Download Chapter 12 Lesson 2 THE CRUSADES

THE CRUSADES
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From the 11th to 13th centuries European Christians carried
out a series of military expeditions to regain the Holy Land
from Muslim control (whom the Christians referred to as
INFIDELS or nonbelievers) … these wars were called THE
CRUSADES.
The Early Crusades: (1-3)
◦ KEY GROUPS/PEOPLE: Christians in the Byzantine Empire – led by their
Emperor; Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire – led by Pope Urban II.
◦ GOAL – the Byzantine Emperor sent a request for help to the Pope
because Muslim soldiers had taken control of Asia Minor (present day
Turkey) and their presence was seen as a threat to the Holy Land. So
the goal was to free Jerusalem & the Holy Land from Muslim control.
Christians regained control of Jerusalem in Crusade 1 but lost it to
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Muslim leader Saladin in 1187);
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Key groups/people: After the death of Saladin, Pope Innocent
III initiated the 4th Crusade; however, as the Pope’s army was
travelling through the Byzantine Empire en route to the Holy
Land they became involved in a power struggle and sacked
Constantinople furthering the division between the Catholic
and Christian Orthodox Churches. The final few Crusades
were unsuccessful (GOAL was to reestablish Christian
dominance in the region) & by the end the Byzantine Empire
was at its smallest and no longer a great Mediterranean
power. It would remain weak until finally falling to the
Ottoman Turks in the 15th century.
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CULTURAL – early incidents of anti-Semitism (fear and hatred of
Jews) emerged within European society. Medieval European Jews
were subjected to periodic attacks, etc.
ECONOMIC - Italian port cities benefitted from the need for them
to support Christians living in the Holy Land (trading with and
protecting the Holy Land while under Christian control was difficult
as it was surrounded by a Muslim Empire)
***POLITICAL – these wars helped end Feudalism as nobles sold
lands & freed serfs to join the fighting; Kings grew richer by
levying taxes to raise armies & taxing trade; this paved the way for
the development of NATION-STATES as we know them today
(Spain, England, France would be the strongest moving forward
from the Middle Ages). BIGGEST IMPACT WAS
POLITICAL!
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Medieval European society reached its peak during the 1200’s
In the 1300’s a series of unfortunate events overwhelm
Europe… THE BLACK DEATH… The Great Schism II… and the
100 Years’ War…
By the 1400’s Europe was recovering from the above under
the leadership of very strong new monarchies.
SO WITH FEUDALISM GONE THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER AND
WEALTH IN EUROPE WILL CONTINUE BETWEEN THE 2
REMAINING FORCES… RELIGION AND SECULAR MONARCHS.
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PLAGUE is defined as a contagious bacterial disease
characterized by fever and delirium and sometimes infection
of the lungs; the disease affects a large number of people
within a population. The most common form of plague at this
time was Bubonic Plague.
CAUSES – specifically unknown but perhaps brought on by a
change in climate that led to food shortages and famine that
left people more susceptible to infection. The disease itself
was spread by black rats carrying the deadly bacteria.
SPREAD – may have been carried by Italian merchants Sicily it
spread along popular trade routes of the time through France,
Germany, England, Northern & Eastern Europe & into Russia.
*In less than 5 yrs. Over 1/3 of the 75 million people in
Europe died of the Plague. clip
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The power of the Pope peaked in the 1200’s and in the
1300’s events began to wear away at that power…
◦ Challenges to Papal Supremacy were made by various monarchs,
especially in France where the King & the Pope argued over the King’s
desire to tax the clergy. The Pope actually moved from Rome to
Avignon France for a period of time to try to maintain a superior
position over the French monarch; that move was highly criticized by
Christians and did not last (Pope moved back to Rome).
◦ The second Great Schism refers to a second split within the Christian
Church. The papal move to France led to a period where there were 2
Popes… one in Rome and one in France. This confusing situation
diminished the power of the Papacy (office of the Pope) and led to calls
for reform. Some of the criticism’s of the Pope and Church at this time
would lead Martin Luther & other Reformation leaders (Ch. 16).
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Called the most violent conflict of the late Middle Ages, this war
between England and France was a turning point in warfare and
had lasting consequences. The conflict started over control of the
French city of Gascony and became a war between 2 nations being
fought by Knights competing over battle tactics and peasants as
well. New weapons and battle tactics were used and the French
even allowed a peasant woman to lead its troops into battle ending
with a much needed victory; however the woman JOAN OF ARC was
killed before the battle ended as the English captured her and
burned her at the stake.
OUTCOME – the French won; new weapons/tactics; monarchs
strengthened.
Joan of Arc
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Read pages 252 & 253 & complete the last part of the
presentation by taking notes on the political recovery that
occurred in the following places during the 1400’s…
FRANCE
ENGLAND
SPAIN
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
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*What important political changes happened in these places
at the end of the Middle Ages?
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Next up… chapter 15… The Renaissance!
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“In the 1300’s European rulers faced serious problems.”
Problems included a lack of male heirs to take the throne;
financial problems; difficulty overcoming powerful nobles that
still remained.
In the 1400’s new rulers turned things around… establishing
new practices within new monarchies (refers to the
monarchies of France, England & Spain at the end of the
1400’s).
FRANCE: The French kings used the nationalism (strong
feeling of pride and loyalty to country) from the 100 Years’
War to extend the power of the monarchy (established a taille
or tax on property; gained support of lower & middle classes
by lessening the power of French Nobles).
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ENGLAND – losing the 100 Years’ War had a negative effect on the
economy & monarchy; adding to that was growing conflict between
Nobles who were fighting to control the monarchy until a new
dynasty was established under Henry Tudor (King Henry VII) who
abolished the private noble armies & cut royal spending freeing up
$$ without increasing taxes on the nobles & middle class.
SPAIN – Independent Christian Kingdoms fought for power until a
royal marriage united 2 of the kingdoms. Under Queen Isabella &
King Ferdinand Spain became the “most Catholic” monarchy (they
expelled Jews & Muslims who wouldn’t convert). The religious
uniformity strengthened their monarchy.
Central & Eastern Europe – Central Europe (Germany) was very
decentralized; Eastern Europe was also and would remain so for
decades to come.
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In Europe, the “bridge” years between the Middle Ages and the
early Modern Age are known as THE RENAISSANE… literally a
time when a rebirth occurred in all areas of life.
HUMANISM represented a new outlook or viewpoint of human
beings that celebrated extraordinary individuals… such as
Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian artist, architect, inventor &
mathematician.
The Renaissance began in Italy in the late 14th century and
then spread throughout Europe changing its political, social
and economic environment.