Middle Ages Learning Portfolio
By: Jocelyn Stack
3. The Crusades in Europe
The crusaders were unsuccessful in their actual expeditions, but were successful
in the sense that they had a significant impact on the development of European
culture and society. The crusaders initial incentive was that they saw an
expedition to the Holy Land as an opportunity to improve their lot in life by
gaining land and plunder. Also, Pope Urban II promised that anyone who joined
his Crusade would receive a special form of religious pardon called an
indulgence. Crusaders who joined the holy war would be forgiven for all their
sins, and if they died in battle, they would go straight to heaven. However,
despite this incentive the Crusaders accomplished nothing. After the first
crusade, five more Crusades were equally unsuccessful and by 1291 the zeal of
the Crusades had failed. During that time, they had small victories but were
eventually recaptured. On the contrary, the Crusades had a great impact on the
development of European culture and society. Even though it was unintended,
the Crusades allowed the papacy to gain new prestige as the defender of
Christendom. In addition, the Venetian, Genoese, and other Italian merchants,
shipbuilders, and fleet owners created thriving businesses out of transporting
Crusaders and their supplies. The Crusaders also led to the founding of powerful
owners of knights such as the Hospitaller Knights of St.John, the Knights of the
Temple (Templars), and the Teutonic Knights. The most powerful effects of the
Crusades, however, were unintended. The 200 years of contact with Muslim
civilization changed the European Crusaders in many ways. They learned to
appreciate different foods, to bathe more regularly, and to value the fine goods
that the Turks brought from Asia. In addition, they came home with new
scientific and cultural knowledge. Schools of Arabic language, and Muslim
thought were established, and Islamic learning became a vital part of the
curriculum taking shape in Western Europe. Overall, because of the Crusaders
the papacy gained new prestige as the defender of Christendom, the business of
transporting Crusaders and their supplies was flourishing, helped lead to the
powerful owners of knights, and brought Islamic ideas into Western Europe.
Considering all these reasons makes the Crusades an intriguing part of European
History.
4. Church and State
I believe that the close tie between the Catholic Church and European
governments was a negative factor in medieval Europe. A prime example of why
the close connection between the two was not good for medieval Europe was
that in 1294, Pope Boniface VIII reopened the longstanding conflict with secular
leaders by declaring that kings required his approval to levy taxes on the clergy.
Consequently, he upset the monarchs, especially King Phillip IV of France.
Following Boniface’s death, Phillip was able to persuade the college to choose a
pope who supported French interests. This was a negative factor in medieval
society because the papacy was moved to Avignon. This movement was viewed
with deep suspicion in other countries and caused unneeded tension. Though
French ambitions were feared above all in England, where feelings against
French rulers ran high, Italy, Germany, and Aragon also protested the move.
Italians in particular hoped for the pope’s return to Rome. Another reason why
the close ties between the Catholic Church and governments caused problems
was that the rulers of the Christian countries immediately took sides, often based
on their feelings toward France. During the Great Schism two popes claimed
Christian obedience as the Vicar of Christ. The schism in the Church created
great problems for the clergy, the bishops, and the universities that advised
them. The schism also created problems for the people of Europe. Because it
had divided people according to national and regional loyalties, the dispute could
not be settled until the leading rulers settled their conflicts and sorted out their
common interests. This was indeed a negative factor as the result of the close
ties between the church and state. It caused a lot of unsettledness within the
Church and government. In addition, I believe indulgences were a negative
factor in medieval Europe because people began to rely on them. Due to the
connection between the church and state, indulgences could be earned by giving
money to the poor or building a church. Indulgences essentially set the stage for
the permanent split in the Catholic Church. Also, the Spanish Inquisition is
another example of the negative effects of the close connections between church
and state. During this particular inquisition, 2000 people were executed. The
Spanish government made this religious based practice a law. Neither the pope
nor the monarchies were able to rein during this religious zealot. This was a
negative factor because neither the church nor state was able to establish
stability.
5. Education in Medieval Society
Two reasons why education contributed to stability in medieval society was that
both guilds and universities were created. The guild of medieval society brought
stability because these organizations of artisans, craftspeople, merchants, and
other professionals were formed to ensure consistent standards of practice and
to protect members from competition. They also established apprentice
programs to train young people under master artisans. As well as playing an
important role in local government, guilds extended their influence into the social
and religious aspects of urban life. Guildhalls were often places of social activity,
and guilds provided social welfare services to their members. Universities
brought stability because students from all over Europe sought out teachers with
the best ideas, and there was a keen exchange of ideas. They allowed men to
have a formal education. Two reasons why education disadvantaged those in
society is that university education was not available to women, and to those of
the lower class. Another reason was that with the Aristocratic guilds, they
controlled civic governments to the exclusion of the plebian guilds, which were
made up of semi-skilled craft workers. Even on some occasions, plebian
resentment of political dominance by the aristocratic guilds burst into open
rebellion and rioting.