1. THE CRUSADES
Chapter 12 Lesson 2

2. Defining the CRUSADES…
From the 11th to 13th centuries European Christians carried out a series of military expeditions to regain the Holy Land from Muslim control (whom the Christians referred to as INFIDELS or nonbelievers) … these wars were called THE CRUSADES.
The Early Crusades: (1-3)
KEY GROUPS/PEOPLE: Christians in the Byzantine Empire – led by their Emperor; Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire – led by Pope Urban II.
GOAL – the Byzantine Emperor sent a request for help to the Pope because Muslim soldiers had taken control of Asia Minor (present day Turkey) and their presence was seen as a threat to the Holy Land. So the goal was to free Jerusalem & the Holy Land from Muslim control. Christians regained control of Jerusalem in Crusade 1 but lost it to
Muslim leader Saladin in 1187);

3. The Later Crusades… (4-end)
Key groups/people: After the death of Saladin, Pope Innocent III initiated the 4th Crusade; however, as the Pope’s army was travelling through the Byzantine Empire en route to the Holy Land they became involved in a power struggle and sacked Constantinople furthering the division between the Catholic and Christian Orthodox Churches. The final few Crusades were unsuccessful (GOAL was to reestablish Christian dominance in the region) & by the end the Byzantine Empire was at its smallest and no longer a great Mediterranean power. It would remain weak until finally falling to the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century.

4. The Impact of the Crusades
CULTURAL – early incidents of anti-Semitism (fear and hatred of Jews) emerged within European society. Medieval European Jews were subjected to periodic attacks, etc.
ECONOMIC - Italian port cities benefitted from the need for them to support Christians living in the Holy Land (trading with and protecting the Holy Land while under Christian control was difficult as it was surrounded by a Muslim Empire)
***POLITICAL – these wars helped end Feudalism as nobles sold lands & freed serfs to join the fighting; Kings grew richer by levying taxes to raise armies & taxing trade; this paved the way for the development of NATION-STATES as we know them today (Spain, England, France would be the strongest moving forward from the Middle Ages). BIGGEST IMPACT WAS
POLITICAL!

5. Timeline of the late Middle Ages
Medieval European society reached its peak during the 1200’s
In the 1300’s a series of unfortunate events overwhelm Europe… THE BLACK DEATH… The Great Schism II… and the 100 Years’ War…
By the 1400’s Europe was recovering from the above under the leadership of very strong new monarchies.
SO WITH FEUDALISM GONE THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER AND WEALTH IN EUROPE WILL CONTINUE BETWEEN THE 2 REMAINING FORCES… RELIGION AND SECULAR MONARCHS.

6. THE BLACK DEATH
PLAGUE is defined as a contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium and sometimes infection of the lungs; the disease affects a large number of people within a population. The most common form of plague at this time was Bubonic Plague.
CAUSES – specifically unknown but perhaps brought on by a change in climate that led to food shortages and famine that left people more susceptible to infection. The disease itself was spread by black rats carrying the deadly bacteria.
SPREAD – may have been carried by Italian merchants Sicily it spread along popular trade routes of the time through France, Germany, England, Northern & Eastern Europe & into Russia.
*In less than 5 yrs. Over 1/3 of the 75 million people in
Europe died of the Plague. clip

7. DECLINE OF CHURCH POWER
The power of the Pope peaked in the 1200’s and in the 1300’s events began to wear away at that power…
Challenges to Papal Supremacy were made by various monarchs, especially in France where the King & the Pope argued over the King’s desire to tax the clergy. The Pope actually moved from Rome to Avignon France for a period of time to try to maintain a superior position over the French monarch; that move was highly criticized by Christians and did not last (Pope moved back to Rome).
The second Great Schism refers to a second split within the Christian Church. The papal move to France led to a period where there were 2 Popes… one in Rome and one in France. This confusing situation diminished the power of the Papacy (office of the Pope) and led to calls for reform. Some of the criticism’s of the Pope and Church at this time would lead Martin Luther & other Reformation leaders (Ch. 16).

8. Hundred Years’ War…
Called the most violent conflict of the late Middle Ages, this war between England and France was a turning point in warfare and had lasting consequences. The conflict started over control of the French city of Gascony and became a war between 2 nations being fought by Knights competing over battle tactics and peasants as well. New weapons and battle tactics were used and the French even allowed a peasant woman to lead its troops into battle ending with a much needed victory; however the woman JOAN OF ARC was killed before the battle ended as the English captured her and burned her at the stake.
OUTCOME – the French won; new weapons/tactics; monarchs strengthened Joan of Arc

9. Establishing “New” Monarchies
Read pages 252 & 253 & complete the last part of the presentation by taking notes on the political recovery that occurred in the following places during the 1400’s…
FRANCE
ENGLAND
SPAIN
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
*What important political changes happened in these places at the end of the Middle Ages?
Next up… chapter 15… The Renaissance!

10. Political Recovery
“In the 1300’s European rulers faced serious problems.” Problems included a lack of male heirs to take the throne; financial problems; difficulty overcoming powerful nobles that still remained.
In the 1400’s new rulers turned things around… establishing new practices within new monarchies (refers to the monarchies of France, England & Spain at the end of the 1400’s).
FRANCE: The French kings used the nationalism (strong feeling of pride and loyalty to country) from the 100 Years’ War to extend the power of the monarchy (established a taille or tax on property; gained support of lower & middle classes by lessening the power of French Nobles).

11. Political Recovery…
ENGLAND – losing the 100 Years’ War had a negative effect on the economy & monarchy; adding to that was growing conflict between Nobles who were fighting to control the monarchy until a new dynasty was established under Henry Tudor (King Henry VII) who abolished the private noble armies & cut royal spending freeing up $$ without increasing taxes on the nobles & middle class.
SPAIN – Independent Christian Kingdoms fought for power until a royal marriage united 2 of the kingdoms. Under Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand Spain became the “most Catholic” monarchy (they expelled Jews & Muslims who wouldn’t convert). The religious uniformity strengthened their monarchy.
Central & Eastern Europe – Central Europe (Germany) was very decentralized; Eastern Europe was also and would remain so for decades to come.

12. What happens after the Middle Ages??
In Europe, the “bridge” years between the Middle Ages and the early Modern Age are known as THE RENAISSANE… literally a time when a rebirth occurred in all areas of life.
HUMANISM represented a new outlook or viewpoint of human beings that celebrated extraordinary individuals… such as Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian artist, architect, inventor & mathematician.
The Renaissance began in Italy in the late 14th century and then spread throughout Europe changing its political, social and economic environment.