A History of Western Society Tenth Edition CHAPTER 12-Part 1 (pages 338-354) The Crisis of the Later Middle Ages, 1300–1450

I. Prelude to Disaster A. Climate Change and Famine 1.The Little Ice Age (1300–1450) — Evidence found in tree rings, pollen in bogs and glacier records — led to the Viking colony in Greenland dying out completely. 2. Great Famine (1315–1322) — Torrential rains destroyed crops — led to increased prices, malnutrition, and increased susceptibility to disease and lower productivity.

B. Social Consequences 1. Abandonment of Villages and Declining Population 2. Scapegoats — Anger directed on rich, speculators, lepers and Jews, because of role in money-lending and pawn-broking.

II. The Black Death Pathology: The culprit behind the plague was a bacillus that normally affects rats but is transmitted by flea bites. The fleas jump from rodent hosts onto humans. Bite the humans, infecting them. There were many plagues but in the 14th century it was spread through coughing and sneezing. This outbreak of the plague spread quicker and was more deadly than any other plague before it.

Symptoms— The bubo- this was a growth the size of an apple or a nut in the armpit, groin, or neck. If found, drained and lanced then the victim had a chance of recovery. If not lanced and drained, this would lead to black blotches under the skin…bleeding under the skin. Finally, the victim would begin to cough violently, then spitting up of blood. At this point they would die within 2-3 days.

B. Spread of the Disease 1. From China to Europe 2. Spread Within Cities 3. Mortality Rates

II. The Black Death C. Care of the Sick 1. Remedies 2. Care by the Clergy 3. Escape

II. The Black Death D. Economic, Religious, and Cultural Effects 1. Increased Productivity 2. Upward Mobility in the Guilds 3. Inflation 4. Religious Responses 5. New Universities

Disagreements over Royal Land Rights Aquitaine entered into the holdings of the English crown when Eleanor of Aquitaine married King Henry II of England in 1152. According to the Treaty of Paris (1259), Henry III became a vassal of the French crown in return for an affirmation of English claims to Aquitaine. Later French kings, however, were expansionist and wanted to absorb the region into France.

Succession Dispute Who would inherit the French throne after Charles IV of France died childless in 1328. Charles had a sister and her son was Edward III, king of England. An assembly of French nobles, however, declared that “no woman nor her son could succeed to the (French) monarchy,” claiming that this was part of Salic Law, a 6th century code of the Franks and passing the throne to Philip VI of Calais (r. 1328–1350). Philip confiscated the duchy of Aquitaine (though Edward III had paid homage to him), prompting the war.

3. French Nobility Divided — Some supported the French crown, others supported the English to thwart the centralizing ambitions of the French crown. (The Scottish supported the French and Scottish troops raided northern England and joined with the French on the continent.) 4. Economic Reasons — The wool trade between Flanders and England was affected (Flanders was a fief of the French crown, but the Flemish merchants depended on English wool and supported the English). In addition, criminals, poor knights, and great nobles stood to be rewarded financially by fighting — by sharing in the loot and plunder.

English Successes - The French fleet was almost completely destroyed when it attempted to land in England, English longbowmen and the use of cannon created panic in the French forces. - Battle of Agincourt (a larger French force was defeated) and the English reconquered Normandy.

Joan of Arc

IV. Challenges to the Church A. The Great Schism (1377–1417) - The Great Schism (1377–1417) — The papacy was divided between Roman popes and French popes following a disputed papal election in 1378. European powers aligned with the two popes (Clement VII and Urban) along strictly political lines. Support for the French Pope: Scotland, Aragon, Castile, Portugal. Support for the Italian Pope: England, Holy Roman Empire.

IV. Challenges to the Church B. Critiques, Divisions, and Councils William of Occam (1289–1347) — Avignon popes were heretics (Clement VII). He questioned the connections between faith and reason 2. Conciliarists — Believed that the authority of the Roman church should rest in a general council composed of clergy, theologians, and laypeople, rather than in the pope alone. 3. John Wycliffe (1330–1384) and the Lollards — Wycliffe, an English scholar, argued that Scripture alone should be the standard of Christian belief and practice and that papal claims of secular power had no foundation in the scriptures. His followers were known as Lollards (from a Dutch word for “mumble”). 4. Jan Hus (1372–1415) — A Bohemian reformer influenced by Wycliffe who criticized the church’s wealth and attacked the issuing of indulgences.

Resolution of the Schism Emperor Sigismund convened a council in Constance to Goals of council: 1.) End the schism (successful) 2.).Reform the church (nothing) 3.) Wipe out heresy- (What is heresy?) Jan Hus story…. Finally one new pope…Colonna,…took the name Martin V Need for reform remained…

IV. Challenges to the Church C. Lay Piety and Mysticism 1. Lay Piety — Grew in importance as the moral failings of the clergy and the Great Schism weakened the mystique of the clergy. 2. Confraternities — Voluntary lay groups (often without the leadership of a priest) organized by occupation, devotional preference, neighborhood or charitable activities expanded rapidly. They specialized in prayer but also raised money to clean and repair church buildings.

V. Social Unrest in a Changing Society A. Peasant Revolts Flanders (1320s) — Peasants had to pay taxes to the French to satisfy peace agreements and monasteries pressed peasants for additional money. Peasants burned and pillaged castles and aristocratic homes, but the rebellion was crushed by a French army and savage reprisals followed. 2. Jacquerie (1358) — Uprising of the French peasantry, after the costs of the Hundred Years’ War fell disproportionately on the poor (nobles killed, their families were attacked). The upper class united to put down the revolt. 3. English Peasants’ Revolt (1381) — Peasants demanded higher wages and fewer manorial obligations (labor supply had shrunk) — in 1351, the Lords passed the Statute of Laborers, freezing wages and binding workers to their manors. Restarting a tax on all adult males triggered the uprising. The boy-king, Richard II, tricked the leaders of the uprising with false promises and then ferociously crushed the uprising. However, the nobility was not successfully in restoring the labor obligations of serfdom and serfdom disappeared by 1550.

V. Social Unrest in a Changing Society B. Sex in the City 1. Late Age of First Marriage 2. Prostitution

V. Social Unrest in a Changing Society B. Sex in the City 3. Rape 4. Same-sex relations

V. Social Unrest in a Changing Society C. Literacy and Vernacular Literature 1. Dante’s Divine Comedy (1310–1320) 2. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (1387–1400) 3. Spread of Lay Literacy

V. Social Unrest in a Changing Society D. Fur-Collar Crime 1. Noble Bandits 2. Robin Hood