Prelude to the Modern World Ch. 11: The Plague

Middle Ages not a gap in which “nothing important” occurred (Powell) Evidence of events/triggers that brought on the Renaissance: – Sicilian Vespers, 1282 – Black Death, 1348 – Peasant rebellions, late 14 th C. – Hundred Years’ War, – Rise of heretics, 14 th C. – Communications revolution, 1452

Sicilian Vespers Last great attempt to reunify W. & E. churches Revolt against French soldiers, planned by Peter III of Aragon to rid Sicily of Charles of Anjou funded by HRE of East to prevent Charles invasion of Constantinople

Black Death, The Decameron, 1353 The Danse Macabre (allegory on the universality of death)

The Peasants’ Revolt, London 1381 Causes: Large income gap as economy grew. Wages stagnant, prices rising Priest John Ball alluded to idea that nobility was unnecessary & even thwarting the will of God: "While Adam delved (dug) and Eve span, who then was the gentleman?" Poll tax on peasants John Ball encouraging Wat Tyler’s rebels, 1381

Effects: On the surface, the peasants were crushed, their demands denied, and many executed. However, the land owners had been scared, and in the longer term several things were achieved. 1.Parliament gave up trying to control the wages the landowners paid their peasants. 2.The hated poll tax was never raised again. 3.The Lords treated the peasants with much more respect. They made more of them free men ie. they were not owned as part of the land. This benefited in the end, as free men always work much harder. 4.This marked the breakdown of the feudal system, which had worked well during the early Middle Ages, but was now becoming outdated as attitudes were beginning to change.

Hundred Years’ War, Causes: Crisis in succession of French throne: English claim to Duchy of Aquitaine and crown after death of last Capetian King Charles IV 1328 Battles: English better trained, use of the longbow to defeat cavalry Battle of Sluys, 1340 naval battle Battle of Crecy, 1346 Battle of Poitiers, 1356 Although victorious, most French refused to accept English rule Siege of Orleans, 1429 Joan of Arc instrumental War died out as English conceded difficulty of occupying territory English permanently removed from France with small exception: Calais

Effects Hundred Years’ War: England: Parliament strengthened, especially House of Commons, compared to power of monarchy Right to introduce tax legislation (closer to the people) Power to impeach Country more unified in geography and language France: Monarchy strengthened, weakening of Estates- General King sole power to tax: – Gabelle – Taille (1 st & 2 nd estates exempt) Charles VII “the Victorious”

The Great Schism – 11 th Century Eastern Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church dominant in Byzantine Empire (modern-day Balkans, E. Europe, Russia) Great Schism (1054) split Church between Rome and Constantinople Invasion of Ottoman Turks in 1453 led to fall of Byzantine Empire – Constantinople = Istanbul – Scholars fled to W. Europe Fall of the Byzantine Empire (1453) The Ottoman Empire spread northeast and took control of the Balkans and threatened Austria and Hungary

Crisis in the Western Catholic Church – 14 th Century Babylonian Captivity ( ) W. & C. Europe dominated by the Church since the fall of Rome Clergy more powerful than secular authority Popes more powerful than Emperors 1305: struggle between the pope and the French king over the right to tax led to the election of a French pope who moved papacy to Avignon, France – 7 successive popes resided at Avignon – Damaged papal prestige – Led to fiscal exploitation in Church Great Western Schism ( ) 1377: 2 popes elected – one in Rome; one in Avignon Conciliar Movement ( ) created a council of cardinals more powerful than the pope; Council of Constance ( ) elected Martin V who reasserted papal authority & ending Avignon papacy

The Great Western Schism

Heretics John Wyclif Lollards churchmen should be poor church property taxable “every Christian a priest” Church out of secular matters Scripture only true source Wyclif (founder) translated New Testament into vernacular English Taught faith not works Died 1384 but convicted heresy 1428 Jan Hus Disciple of Wyclif Hussites: large rebellions 14 th C. Burned at stake as heretic in 1415 “God will raise up man whose calls for reform will not be suppressed” Joan of Arc Burned at the stake 1431 as a witch Tried to unify France & expel English occupiers

Joan of Arc Jan Hus

1452: Communications Revolution Creation of the Roman alphabet (based on Greek) simplified ability to read Printing press, paper, and movable type more useful to Europeans because of simple alphabet Gutenberg, st Bible