The High Middle Ages

Medieval times are usually associated with knights in shining armor and damsels in distress at least that is how modern movies depict this era of history. Lords, ladies, knights and romance is what often goes through peoples mind when they think of the Middle Age, it is very easy to turn this age into a fantasy. However, even though they Middle Ages did contain some of these ideas there was so much more that went on, so much that historians actually divide the middle ages into three sections early, high, and late. The High Middle Ages is when life was prosperous in Europe kingdoms were becoming more established, new forms of farming were taking hold, and growth was everywhere. Unfortunately, the High Middle Ages had a powerful clash between
Most of the high officials in the church became nobles and political leaders for the state abandoning their spiritual duties. After many invasions from the Vikings and Muslims it came to the church’s attention that reform need to happen. Many movements were made but the most influential was Pope Gregory VII’s reform. Pope Gregory believed “…that he had been chosen by God to reform the church” and he used all his power to do so (Spielvogel 285). Gregory started his reform by eliminating nonmembers of the clergy from participation in the churches election. Through this new reform the church was setting themselves apart from everyone else as a divine order, but they expected to control all of the king’s affairs. No longer was the church sitting on the sideline, it was now very active and untouchable from any force beside
The nations were growing and establishing their claimed territories, during this time the modern nations of today like England, France, Spain, and Russia were just getting started. The most important aspect of the High Middle Ages was the new methods of farming. The population was growing and in order to feed all the people new ways of farming needed to be created. The carruca, which is a heavy wheeled plow, allowed farmers to farm on harsher terrain like sod, which they were unable to plow before. People in the High Middle Ages also created a “…shift from a two-field to a three-field system of crop rotation…” which allowed for more agricultural production to take place (Spielvogel 246). The High Middle Ages was a successful and prosperous time for the people of Europe because of the technological and innovated advancements of