Changes in Medieval Life European Life after the Crusades

Exposure to Life Beyond the Manor

Commercial Revolution- Middle Age Globalization! Manors were self-sufficient, bartering, closed communities Crusades  people leaving the Manors & demand for goods from the east $$$ Currency develops for use in long distance trade Merchants who buys goods from the East and sell them locally gain profits Some merchants become money changers (exchange currencies from different lands for trade purposes) and give loans to others who want to finance trade from the east. Many moneylending merchants become the first bankers.

Guilds Craftspeople try to control and protect their trade Set standards for quality & prices Contribute to a fund to help others in their industry in need Trained all newcomers in the field (Apprentice – young works for free – Journeyman, experienced, works for pay, Master – has created a “masterpiece” and been given permission to start own shop by the guild). Masters or Burghers often began to run the towns in town councils (independent from crusading Lords)

Learning Crusades brought contact with long forgotten ancient knowledge from Greece & Rome Science, math and technologies of the Islamic Golden age became available to Europe Development of European universities Increase in literacy  increase in writing for entertainment  increase in use of vernacular writing (ex Dante’s Divine Comedy (Florentine Italian) / Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (Middle English) Scholastics Monks like Thomas Aquinas and other clergy that try to interpret the Greco-Roman scientists in such a way that they agree with the Bible (seen as ultimate source of truth)

Rise of a Middle Class The Modern Middle Class Medieval Middle Class

Rise of Centralized Government Many Landowners Killed in the Crusades Crusades led some to lose respect for the Church as a leader in the secular (non- religious) world. Leaders, such as Richard “The Lionhearted” arose New wealth of towns needed protection

Rise of Towns Crusades  many moving off the manor and also a desire for goods that have reintroduced from the east. Free peasants move to crossroads and rivers which are good for trade  towns develop Pros Many craftspeople able to trade for local and foreign goods in town Independence from the lords Possibility to raise your social class in a town Cons Unsanitary – sewage in streets Overcrowded conditions  quick spread of disease Lack of fresh clean water