Ch.9: Late Middle
Ages Social and
Political
Background
Video to set stage Dark Ages

http://watchdocumentary.org/watch/crash-course-world-historyepisode-14-the-dark-ages-how-dark-were-they-reallyvideo_53c44f007.html
The Black Death

Known as the Bubonic Plague
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Results of

Overpopulation
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Economic depression
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Famine
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Bad Health and Hygiene
The Black Death Continued

Named for discoloration of body
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Believed to have introduced because of seaborne rats from the
black sea
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40% of Western Europe had lost its population
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Lack of sophisticated medicine led to superstitions:

Poisonous fumes released by earthquakes
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Corruption of Atmosphere
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Jews
Black Death continued
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Farm laborers decreased in numbers but number of skilled artisans
increased
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Peasant rebelled against government efforts to limit their wages
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Peasant Revolt of 1381
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Cities and skilled industries prospered from the effects of the plague
which created a need for more expensive goods
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The economic power of artisans and guilds grew
The Hundred Years’ War and Rise of
National Sentiment
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Toward the end of middle ages Monarch began to assert power in
England and France result in The Hundred Years War (1337-1453)
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English King Edward III claimed the right to French Throne after
death of Charles IV
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The territorial proximity of the England and France and their quarrel
over rights to Flanders exacerbated the dispute
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English Success- Longbow and Unity
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France weakness- infighting and lack of leadership
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Joan of Arc- led French to Battle of New Orleans- which would lead
to defeat of English
Breakdown and Revival of Late
Medieval Church

Pope Innocent III transformed Church into a secular power
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Created a Papal Monarchy with Political Mission that included
disposing of benefices and saints
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Pope Urban IV continued secularization of the Church establishing
its own court, Rota Romana, broadening benefices system, and
politicizing College of Cardinals

Pope Boniface VIII refused efforts of France and English to Tax

Clericis laicos forbid taxation of clergy without issue of papal bull

Declared Unum Sanctum which declared temporal authority was
subject to the power of the church
Breakdown and Revival of The
Medieval Church

Pope Clement the V moved the papacy to Avignon to avoid the
French and Rome. This time period is called Babylonian Captivity
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Pope John XXII tried to restore papacy to Rome
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William Ickham and Marsilus of Padura protested papal Power

John Wycliffe and John Huss led popular movements (the Lollards
and Hussites) that protested the rights of the papacy
Great Schism (1378) and Conciliar
Movement

The Great Schism- Pope Clement VII, a cousin of French King, was
elected to the College of Cardinals just five months after they
elected arch bishop Pope Urban VI

Cardinals deposed both Popes and elected new pope Alexander
V. All three claimed spiritual authority

Conciliar Movement- efforts to regulate the actions of the pope by
council grew at this time. 1414 the council met. Document known as
the Sarcosanta, the council recognized one pope, Gregory XII
Medieval Russia

Prince Vladimir of Kiev chose Greek Orthodoxy as the religion of
Russia (1015)
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Kiev was culture center that rivaled Constantinople

Three groups developed: The Great Russians, the White Russians, the
Little Russians (the Ukrainians)

Russian Hierarchical social structure divided freemen (clergy, army
officers, boyars, townspeople, peasants) from slaves

Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, ruled Russia, until their liberation by
Grand Duke Dimitri and Ivan the Great