expected of a King. Anti-Jewish. Treaty of Paris - 1259 - concessions from Henry III. Louis extended territory.
Louis IX regarded as better than Philip IV - who was frivolous with money + exorted taxes; made possible by enlarged state apparatus. PIV opposes Etsi de statu, which allowed lay taxation of clergy without papal consent in cases of emergency. (1297) Overturns Unam Sanctam, Boniface VIII pursued for heresy.
Currency debasement:
54 shillings tournois in 1290
68 shillings by 1296
104 shillings in 1303
