Aim: Can we see evidence of a Renaissance in the High Middle Ages?

A reenactment of the Battle of Hastings

I Life in the Middle Ages Was Changing!A) Between 1000 – 1300 CE, the population of Europe tripled. This was due to :1. The switch from wooden to iron plows, and a new harness that allowed the use of oxen instead of horses.2. An increased use of the 3 field system; more land was planted than in the 2 field system.3. Europe experienced a warming period (950 – 1250) which helped the growth of crops.

Life in the Middle Ages Was Changing…B) Recall that trade increased in Western Europe as a result of the Crusades. This led to a revival of banking.Medieval merchants (businessmen) began to:

1. Use banking houses2. Pay with credit (delay of payments)3. Form partnerships: merchants would pool funds to finance large-scale business ventures

*Many of these changes were borrowed from the Muslims!

II Medieval Trade B) Venice and Florence controlled most trade in southern Europe.

When the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, Venice quickly negotiated the maintenance of its trading rights. Venice had important connections with Northern Europe. Trade with Flanders (in Belgium) was carried out mainly at fairs where Italian merchants bought woolen goods and sold silk, and spices. Venetians traded metals up the Po Valley and in the Mediterranean. In building up its trade, Venice created a political empire. In 1171, the city had about 66,000 inhabitants!

Medieval Trade Continued…C) The Hanseatic League dominated trade in northern Europe.

1. Prevented robbers & pirates2. Built light houses3. Trained ship pilots

Stockholm, Norway, a former Hanseatic

League city.

III Medieval Trade Fairs and CitiesA) Merchants set up a temporary shop by busy trade route intersections. Overtime this led to the growth of trade fairs and cities.

B) Medieval trade fairs were similar to outdoor flea markets. Merchants would sell a variety of goods, and there was live entertainment.

C) As manors became less prosperous, merchants were able to buy a town charter from the lord. A charter was a document that guaranteed freedom to the town that was on the lord’s land.

D) Workers of the same craft or trade lived on the same street, which was often named after their occupation.

Surnames (last names) became common in the Middle Ages. They were usually based on

your profession.

Bruges, Belgium, A Very Pretty Medieval Town!

Medieval Trade Continued…A Medieval Recipe for Game

Bird Sauce:1 capon (game bird) liver 1/4 tsp. anise seed 1/4 tsp. grains of paradise (similar to pepper, but from Africa and much cheaper)1/4 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 Tbsp. bread crumbs 1/4 cup verjuice (made from grapes) 2 Tbsp. butter or animal fat Procedure: Cook livers and puree. Add spices, verjuice, butter or fat, and breadcrumbs. Bring to a boil, simmer, and serve.*Notice the amount of spices used!

Notice the narrow streets in this medieval town!

Complaints of Filth, London, 1314

Friday 9 August 1314:… a gutter running under… the houses was provided to receive

the rainwater and other water draining from the houses, gutters and street, so that the flow might cleanse the privy [toilet] on the Hithe, Alice Wade has made a wooden pipe connecting the seat of the privy… with the gutter, which is

frequently stopped up by the filth there from, and the neighbors under whose houses the gutter runs are greatly

inconvenienced by the stench. Judgment that she remove the pipe within 40 days.

IV Medieval Guilds and UniversitiesA) Merchants and craftspeople formed guilds to protect their professions. *Recall that laws did not yet exist to protect businesses like today.B) Guilds made rules to protect the quality of goods, regulate work hours, and set prices. They also provided social services for its members, including providing for widows and orphans.C) Rather than attending school, you learned by doing.

1. APPRENTICE: At 7-8 years old you would leave your family to live with a master of the craft you want to learn.

2. JOURNEYMEN: Salaried workers. It was difficult to become a master; you had to be accepted by the majority of the guild masters.

3. MASTER: You could set up your own shop.

Medieval Guilds Continued…

Top left: BlacksmithsTop right: DyersBottom left: Bakers

Medieval Guilds and Universities Continued…D) The Medieval University was a system of higher education that emerged in western Europe during the late 11th and early 12th centuries. It is most likely not a coincidence that they emerged following the Crusades, when the Christian knights had contact with Muslims… who had preserved the knowledge of the Classical Greek and Roman world. These ‘universitas’ emerged in cities such as Salerno and Bologna in Italy, Paris in France and Oxford and Cambridge in England. The main curriculum was based on seven areas – grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy – all of which were important for a cleric in the Catholic church. This institution would be one of the most successful achievements of the Middle Ages, and is today the standard form of higher education throughout the world.

Oxford University, England, built 12th Century CE

V England in medieval EuropeA) The Romans conquered Britain in the 1st century CE.B) After the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century CE, the Angles and the Saxons (Germanic tribes) invaded Britain.

Medieval England Continued…C) 1066 CE King Edward the Confessor of England died without a son.

King Edward of England built Westminster Abbey in 1050 CE. This is where Prince William got

married to Kate!

Medieval England Continued

DUKE WILLIAM OF NORMANDY!

• Blood related to King Edward.

• Lived in Normandy, France.

HAROLD OF ESSEX, THE BROTHER-IN-LAW!

• Not blood related to Edward.

• Lived in England.

There were several other contenders for

the throne, but William and Harold

were the main competition.

D) The following people were the main contenders for the throne of England after King Edward’s death.

Normandy, France (Birthplace of William)

In the early Middle Ages, Norsemen from Scandinavia (northern Europe) settled in Normandy in northern France. Recall that

Norsemen who went on raids were known as Vikings. *If William wins the crown of England, England can lay claim to Normandy!

Medieval England Continued…E) Oct 14, 1066 William from Normandy crossed the English Channel to claim the throne. He defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings. William was then called “William the Conqueror”.

Harold was struck in the eye with an arrow). His face was so badly

damaged that his mistress had to identify him by his tattoos.

Medieval England Continued…The Bayeux Tapestry was created in the 11th century CE to

show the Norman conquest of England.

The Bayeux Tapestry consists of 72 scenes, all hand embroidered. The entire tapestry is 250 feet long!

Scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry

Harold being crowned King of England

Norman Ships crossing the English Channel

Scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry

King Harold Gets Struck with an Arrow

William Crowned King

Medieval England Continued…F) William the Conqueror ruled England 1066 - 1087. 1. He immediately built 500+ castles for his knights to ensure their safety from the Saxons. 2. He brought feudalism to England. As a reward to his knights for his victory, William gave them land in exchange for their loyalty. 3. As William was from Normandy (northern France), the English nobles began to speak French. This led Middle English which incorporated Latin based words into the previously Germanic language!4. William created the Great Council, made up of Norman nobles, to provide him advice. By the 13th century the Great Council was called Parliament, and divided into 2 houses; the House of Lords and the House of Commons. *At this time, the House of Lords had more power than the House of Commons.

Alnwick, A Norman Castle in England, 12th Century CE

Medieval England and William the Conqueror Continued…

5. William the Conqueror sent government officials to each shire (district) to count people and animals for taxing. All of this information was recorded in the Domesday Book.

How did the Domesday Book get its name? It was believed the only thing more accurate

than the Domesday Book would be the Last Judgment or

“Doomsday”.

“There was no single hide nor a yard of land, nor

indeed one ox nor one cow nor

one pig which was left out.”

Medieval England Continued…G) In 1215 the English nobles demanded King John (known for high taxes) sign the Magna Carta or “Great Charter”.The Magna Carta guaranteed certain rights to the nobility:

1. The King needed consent of the nobles to collect new taxes2. The King can’t take a noble’s property without paying for it3. The King can’t delay justice4. Any accused noble is entitled to a jury trial

* The Magna Carta made it so that the King was not above the law.

Medieval England and the Magna Carta Continued…

Magna Carta Excerpts

1. “No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, or in any other way destroyed, except by the lawful judgment of his peers.” 2. “To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay right or justice.”

6th Amendment of the Constitution

“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.”

VI The 100 Years WarA) Because William the Conqueror was from Normandy (northern France) and became the King of England in 1066, later English kings claimed that the lands of France belonged to them. Also because William was from Normandy, French Kings claimed that England belonged to them!

The 100 Years War Continued…B) In 1338 King Edward III of England led a raid into France and declared himself the new French King. This angered King Philip VI of France and led to the 100 Years War.C) Originally the English were winning due to their new weapon, the long bow. During the 100 Years War the French used the cross bow (a weapon first used in Asia). It was less efficient than the long bow, but required less training to master.

The long bow shoots up to 400 yards!

An archer could shoot 12-15 arrows per minute!

BUT it took a lot of training to master.

The 100 Years War Continued…D) On Oct 25, 1415, 6,000 English knights defeated 20,00 French knights. England now controlled Normandy (Northern France).E) At 13 years old, a peasant girl named Joan of Arc heard voices of angels and saints, telling her to lead France to victory against the English.

Joan never called herself Joan of Arc! She only referred to herself as Jehanne la Pucelle “The Maid”.

Modern doctors have diagnosed her as possibly epileptic or schizophrenic,

as her visions were often accompanied by a bright light and

ringing bells.

“Joan of Arc” painted by Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879

The 100 Years War Continued…F) Joan of Arc donned men’s clothes and went to see the French king Charles VII. He had her “examined” by Church officials to determine if she told the truth. He let her lead the French army. [Joan of Arc never actually fought in a battle! She accompanied her men and carried a banner, like a medieval cheerleader, to inspire the French to victory.] In April of 1429, the French army led by Joan expelled the British from Orleans in only 3 days!G) May 23, 1430 Joan was seized by Burgundians (a French political party who were fighting for power against the French King). King Charles VII of France refused to ransom her! November she was sold to the English.H) In 1431 she was put on trial in England for heresy and witchcraft. Joan recanted to save her life. She put on female clothes. Joan took back her recantation, knowing she would die a martyr. May 30, 1431 she was burned at the stake. In 1920 Joan of Arc was canonized as a Saint.

The 100 Years War Continued..“King of England, render account to the King of Heaven of your royal blood. Return the keys of all the good cities which you have seized, to the Maid. She is sent by God to reclaim the royal blood, and is fully prepared to make peace, if you will give her satisfaction; that is, you must render justice, and pay back all that you have taken…” – A letter by Joan of Arc to the King of England, 1428

The opening statement of her trial: "Here begin the proceedings in matter of faith against a dead

woman, Jeanne, commonly known as the Maid.”

VII The End of Feudalism?A) The 100 Years war ended Oct 19, 1453.B) France expelled the English, increasing the power of the French KingC) After the war, nationalism increased in France and England.

FEUDALISMSmall, weak, decentralized

government based on reciprocity. Feudal

justice had replaced law (with the exception of

the Magna Carta in England).

IS REPLACED

BY

NATION STATESLarge, strong,

centralized government. It has a defined territory,

a system of law, and a bureaucracy

to bring order.

VIII Medieval Achievements we forgot to mention!

A) Dante and The Divine Comedy: 1. Dante Alighieri lived in the Italian city-state of Florence. The city of Florence was growing tremendously due to commerce, but was rife with factional violence and political conflict. Dante was elected to a high position in the government in 300 CE. When the opposing faction returned to power and with the support of Pope Boniface VIII, Dante was exiled from Florence in 1301. *This greatly influenced his greatest work of literature, The Divine Comedy. He literally placed his political enemies into his fictional version of hell!2. Dante’s Divine Comedy was written in the Tuscan vernacular as opposed to Latin, and helped to create a unified Italian language!

Dante and The Divine Comedy: 3. The plot of The Divine Comedy is simple: Dante is miraculously enabled to undertake a journey, which leads him to visit the souls in Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. He is guided by Virgil (an ancient Roman poet) into Hell and Purgatory, and Beatrice, who introduces him to Paradiso.

Why do you think Dante chose an ancient Roman

poet to be his guide?

“Through me you pass into the city of woe:Through me you pass into eternal pain:Through me among the people lost for aye.Justice the founder of my fabric moved:To rear me was the task of power divine,Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.Before me things create were none, save thingsEternal, and eternal I shall endure.All hope abandon, ye who enter here.” ― Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

Dante’s 9 Circles of Hell

Medieval Achievements Continued…B) Moses Maimonides, (born 1135 in Muslim Córdoba [Spain]—died in 1204, Egypt), was a Jewish philosopher, physician, and one of the most intellectual people of medieval Judaism. 1. He wrote The Guide for the Perplexed. Similar to the Christian philosophers Thomas Aquinas and Peter Abelard, he argued that science, logic and religion should not be exclusive from each other.2. He was the court physician of Saladin, the Saracen Muslim leader during the 3rd Crusade!

a) “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”b) “One should see the world, and see himself as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil. When he does one good deed the scale is tipped to the good - he and the world is saved. When he does one evil deed the scale is tipped to the bad - he and the world is destroyed.”

HW Questions 1. What factors led to the growth of medieval towns and the decline of

feudalism?2. Describe medieval trade in the later middle ages and the influence

of Venice and the Hanseatic League.3. What was the purpose of medieval guilds and how did they

function? Do you think they were better or worse than medieval universities? Do you think that the US would be better off if we returned to a guild system? Explain.

4. How did William the Conqueror become King of England? How did he change medieval England? (Mention the Domesday Book)

5. What was the Magna Carta? Why was this important? Do you think the 6th amendment of the American Constitution is based on it? Explain your answer.

You’re Not Done Yet!!

HW Questions Continued!6. Explain the causes of the 100 Years War. How did Joan of Arc change the tide of the war?7. Based on the letter Joan of Arc wrote to the King of England and your knowledge of history, do you think Joan of Arc was crazy or knew exactly what she was doing? Explain your answer.8. What were the consequences of the 100 Years War?9. Why is Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy one of the most important works of medieval literature? Why do you think he uses Virgil, an ancient Roman poet as one of his guides?10. What should Moses Maimonides be remembered? In your answer, choose one of the quotes: explain it in your own words and give an opinion.11. Answer the Aim question: Can we see signs of the Renaissance (the rebirth of Western Europe) in the later middle ages? Explain your answer.

Key Vocabulary 3 Field System 100 Years War Apprentice Battle of Hastings Bayeux Tapestry Burundians Charter Craftspeople Credit Cross Bow Dante Divine Comedy Domesday Book Feudalism Great Council Guilds Hanseatic League Harold of Essex Heresy Joan of Arc Journeyman King Edward the Confessor Long Bow

Magna Carta Martyr Master Medieval trade Medieval universities Merchant Moses Maimonides Nation State Nationalism Normandy Normandy Parliament Partnership Surname Trade Fairs Venice Warming Period William the Conqueror