The West in Crisis: The Later Middle Ages, The West CHAPTER 10

Mass Starvation By fourteenth century, virgin land in western Europe was exhausted Medieval agriculture could not sustain unchecked population growth Cycle of famine and disease began after 1310

The Black Death Bubonic and pneumonic plagues Spread from central Asia into Europe along trade and shipping networks Between ca and ca. 1355, one-third of the population between India and Iceland died from plague Network of contagion in western Europe persisted, from 1348 to 1721

The Mongol Invasions Mongols established the most extensive empire in the world, stretching from China to Hungary Altered the economic, ethnic and political composition of Asia and eastern Europe Mongol Peace - restored trade networks Collapse of Peace, in fourteenth century, severed commercial links across Eurasia

The Rise of the Ottoman Turks Ottoman Turks founded an empire and dynasty that endured until 1924 Ottoman state built upon a network of personal and military loyalties to the sultan, rather than upon ethnic or linguistic unity Ottomans conquered Byzantine Empire Created a lasting Muslim presence in eastern Europe and altered the boundaries of the West

The Collapse of International Trade Financial infrastructure of medieval Europe depended upon trade in luxury goods End of Mongol Peace disrupted supply of luxury items Italian bank collapses extinguished lines of credit in western Europe War between France and England consumed aristocratic wealth

Rebellions From Below Guild monopolies of economic, social and political power, in cities, created resentment Economic depression confounded rising expectations, in cities and countryside Urban revolts in Florence, Ghent, Bruges, Paris and Rouen, ca Rural uprisings in France (1358) and England (1381) Lack of any clear alternative to existing socio- political order led to universal failure

The Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism popes resided in Avignon, rather than in Rome - The Babylonian Captivity Politicized papacy increased corruption and led to selling of indulgences Great Schism western Europe divided in allegiance to rival popes in Rome and Avignon Conciliar Movement resolved the schism and provided a model for modern Catholicism

The Search for Religious Alternatives New heretical movements in England and Bohemia - John Wycliffe and Jan Hus Criticized the political power and wealth of the Church, emphasized preaching and scripture over sacraments Modern Devotion - Thomas à Kempis Emphasized individual piety and spiritual responsibility

The Fragility of Monarchies Aristocratic privilege of jurisdiction limited authority of the monarch and led to conflicts of loyalty Strength of monarchy and centralized government depended upon individual king French monarchy was constitutionally very weak

The Hundred Years’ War Dispute over the duchy of Aquitaine - the king of England was also a vassal of the king of France Succession crisis in France, Edward III of England claimed French crown A series of occasional pitched battles, with long periods of truce and exhaustion By 1453, England had lost the majority of its French possessions

The Hundred Years’ War in Perspective Drew in other states, becoming a European- wide war, at certain times Demographic and agricultural devastation of France Deepened European economic depression England became more English - aristocracy abandoned French language and culture

The Military Revolution Increased importance of infantry units Need to train and maintain large standing armies Introduction of gunpowder and firearms Declining importance of cavalry challenged the social status of the aristocracy

Reminders of Death Death constituted a pervasive cultural theme and obsession Encouraged ethical behavior by emphasizing the transitory nature of life Disturbingly graphic depictions of death and dying in art and literature Dying was a public event and a crucial religious moment

Illusions of a Noble Life Escapist fantasy world of chivalry Aesthetic and ethical ideal of the knight- errant Erotic desire in the myth of the knight suffering to save his beloved New chivalric crusading orders formed Cultural significance of the court of Burgundy

Pilgrims of the Imagination Dante Alighieri ( ) - The Divine Comedy Giovanni Boccaccio ( ) - The Decameron Geoffrey Chaucer (ca ) - The Canterbury Tales Margery Kempe ( ) - The Book of Margery Kempe Christine de Pisan ( ) - The City of Ladies, The Book of Three Virtues

Defining Cultural Boundaries Spanish Reconquest led to systematic policies to destroy Muslim and Jewish culture in the Iberian peninsula Defensive legislation to protect ethnic identity of settlers in eastern Europe, Ireland and Wales Search for scapegoats and increasing concern about a Satanic conspiracy to destroy Christianity - idea of the reality of witchcraft emerged

Looking Inward Shift in the political and religious frontiers of the West Reinforcement of Christian identity Development of self-consciously national identities Inability to understand causes of economic and demographic catastrophes led to search for scapegoats Development of new spiritual sensibilities