1. A political and economic system based on loyalty and military service.
Feudalism:
A political and economic system based on loyalty and military service.

2. The Decline of Feudalism
Reason #1 Political Changes

3. England
Political changes that would bring an end to Feudalism started in England in the 12th and 13th centuries (1100’s-1200’s)
It really starts with King Henry II ( )

4. King Henry II Changes the Court System
No More
Trial by Ordeal
Trial by Combat
Feudal Lords deciding guilt or innocence and punishments
Instead
A Jury would accuse
people of crimes
Cases would be tried before a
Royal Judge
Guilt or Innocence would be
based more on the facts of the case

5. Henry II Fights With The Church
1164- Henry issued the Constitutions of Clarendon
Listed the Rights of the King
The BIG one was that if a member of the clergy was accused of a crime they would be tried in Royal Courts
Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, Objected!!! The clergy should be tried in Church Courts!!
1170 Becket is killed by 4 knights
1173 Becket becomes a saint, and his tomb becomes a destination for pilgrimages

6. King John I Makes A Lot of Enemies
John I becomes king when his father, Henry II, dies in 1199
Lost most of England’s land in France
Taxed the nobles
Ignored the rights of the nobles
Fought with the church
Heavily taxed church lands

7. King John I And The Magna Carta
1215- The Magna Carta (Great Charter) is signed by King John I
Nobles forced John I to sign the Magna Carta
King must ask the nobles before he raises taxes
All free men must have a trial
Property cannot just be taken
Why would King John I sign a document that took away some of his power?
If he did not agree…..He would be overthrown!!

8. King Edward I
1295 Edward I started the Model Parliament, to help govern England
Included lots of different people
Commoners
Lower Clergy
Nobles
High ranking Clergy

9. So How Did This Stuff Help End Feudalism?
Strengthened the power of the King
Weakened the power of the Nobles
Gave more power to Common People
Magna Carta gave people rights that could not be taken away
Improved Court System
Model Parliament gave regular people a say in the government

10. The Decline of Feudalism
Reason #2- The Bubonic Plague AKA “The Black Death”

11. What is the Bubonic Plague?
Most famous form of Plague
Caused by a bacterial infection
Spreads through flea bites (Rarely through the air)
Without treatment……
50%-100% Lethal
Bubonic Plague probably started in China or Mongolia
Today Bubonic Plague is curable with the use of proper antibiotics (3,000)

12. Symptoms of the Bubonic Plague
1st Flu like symptoms
Sneezing, Aches, and Fatigue
2nd Swollen lymph glands
Armpits, Groin, and Neck
Swollen glands develop into Buboes, which eventually rupture and bleed
3rd Coughing
Once coughing starts the plague has become airborne
4th Pain, Bleeding, Decaying of Tissue and Death….
in 3-7 days

13. The Bubonic Plague spreads to Europe
Fleas spread along trade routes
Spread along the Silk Road
Also spread to Europe on ships
First outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague would occur in port cities and towns

14. Spreading the Plague in Europe
Starts in modern Turkey and Italy
Poor sanitation encouraged the spread of the Plague
Plague infected rats and fleas feed on garbage, dead animals, and human waste
Most people did not change their clothing
Most people did not bath regularly
People did not know what caused the Plague, or how it spread

15. Impact of the “Black Death”
Approximately half of the people in China died
24 million Europeans died, about 1/3 of the population
Trade and The Economy were destroyed
Rebuilt with an emphasis on Common people
Power shifted from the Nobles to the Commoners
So many people had died that workers were in short supply
Workers could demand more money and more rights
More people moved away from feudal manors and into towns and cities to look for better opportunities
Peasant rebellions began to break out

16. The Decline of Feudalism
Reason #3- The 100 Years War (
Off and On for 116 years

17. Background King of France dies with no successor
King Edward III of England is a distant relative, so he claims the French throne
The war was very back and forth
Eventually France would win and the English would be driven out of France

18. New Weapons (Battles of Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt)
Battle of Crecy
English Army
Outnumbered 3-1
Not many armored knights, mostly peasant soldiers
LONGBOWMEN
Battle of Crecy
French Army
3 times more troops
Mounted armored knights
CROSSBOWMEN

19. Joan of Arc
1429- A peasant teenage French girl who hears voices telling her to drive the English from France and crown Charles V King of France, rallies France to victory
May 7, 1429 Joan of Arc leads a French army to victory at the Battle of Orleans
July 17, 1429 Charles V is crowned King of France
A year later, Joan of Arc is captured by the British
Tried in Church Courts for Heresy and witchcraft
Burned at the stake

20. Impacts of 100 Years of Warfare
English and French Kings Gain Power
(Especially French)
Nationalism grows in France and England
Armored knights and Chivalry have been replaced with Peasant armies and Longbowmen
Nobles and Knights lose power and become less important, while Peasants become more important

21. ??Questions?? about the Church
People start to resent the wealth and power of the
Pope and the Church
Start to question the teachings of the Church
Who is really the head of the Church?
How should the clergy live?
Do common people even really need the clergy?
By the way, often times the people who asked these questions were put on trial for heresy and burned at the stake
All of this questions showed that the power and influence of the Church was declining

22. Impact on the End of Feudalism
Kings now had more power than the Pope
Church is having problems with transferring power, and actually running itself
Common people begin to question the Church
Common people begin to resent the wealth and power of the Church
Church splits: Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

23. The Decline of Feudalism
Reason #4- The Crusades

24. The Crusades History’s Most Successful FAILURE

25. During the Middle Ages the Catholic Church had risen in power
Background
During the Middle Ages the Catholic Church had risen in power
After the fall of Rome, the Eastern portion of the Empire became known as the Byzantine Empire

27. Background- Causes
Jerusalem was a holy land for the Christians and each year many come to visit (pilgrimages)
The Seljuk Turks (Muslims) controlled that land and the amount of visitors grew too much that they began not allowing visitors
It was also believed that the increase in Muslim power would threaten the Byzantine Capital of Constantinople

28. Jerusalem

30. Pope Urban II and his call
1093- Byzantine Emperor Alexius wanted help to save Constantinople from Turks  asks Church
1095- Pope Urban II issues a call for a “holy” war or Crusade to capture the Holy land (Palestine) back from Muslims
Pope assured that those that die in Crusade will have a place in Heaven

31. GOAL: Crusades  recapture the holy land from Muslims

32. Map of Crusades

34. 1st Crusade- 1096 Crusaders capture Jerusalem
1187- Jerusalem falls back to Muslim rule

35. Crusade # 2
Fails to recapture city

36. Third Crusade Led by Richard the Lionhearted- King of England
Despite war, eventually they came to a truce with Saladin, leader of Muslims
Christians (unarmed) would be allowed in city

37. The Crusades = 7-8 total
The next 4 were unsuccessful in recapturing city.
But there were other crusades….

38. Children’s Crusade - 1212 20,000 – 30,000 children went out
Most died of disease, starvation and others were sold to slavery

39. Spanish Crusade- The Inquisition 1400
kick Muslims/ non Christians out of Spain
Reconquisita- Re –conquering of Spain
Inquisition – court used to suppress heresy (anyone different from teachings of Church)
Like a witch hunt against those not Christians

41. Why did the Crusades fail?
After the 1st attempt, each attempt was weaker with less emphasis on winning
People soon became about making money and getting goods
Stealing from Byzantine and Islamic

42. Effects of Crusades Showed power of Church
Increased trading between East and West
Merchants increased
will lead to massive Cultural Diffusion
Kings become more powerful
Constantinople (Istanbul) eventually falls to Turks
Increased trading helped business flourish
Muslim bitterness and hatred toward Christians

43. The Decline of Feudalism
Reason #4- The Great Schism (Conflict in the Church)

44. Western vs. Eastern Christianity
Roman Catholicism
Eastern Orthodoxy
Leadership
Pope
Patriarch
Power Source
Pope over rulers; appointed bishops
Patriarch led church with emperor influence
Language
Latin
Greek
Priests & Divorce
Could not marry; divorce not permitted
Could marry; divorce with stipulations
Major Holiday
Christmas
Easter

45. Kings and Popes Compete
Big Incident ( )
King Philip IV (France) says that the clergy in France have to answer to the King
Pope Boniface VIII says that kings must always obey popes.
Philip the IV has the Pope held prisoner, he is later rescued, but dies shortly thereafter
The power of the Pope over Kings was now completely gone

46. More then 1 Pope ?!?! Pope Urban VI Clement VII
Chosen by Italian Cardinals because he was Italian
Lived in Rome
Excommunicated Clement VII
Clement VII
Chosen by French Cardinals because he was French
Lived in France
Excommunicated Urban VI
There is actually a 3rd Pope at the same time!
Who the heck is in charge of the Church?

47. The Great Schism (Split in the Church)
So who is Pope?
1414 The Council of Constance tries to figure this mess out
Was able to force all 3 Popes to quit
3 years later they choose a new Pope, only 1 this time, Martin V

48. Recap There are 4 main reasons why Feudalism fell… 2 Final Thoughts
Political Changes
Changed the court system, More rights for the people, more power for the King
Bubonic Plague
More power for the common people because their labor was even more important now
100 years War
Growth of Nationalism, End of Chivalry, Common people continue to gain power and importance
Great Schism
Church loses power, people begin to question and resent the Church
Crusades
2 Final Thoughts
Kings and Common people were gaining more and more power, while the Nobles and Church were losing it
People were sick of all this turmoil and really wanted things to change