Crusades, Plague, War, and Schism

Islam Muhammad Expansion of Islam into Africa and Spain Five Pillars of Islam There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet. Standard prayer 5 times a day and public prayer on Friday at midday. Observance of the holy month of Ramadan Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a person’s life Charity to the poor Shari’a Law

Crusades Began as an effort to save Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. Further to liberate the Holy Land and establish a Christian state there. Eight major crusades 1095 the Crusades were called for by Pope Urban II at Clermont

Course of the Crusades Peasants Crusade First Crusade Kingdom of Jerusalem Second Crusade 1187 Jerusalem taken by Saladin Third Crusade 1204 Fourth Crusade

Course of the Crusades 1212 Children’s Crusade Fifth Crusade 1228 Sixth Crusade Seventh Crusade 1270 Eighth Crusade 1291 Acre fell to Muslims, Crusades came to an end

Black Death The Little Ice Age October 1347 the Bubonic Plague arrived in Italy By 1350 the plague swept throughout Europe Symptoms include high fever, sore joints, swelling in the lymph nodes, dark blotches caused by internal bleeding

Plague 25 to 50% of Europeans died in the plague In Germany alone about 40,000 villages ceased to exist 19 to 38 million deaths Returned again in smaller outbreaks until the 1500’s

Reactions to the plague Flagellants Rise in anti-Semitism Church officials abandoned their posts, leading to a questioning of Christianity Life became viewed as cheap and short Pursuit of pleasure Obsession with death

The Church in Decline Boniface VIII Unam Santam 1302 Stated that the pope was above all earthly rulers Conflict with French king Philip IV arose over taxation of the clergy of France Boniface was kidnapped by French troops after the excommunication of Philip The pope died shortly after his rescue

Avignon In 1305 a French pope, Clement V ( ), was elected to replace Boniface Citing turmoil in Rome, Clement moved the papal seat to Avignon Charges of religious corruption and manipulation were leveled against the French popes

The Great Schism 1378 Pope Gregory XI returned the seat of papal power back to Rome He died within a few weeks of the return The citizenry of Rome threatened the college of cardinals with violence if they elected a French pope Urban VI ( ) was elected Five months later French cardinals nullified the election of Urban and elected Clement VII ( ), who returned to Avignon

Schism Both popes refused to resign, and so they excommunicated each other Council of Pisa 1409 failed to reconsile the opposing sides and began a third division Alexander V Schism did not end even after the deaths of the original rival popes Finally ended with the Council of Constance ( ) elected Martin V

Hundred Years War Hostilities began 1346 Battle of Crecy 1396 Truce 1415 War renewed by Henry V 1415 Battle of Agincourt Joan of Arc 1453 War ended in French victory

Reactions to the 1300’s Tarnished image of the Church and its leadership Emergence of secularism Renewed interest in Greek and Roman writings Desire for real and authentic religion Weakened Church