Unit 1- The Later Middle Ages

I. A Time of Troubles A. Throughout the 13th century, due to plentiful harvest, populations expand B. Famine and Population 1. Small change in a temperature forces shorter growing seasons, leading to famine. a. Estimates at 10% population decline.

C. The Black Death, Bubonic Plague 1. Spread through trade on the Silk Road from Asia to Europe. 2. October 1347- Plague reaches Europe 3. From 1347-51, estimates are between 19-38 million death in 4 years.

4. Reaction to the Plague a. The Decameron- Boccaccio’s account of the plague. b. Attributed to God, and his punishment of sin. c. flagellants- religious extremists who attempted to satisfy God’s wrath through self inflicted punishment for sin. Traveled through Central Europe, often organize massacres of Jews (pogroms). d. Anti-Semitism- Jews were accused for bringing plague.

D. Social upheaval- Peasant revolts throughout Europe 1. Statute of Laborers- English peasants, upset at working conditions and falling wages, protest. Reaction is for the English parliament to temporarily increase wages. a. Pre-Marx socialism?

II. The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) A. The War- 1. Beginnings- Philip VI of France confiscates English territory in Gascony; Beginning of the Hundred Years War. 2. The Reasons- Edward III and Phillip VI both wanted Gascony, and were willing to destroy their treasuries to gain it. Knights in both England and France were excited to go to war. 3. The Results- Joan of Arc leads the French to victory in the battle of Orleans, and for the next twenty years, to the end of the war, the French continued to win battles.

III. Instability in Europe A. England- Due to the need to raise taxes during the Hundred Years War, the monarchy emboldens Parliament. B. France- French parliament, the Estates General, is made up of three estates. The clergy, nobility, and 3rd Estate (everybody else). C. Germany- Loose confederation of German states (The Holy Roman Empire). D. Italy- first to recover from the plague. Divides into three major city-states, Milan, Florence, and Venice. All look to the Roman Empire for inspiration.

IV. The Decline of the Church A. Boniface loses Papal authority due to push for more authority. B. The Papacy at Avignon causes the Pope to lose the prestige of Rome. 1. Avignon’s proximity to France made it seem that France ruled the Popes.

C. The Great Schism 1. Pope Gregory XI returns the Papacy to Rome a. French cardinals refuse to accept new Italian Pope, Urban VI. b. Return to Avignon and elect a French Pope, Clement VII 2. Each Pope denounced each other as the Anti- Christ, which hurt the faith of their followers. 3. Results- Leads the Church out of the political arena, and forces it to simply become a spiritual entity.

V. Culture of the 14th Century- Writers begin to use vernacular, increasing literacy. A. Dante- Writes the Devine Comedy (1313-1321). A poem that chronicles the souls journey to salvation. B. Petrarch- Poet, helps develop Italian vernacular. C. Boccaccio- Writes The Decameron, which chronicles the Black Plague. D. Chaucer- Writes The Canterbury Tales, which tells of a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas Becket. E. Christine de Pizan- Wrote in support of the women’s role in society.

VI. Changes in Medicine- Galen and his four humors were no longer to be followed, the plague teaches society that medicine needs improved. Sanitation as well as new studies in the human body are stressed. VII. New inventions A. The Clock, Eyeglasses, Paper, and Gunpowder and Cannons.

Questions to ponder… How do these events of the 14th century help move society forward? What aspects of society will be most affected?