1. THE LATE MIDDLE AGES 10.4

2. THE BLACK DEATH The Middle Ages in Europe had reached a high point in the 13 th century. In the 14 th century, however, some disastrous changes took place. Especially catastrophic was the Black Death. The Black Death was the most devastating natural disaster in European history. The Plague came from black rats who were infested with fleas carrying a deadly bacterium. Italisam merchants brought the plague with them.

4. THE BLACK DEATH Out of 75 million Europeans, nearly 38 million died. Italy’s main cities lost 50 to 60 million. Some towns disappeared all together. Many believed that the Plague was punishment from God. The worst attacks happened in Germany. The loss of so many affected Trade. The one positive from all of this is that the serfs become a lot more important with the loss of workers.

5. Pictures of the Plague

6. Symptoms of the Bubonic plague

7. Ring around the Rosy

8. The Hundred Years’ War In the 13 th century England still held one small possession in France, known as the duchy of Gascony. The English King, who was also the duke of Gascony, pledged his loyalty as a vassal to the French King. In 1337 King Phillip of France seized Gascony. This caused the Hundred Years War.

9. The Hundred Years’ War The hundred years war changed the way of battle. During this war it was foot soldiers not knights that won a majority of the battles. The French still relied heavily knights and mounted Calvary, while the English relied more on large numbers of peasants, paid to be foot soldiers. English soldiers were armed not only with pikes, or heavy spears, but also had longbows. The longbow had a greater striking distance.

11. Joan of Arc The French cause, now seemingly hopeless, fell into the hands of Charles, the heir to the French throne, who governed the southern two-thirds of the lands of France. Quite unexpectedly, a French peasant woman saved the timid monarch. Joan of Arc was born in 1412, the daughter of prosperous peasants. She was a deeply religious person who experienced visions and came to believe that her favorite saints had commanded her to free France.

12. Joan of Arc In February 1429, Joan made her way to Charles’s court, where her sincerity and simplicity persuaded him to allow her to accompany a French army to Orleans. Apparently inspired by Joan’s faith, the French armies found new confidence in themselves and captured Orleans. Joan had brought the war to a decisive turning point but did not live to see its end. She was captured in 1430 and turned over by the English to the Inquisition on charges of witchcraft. At that time, spiritual visions were thought to be inspired by either God or the devil.