THE TRANSFORMATION OF Europe in the High Middle Ages 1200-1500 A Change is gonna come: Changes and continuities (stays the same)

Why the High Middle Ages (or Renaissance)? Europe had been in a decentralized political system known as feudalism where land had been exchanged for military protection or labor and loyalty on feudal manors from 500-1200 C.E ( After the fall of the centralized Roman Empire) The crusades ( the most successful failure) led to the increased demands for goods from the “East”: including textiles, spices, sugar and other luxury goods Merchants became interested in bringing goods to European towns to develop a new wealth( not based on land) Kings wished to consolidate (under one) their authority Feudalism began to decline

More people still live in rural communities Changes Continuities Crusades New technologies ( 3 field system, Mold-board plow) New trading items (sugar, spices, fruits, textiles) from “East” Urbanization ( rise of trading towns and villages) New banking industries ( joint stock companies, banking , credit, guilds, monopolies) Centralization of monarchs Decline in power of Catholic Church Magna Carta ( limited power of monarch and provided written rights and legislative body known as Parliament) New weaponry ( longbow, gunpowder weaponry) Development of Universities Some social mobility for peasants (guild, merchants) Use of local vernacular ( French,Italian,German etc.) Religious conflict (from anti-semitism to continual conflict with the Muslim world) Feudalism persists Manorialism persists More people still live in rural communities Roman Catholic Church still incredbly influental ( sacraments, excommunication, tithing, Papal infallability) Wars persisted ( from feudalism to 100 years) Farming still a mainstay Social inequalities persisted Serfdom persisted Western Europe (except for Iberia) still a backwaters and centuries behind the “East”

Causes of transformation The crusades- creates a demand for goods from the East Mongol re-opening of silk route (allows travelers like Marco Polo to publish a travelogue of trading regions) Black Death creates a renewal in trade and decline of manorialism and rebirth of “Classical Greco-Roman” ideas

Limits in Government Western Europe remained politically divided. Holy Roman Empire( not holy or Roman or much of an Empire)-Germany and Part of Italy held together by Roman Catholicism Magna Carta in England (1215) limits power of King (constitutional monarchy): Establishes Parliament (law making body)\ Hundred years war fought between England and France (development of longbow technology, Joan of Arc led French but was burned by English) Spain and Portugal establishes reconquista (reconquest) of Spain against the Moors (Muslims) and other non-Muslims (Jews) Struggles continue between landlords and peasants for revenue ( currency)

Economic Transformation Urban Growth:Towns (charters) develop from new trade from the East(crusades-Mongols) Guild leagues (Hanseatic League, Italian city-states) will be formed to specialize in manufacturing and commerce. Banking would begin in Italy to finance trading expeditions(business) and give birth to capitalism (market economy) Beginnings of joint-stock companies investing in business enterprises. Birth of a new middle class (bourgeosie) would begin challenging nobility (elite land owning class)

Cultural transformation Religious( Roman Catholic) themes in art and literature would continue but a movement away from religion (secularism) would focus on human stories People would begin to question ( like Erasmus) religious doctrine (loss of faith during the plague) church growing increasingly corrupt. Many nobles challenging the Roman Catholic church for power over land, loyalty and ideas Thomas Aquinas (scholasticism) “Summa Theologica” allows church teachings to coexist with science and empiricism (observation)

GENDER ISSUES Renaissance saw expansion of women’s rights Books written for women Education of women allowed Women could enter public arena as intellectuals Artesmia Gentileschi was a painter Reformation took back many of the rights Many reformers were women Many threatened males traditional roles Margaritte of Navarre, Elizabeth of England Protestants emphasized family role of women Witch-hunts in Europe Theories, fears of witches intensified in 16th century Reformation fed hysteria about witches and devil worship About sixty thousand executed, 95 percent of them women Commercial, Capitalist Revolution Women needed often to support family by outside work Many women merchants very successful Women assumed new economic roles Education and Women Education was one of few avenues open to women Aristocratic women often educated Enlightenment saw first major victories for women’s rights Women ran intellectual salons of France Many very prominent as philosophes: Madame de Stael Some few feminists appeared

Thesis W Europe COT Western Europe from 600-1450 oversaw a vast transformation from virtually primitive economic isolationism to engaging in a commercial revolution, learning would be renewed in the establishment of markets (cities ) and universities, however the Catholic church would still hold tremendous sway over the daily lives of people. Western Europe from 600-1450 would still maintain their feudal bonds albeit kingdoms would become more centralized and the church would still be the authority on spiritual and literacy, however the birth of guilds would facilitate a greater trading force throughout Western Europe and enhance their global economic ties.