Crisis of the Late Middle Ages
In the century between 1340s to 1450s,
Europe unraveled economically,
religiously, militarily and culturally.
Slide 5 of 20
I. Black Death
A. Overpopulation of Europe
1. Productive capacity of Europe is reached
2. Less productive land pressed to service
3. Famine of 1315-22 kills 10% of Europe
B. Plague is nature’s reward for growth of trade
C. Third of the population dead in three years
I. Black Death
C. Effects of the Black Death
1. Massacre of the Jews
2. Decline in trade, production
3. Inflation
4. Labor shortage
a. hurts owners
b. helps laborers
5. Peasant uprisings
6. Credibility of church in question
II. Decline of the Church
A. Victory of Kings over the Popes
B. French dominance and popes' removal to Avignon
C. Black Death
D. Catherine of Siena fights to restore the church
Papal Palace in Avignon
II. Decline of the Church
E. Great Schism (1378-1418)
1. Two popes up to 1409
a. Nations choose sides
2. Three popes (1409-1418)
3. Damage to authority of popes
F. Kingdoms impose limits on papal power
1. England in 1351
2. France in 1438 (Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges)
3. Germany 1439 (Pragmatic Sanction of Mainz)
4. Means the creation of national churches, not
universal church
II. Decline of the Church
G. Popes reduced to being Italian princes
1. Example of Alexander VI (1492-1503)
III. Late Medieval Innovations
A. Search for renewed faith
1. Mysticism
2. Conciliarism
3. Wycliffe and Hus
B. Humanism– a focus on the human dimension
1. Humanism in art
a. Giotto
b. Jan Van Eyck
Berlinghieri
St. Francis
1235
Cimabue
Mary Enthroned
Florence, 1280
Giotto
Virgin & Child
Enthroned
Florence, 1310
Giotto
Lamentation
(1305)
Jan Van Eyck Madonna and Canon Van der Paele
1436
Ambroglio Lorenzetti,
Effects of Good Government in the City
1340
III. Late Medieval Innovations
B. Humanism– a focus on the human dimension
1. Humanism in art
a. Giotto
b. Jan Van Eyck
2. Humanism in literature
a. passion for secular Roman poetry
b. Petrarch
c. Pisan
IV. Hundred Years’ War (1337-1456)
A. Great war between the
two greatest monarchies
B. Edward III’s motives
1. Restore English holdings
2. Control Flanders
3. Claim to French throne
4. Chivalric glory
IV. Hundred Years’ War
B. Superior tactics of the English forces
1. Battle of Crecy (1346)
IV. Hundred Years’ War
B. Superior tactics of the English forces
1. Battle of Crecy (1346)
a. the longbow
2. The Black Prince and Battle of Poitiers (1356)
3. Chivalry not dead yet, but dying
IV. Hundred Years’ War
C. Henry V
1. Victory at Agincourt, 1415
2. Agincourt Carol
3. Wins French crown
4. Dies in 1422, leaving infant
son
Agincourt Carol (English, c.1415)
Deo gracias, Anglia, redde pro victoria!
Our King went forth to Normandy
With grace and might of chivalry
There God for him wrought marvelously:
Wherefore England may call and cry Deo gracias
Then went him forth, our king comely,
In Agincourt field he fought manly;
Through grace of God most marvelously,
He had both field and victory.
Deo gracias
The lords, earls and barons
Were slain and taken in that full soon,
And some were brought to London
With joy and bliss and great renoun.
Deo gracias
Almighty God he keep our king.
His people, and all his well-willing.
And give them grace without ending;
Then may we call and savely sing:
Deo gracias.
IV. Hundred Years’ War
D. Joan of Arc (1412-31)
1. Peasant girl
2. Visions at 12 of leading France
3. Seeks prince at 16
4. Victory at Orleans
5. Crowns prince as King
6. Burned as a witch by English
7. Sainted in 1920
E. National identity
1. Henry V in song and plays
2. Joan and national destiny
V. End of Middle Ages
A. End of era of knights
B. End of the predominance of the church
C. Rise of Humanism
D. Emergence of nations