Europe in the Middle Ages (The High Middle Ages)

Section 1. Peasants, Trade and Cities

Agricultural Revolution

After AD 1000 Climate improved

Horses replace oxen New horsecollar, shoes Faster than oxen New horsecollar, shoes Faster than oxen

Heavier Plow 24

Shift from two to three field system (about 800)

More land cleared and drained

Result: more land cultivated, more food, better diet Population explosion!

Manors 25

Typical Medieval Manor 19

1. Basic economic unit of the Middle Ages1. Basic economic unit of the Middle Ages 2. Everything owned by the lord (mills, ovens, churches etc.)2. Everything owned by the lord (mills, ovens, churches etc.)

3. Self-contained community 16

4. Serfs (60% of Europe by 800) and Peasants paid for use of land with service and percentage of crops

Peasant Life

June 43

Fall 43

Winter 43

At least 50 Religious holidays

Fool’s Day 43

Execution Day 43

Massacre of the Innocents 43

Diet usually adequate –Lots of bread –Little Meat –LOTS of beer and wine (monks got 3 gallons of ale per day)

Peasant Dance 2

Trade and Finance Expanded

People went to towns to trade

Fairs broke down independence –Great Fairs in Cathedral towns –Local Fairs in small towns Fairs broke down independence –Great Fairs in Cathedral towns –Local Fairs in small towns

Manors were no longer self-reliant

Montagnana, Italy 45 Towns Grew

1. Increased population 2. Serfs fled manors 3. Fair and Pilgrim centers 1. Increased population 2. Serfs fled manors 3. Fair and Pilgrim centers

Carcassonne, France 4. Usually walled for defense

Medieval Town, France 9

Rothenburg, Germany

Townhouse 9

Period of great innovation

Waterwheels and Windmills 24

Medieval Trade 28

The Hanseatic League

Powerful trading league of German cities controlled trade in Northern Europe

Hansa Houses in Germany 4

Italian city-states controlled trade in the Mediterranean

Venice Florence

Venice

Dyer’s Guild 4 Guilds

1. Regulated price, wage and quality of an occupation

2. Apprentice system 5-9 yrs. Apprentice--paid to do the dirty work Journeyman-worked for wages 5-9 yrs. Apprentice--paid to do the dirty work Journeyman-worked for wages

Master could establish his own business Masterpiece=Sample of best work

Financial revolution 1. Business required money, loans 2. Usury (loaning for a profit) forbidden by Church 1. Business required money, loans 2. Usury (loaning for a profit) forbidden by Church

3. Only Jews could be bankers (later, changed)

Urban life reborn

Unregulated growth of towns=filth and lack of services

Medieval Sanitation 9

Towns bring a new social order 1. Serfs could be free if they lived in a town for 1 year

2. Town Charter: burghers, bourgeoisie (townspeople) bought freedom from lords for $

3. Townspeople formed a new class: The Middle Class

Digression: Crime and Punishment in the Middle Ages

Roman Law Evidence, burden of proof, face one’s accuser, Same law for all Torture to obtain a confession Evidence, burden of proof, face one’s accuser, Same law for all Torture to obtain a confession

Germanic Tradition No Torture. Instead… No Torture. Instead…

Trial by Ordeal Hot water, cold water Hot irons, hot coals Champions Hot water, cold water Hot irons, hot coals Champions

Torture chamber at Rothenburg

Punishment Stocks, Masks Flogging, bastinado Branding Amputation Hanging, Beheading Stocks, Masks Flogging, bastinado Branding Amputation Hanging, Beheading

Mask worn by a “nag” 44

The Baker’s Chair

The Inquisition reintroduced torture

Showing the instruments Thumb screws The Horse, The Hot Seat Stretching on the rack, hanging by the arms Showing the instruments Thumb screws The Horse, The Hot Seat Stretching on the rack, hanging by the arms

Judas Cradle

The Rack

The Iron Maiden

Capital Punishment

Beheading The Cage Drawing and Quartering Beheading The Cage Drawing and Quartering

The Wheel

Breaking on the Wheel