Events Leading up to the Renaissance

Ms. Stiles and Ms. Lauterhahn

River Dell High School

World Civilizations

Introduction

• After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was divided into small kingdoms with their own kings.

Social & Economic Systems

• The Feudal System:• Small kingdoms could easily be attacked by Vikings, Magyars,

or Muslims– Kings couldn’t protect their land & the land of the nobles that served

them at the same time• Nobles built castles (like forts) made of wood to protect

themselves & hired knights (highly skilled soldiers who fought on horseback) for protection

• Knights had a lot of equipment:– Horses, armor, weapons (all VERY expensive)

• Were paid by nobles with land (called fiefs)

Fiefs

• If you GAVE out fiefs, you were called a LORD• If you were GIVEN fiefs, you were called a

VASSAL• Both lords & vassals had responsibilities to each

other– Lords often made vassals swear oaths of fealty

(loyalty)

Responsibilities

• LORDS:– Treat vassals fairly– Not be too demanding on their time &

money– Protect knights who are attacked by

enemies– Act as judge to settle knights disputes

• VASSALS:– Financial obligations– Help pay ransom if lord is kidnapped– Give money to lord on special occasions

(ex: when lord’s oldest son is knighted)

This was a very CONFUSING system

• People could be lords & vassals at the same time• No one really knew who owed what to whom• Knights could subdivide their fiefs

– Added more people into the vassal/lord situation• Knights could have fiefs from other lords

– No rules against accepting land from more than one lord– Could choose who to fight for if their lords fought against each other

• Knights were expected to be loyal to both their lords & their king (everyone had to be loyal to the king)– Even though some knights were more powerful than the king

• Rules applied only to specific places & times– Rules in France wouldn’t apply to rules in England & vice versa

Social & Economic Systems

• The Manorial System: Lords, Peasants, Serfs• Manors owned by lords, but the lords couldn’t farm all the

land by themselves– Peasants did the farming & lived at the manors in

exchange for a small plot of land & protection• Most peasants were serfs

– Workers who were legally tied to the land where they worked

• Serfs weren’t necessarily slaves– BUT they needed lord’s permission to get married– They couldn’t leave the manor– If your parents were serfs, so were you

• Manor had a church, mill for grinding grain, & a blacksmith

Monarchy

• Eventually, through battle, smaller kingdoms united under powerful rulers called Monarchs

England

• 1066: William the Conqueror became the strongest of any Anglo-Saxon kings when he defeated the heir to the English throne & declared all of England his personal property

• Divided the land up among the Norman soldiers who helped him take the crown– Created a new nobility– Their loyalty went straight to the king, not lords

• Kept records of who lived where, who grew what, who owned what land, etc.– Called the Doomsday Book (basis for English tax system)

The Magna Carta

• After 200 years of kings, with the power that William the Conqueror established, the nobility created a document that outlined their rights & limited the power of the king

• Magna Carta: forced King John to sign it– Wanted to show the king that even he wasn’t above the law

• Led to the creation of Parliament– King needed the nobility & the clergy to establish laws & levy taxes– Parliament was made up of groups & clergy that the king went to

for advice & approval – Still the governing body in the United Kingdom

France & the Holy Roman Empire

• FRANCE:• Charlemagne founded the Holy Roman Empire (also known as

“Charles the Great’). Charlemagne's death divided the Holy Roman Empire in 2 parts East & West: Treaty of Verdun

• West: France

– United by the Carpets by 1300’s– Unified country, not small kingdoms

• HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE• Germany: divided into small kingdoms• Each had their own ruler

– Called a Duke

The Church

• The Pope = head of Catholic Church • Feudalism & Manorialism helped spread

Christianity through Europe• Clergy officiated major life events (baptisms,

marriages, death) & education (clergy usually were the only people who were literate)

• Local clergy & bishops held most of the power in the church until Pope Leo IX

Pope Leo IX

• Didn’t like that bishops & clergy had more power than the pope• Kings didn’t like him because he took power away from the

clergy– Clergy & bishops could work together with kings (or be paid off by

kings leading to corruption)• Leo excommunicated the bishop of Constantinople for rejecting

Leo’s authority as pope• Divided the Christian church into 2 parts

– Those who followed Leo = Roman Catholic Church– Those who followed the bishop = Orthodox Church

Papal Powers

• Churches & courts for moral matters (oversaw them like a judge would)

• Ruled territories (like a king)– Needed armies to protect them– Would hire armies to fight for their causes

• Crusades started & funded by popes

The Crusades

• Religious wars against the Muslims to take the Holy Land from them

• Holy Land was important to Christians, Jews, & Muslims

• There were at least 9 crusades; none of which accomplished the goals of Christians– Muslims & Jews kept control of the Holy Land

Changes brought by Crusades• Economic:

– Enhanced existing trade routes around Europe & Asia– Spices, textiles, etc. brought back to Europe by Crusaders

• Social:– Brought knowledge of Muslim culture to Europe (both a good & bad thing)– Good: Helped some of those who fought to understand & tolerate cultural

difference– Bad: Increased intolerance; brought the belief that all non-Christians were the

enemy– Persecution of Muslims & Jews flourished– Christians seen as invaders of the Holy Land by Jews & Muslims who lived there

• Political:– Lots of knights & nobles died leaving their land unclaimed– Kings took that land – More land = more power

The Black Death

• Plague that infested Europe, Asia, & Northern Africa from 1347-1351

• Possibly 2 diseases– 1. Bubonic plague spread by fleas on rats– 2. Pneumonic plague spread by person to person

contact• People saw it as God’s punishment for sins• Many turned to witchcraft for cures• Jews were blamed, persecuted, & massacred

because of the plague

The Black Death

• CAUSES:– Fleas on rats that were aboard ships that traveled all over Asia,

Europe, & Africa– Fleas bit people & spread the disease– Merchants traveled all over & infected people as they went– Lack of hygiene helped it spread faster

• SYMPTOMS:– Large black splotches all over body– Severe headaches– Fever– Vomiting

Consequences

• Doctors & clergy who attended sick people often spread & contracted the disease then died themselves

• Over 25 million people in Europe died (approx. 1/3 of population)• China’s population dropped from 125 million in the late 1200’s to 90

million in the late 1300’s (also lost approx. 1/3 of population)• End of the manorial system

– Few workers that were left demanded higher wages but lords refused to pay

• Some peasants moved to cities to work in manufacturing

Leads to the Renaissance

• How could all of this lead to the Renaissance?