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The “Middle” Medieval Period,
1000-1200
World History - Libertyville HS
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Agricultural
– More land was under
cultivation because land was
political POWER
– Side effect was a dramatic
increase in population &
increase in revenue for the
owner of land
– Tech developments
• Spread of iron tools
• Better harnessing of animals
• Use of wind, water driven mills
for food processing
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Social
– From 1000 to about
1300, a population
boom occurred
– Population doubled
• In 1000 = 36 million
• In 1300 = 79 million
• In 1500 = 81 million
– By comparison, Islamic
population was steady or
slightly declining
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Social, continued
– Primogeniture led to
aggressive adventures of
colonization and conquest
• Younger sons sought their
fortune wherever they could
• Influenced crusades, giving
younger sons somewhere to
try to carve out a land of their
own
– Peasants were enserfed,
becoming tied to the land
until after the Bubonic
Plague (about 1400s)
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Economic
– Increase in agriculture drove
expansion of trade
– Markets rewarded farmers for
their increased production
– Towns and cities benefited
from increased trade b/c
people moved from farms to
cities
– Emerging world markets
• Following crusades, Islamic
trade goods in demand
• Goods = spices, luxury goods
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Rise of Guilds, around 1100
– Guild was an association of
craftsmen of a particular
trade
– Examples = blacksmiths;
tailors, merchants
– Controlled access into their
craft, who maintained the
quality of work and price
structure
– Strict hierarchy of guild
maintained
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Political
– Slow process of political
consolidation
– Political reality was that
power would go to
whomever could control his
vassals and attract
adventurers to his cause
Middle Ages Characteristics
• Church corruption increasing
– Priests were marrying
– Simony: church selling
positions in church to rich
people
• Reaction and reforms
– Rise of monastic orders
• Strict vow of poverty, chastity
• Set example for others
– Papal reforms were mainly
strictly enforcing rules against
marriage, simony
What was going on in France?
• Northern France settled by
Vikings in 900s
– “Normans” began conquering
other parts of Europe, like
Sicily, Southern Italy (&
England)
– Dukes of France = Normandy,
Anjou, Brittany, Burgundy,
Provence) very powerful –
often stronger than the king
• Capetian Dynasty controlled
French throne for 800 years,
but spent most of their time
fighting with and marrying
into the Ducal families
What was going on in England?
• Angles & Saxons (Germanic
tribes) invaded Roman Britain
• Became Christian by 700
• Viking attacks terrorized
England after 793
• Invasion by Normans in 1066
– Normandy was a part of
Northern France settled by
Vikings
– William the Conqueror was the
Duke of Normandy
– Invaded, defeated last AngloSaxon King of England at the
Battle of Hastings
– French speaking Normans
became rulers of England
What was going on in …?
• The Holy Roman Empire?
– Otto’s heirs lost right of investiture to
church
– By 1300, HRE decentralized
– Became a loosely controlled area
equal in size to modern day Germany,
Austria, part of Switzerland
• Eastern Europe?
– Poland: pagan, became Christian by
966 AD
– Hungary: Magyars; became Christian
in 1000 AD
HRE in
1050
• Italy?
– Papal States: Pope ruled as monarch
– Popes became corrupted by secular
power
HRE in
1300
What was going on in…
• Spain?
– Following Islamic conquest in
700s, Catholics, Muslims and
Jewish people lived in uneasy
peace
– Muslim centers of learning
included Cordoba, Seville
– Reconquista
• Gradual re-conquest, over 700
years, of Spain by Catholic
forces
• Catholics slaughtered Jewish
and Muslims alike, “purifying”
Spain