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The economic impact of black death in medieval period
The economic impact of black death in medieval period
Life in the medieval period
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The 14th century was a period of political and social upheaval, as well as the beginning of religious turmoil. Beginning around the year 1000 and continuing through the next few centuries, there had been a period of increasingly relative stability in Europe with growth in agriculture and trade, as well as improvements in hygiene. These advancements led to a steady increase in population (Monte, 2013). However, by the beginning of the 14th century a series of crises including the weakening of the Catholic Church, war, and disease, would not only have a profound effect on the people of the time, but a continuing affect on the world.
In the middle ages, the Roman Catholic Church had been central to the lives of all, nobility as well as peasants
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(Monte, 2013). The Church was the main stabilizing force and wielded secular as well as religious authority. In 1303, however, there began a decline in the authority and prestige of the papacy. In that year, Philip IV of France abducted Pope Boniface VIII and attempted to force him to resign (Wilcox, 1975). This humiliation was followed shortly in 1305 by the transfer of the papacy from its traditional place in Rome, to Avignon in France. The popes remained in France until 1378 and during this time the French nobility exerted an undue influence on the papacy and, thereby, the church as a whole. This period, known as the Babylonian captivity, led to the independence of the Papal States that had previously paid taxes to, and supported the papacy. This, in turn, led to charging fees from the people who received sacraments and other services from parishes. Although the papacy returned to Rome in 1378, further damage to the prestige of the position, and the church as a whole, was done by the Great Schism which occurred after the death of Gregory XI. The cardinals, concerned that the people of Rome would rise up if another French pope were elected, originally chose an Italian, Urban VI. When he proved to be difficult to control and threatened the cardinals with excommunication for their excesses, the French cardinals fled Rome for Avignon and elected another, French pope. The existence of two popes further eroded the church’s moral, spiritual and even secular authority, splitting the loyalty and devotion of European Christians. To make matters worse if possible, several councils were formed, meetings held, and consultations taken with both secular and spiritual leaders to solve the crisis. The end result of these councils and meetings was the election of yet another pope. In 1415 the matter was finally resolved at the Council of Constance in Switzerland at which a new pope, Martin V was elected and the other three deposed. All involved parties accepted this new pope as the one, true, pope but the damage was already done. (Monte, 2013; Nelson, n.d.). As a result of these issues, the authority of the church was greatly eroded in the 14th century. Being focused on its own internal strife and concerned only for its own safety, the church failed in its first responsibility, shepherding the people. The church was unable to give comfort and guidance during the many other crises of the century, namely war and plague. As the people lacked guidance and witnessed corruption in the church at both high and low levels, beginning with fees for “services” and going all the way to bribery and promiscuity among poor parish priests, they began to seek other more personal ways in which to worship. The split in loyalties between the popes fostered antagonisms among the different states, as loyalties were split mostly down national lines. Also, the Great Schism and its resolution began the Conciliar Movement which showed that it was possible for secular determination over papal authority. The controversy and its aftermath sowed the seeds of the reformation to come (Monte, 2013; Nelson, n.d.). While the Roman Catholic Church was embroiled in its own internal strife, Europe was also suffering from a long war between France and England. Known as the Hundred Years War, the conflict ran from 1337 to 1453 and was more a series of wars than one, continuous war. The immediate cause was a struggle over the throne of France, but the underlying causes go back as far as 1066 when William the Conqueror united Normandy and England. In 1337 Edward III laid claim to the French throne by reason of descent from Charles IV of France, who had left no heirs, through his mother Isabella, sister of Charles IV (Hudson, 2011). At first it appeared that the French would have the upper hand since France was the most populated and wealthy state of the Europe, but the English army was better disciplined and had the use of the long bow, the most modern weapon at the time. Because of this, the English at first seem to be winning the war. Over the course of the 116 years of war the English won many battles, but in the end the French prevailed. Almost all fighting during the war took place on French soil, devastating the French countryside. The final Battle of Castillon in 1453 brought an end to the war, although no final treaty was ever signed (Keen, 2011, Rice Jr. and Grafton, 1994). The Hundred Years War had many lasting consequences.
First were the changes in warfare itself. Before the 14th century, battles were fought mostly by mounted knights. During the course of the hundred years war, the value of mounted knights was replaced with that of ordinary infantry, mostly of the peasant class, as demonstrated at the Battle of Crecy in 1346. This battle, which was won by an outnumbered English force, was the first time that infantry men, armed with longbows, won a major victory without the assistance of mounted knights (Rice, Jr. and Grafton, 1994; Keen, 2011). This period also saw the introduction of firearms. “By the end of the fourteenth century, firearms were being manufactured all over Europe…” (Rice, Jr and Grafton, 1994). The devastation and loss of life, especially in France were most battles were fought, was made even worse by the Black Plague that ravaged Europe during the war. The rise of peasants in war, which had been traditionally fought by knights and lords, contributed to the end of the feudal system that had been prevalent during the Middle Ages (Keen, 2011). A third consequence of the war, still felt today, was the rise of a national identity. Both sides had used propaganda against their enemy to help in raising the funds to wage war. The experiences of waging war as a state brought out a sense of nationalism in both France and England (Keen, …show more content…
2011). In the midst of crises in the church and war, Europe was further afflicted in this century by a disease known as the Black Death or Black Plague.
The plague, which began in Europe in Sicily in 1347, killed approximately one half to one third of the population of Europe in about a three year period (Monte, 2013). The effects of the plague, devastating enough in their own right, were compounded by the other crises that were taking place in Europe at this time. The extremely high death rate and lack of understanding concerning the contraction and spread of disease caused a fear and panic in the population, who felt that the world might be ending. The spiritual guidance that had been known from the church and protection expected from of the nobility disappeared. The church, embroiled in its own strife, and the kings and nobles involved in their own struggles, failed to give any leadership, aid or safety to the suffering people. This abandonment of duty by church and government led to a breakdown of order and economic collapse. Although the outbreak began to subside in 1349, plague would revisit Europe periodically for about the next century (Monte,
2013). The effects of the plague were many and long lasting. There was a general decline in confidence in leadership, both of the church and of government. The plague was seen as a punishment from God, and the fact that the church could not save the people, or even the clergy, led to a further loss of influence and power for the church. Art and literature became reflective of the preoccupation with death among the people as in the painting Triumph of Death by Francesco Traini in 1350. Despite the almost overwhelming death toll, there were some positive repercussions of the Black Death. At the time the plague arrived in Europe the size of the population was straining the ability of the cultivated land to support it. The large and swift death toll relieved this situation and allowed the surviving population to enjoy a better standard of living. The massive deaths created a shortage of laborers and afforded an opportunity for peasants to earn wages for labor. This in turn lead to social mobility as peasants could afford to pay their feudal lords and were no longer tied to a particular manor. In some cases, those who ordinarily did not stand to inherit anything, found themselves heirs to lands and money due to the death of those who would have stood before them. This contributed to the collapse of feudalism and the rise of capitalism and the middle class. (Monte, 2013; Wilcox, 1975). The 1300s were a time of great turmoil that witnessed many crises. It was a time in which people felt a loss of confidence in the institutions they had relied on and most people probably developed a sense of helplessness at forces beyond their control. Crises in the church, war, and plague made the 14th century a time of instability and uncertainty for the population. Because these crises caused unpredictability in life, people began to look outside these institutions for guidance, stability and comfort. The social, political and religious upheavals of the 14th century set the stage for the Renaissance and Reformation that was to come.
In 1763 the Seven Years’ War ended with the British Empire emerging as victors. The victory came at great cost to Great Britain’s economy. The national debt almost doubled from 75 million pounds to 133 million pounds between 1755 and 1763. Given that Britain fought in North America to uphold the security of her colonial possessions, British ministers deemed it fair that the cost of the war should be shared with the colonies. Subsequently, import duties on popular goods were raised and a number of Acts regarding excise taxes were passed. These included the Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend duties beginning in 1767. The consequences of these actions were to place great financial burdens on the North American colonists, but more importantly, to
One piece of evidence stated, “As the plague kept occurring in the late 1300s, the European economy sank to a new low (Document 9).” Another piece of evidence states,” In the second half of the 14th century, a man could simply up and leave a manor, secure in the knowledge that Faith in religion had fallen because the prayers of the people were not answered. The people even thought that it was god whom had unleashed this deadly disease. One piece of evidence that I used stated,” Some felt that the wrath of God was descending upon man, and so fought the plague with player (Document 6).” Another piece of evidence stated,” Faith in religion decreased after the plague, both because of the death of so many of the clergy and because of the failure of prayer to prevent sickness and death (Document 6).”
During the course of the Plague common beliefs and/or concerns underwent a dramatic change. During the early years of the Plague outbreak the prevalent belief was of fear of the Plague and its uncertainty of the cause. Most people during this time were concerned that the Plague would affect their economy and their own work/business. People were also concerned of their lives and their family's well being. Then as time went on beliefs changed from this to fear to a religious superstition.
Why was the Plague so devastating to Europe during the 1300’s? During this time, knowledge of human biology was extremely limited. This is partially due to a papal bull issued by Pope Boniface VIII that forbid the dissection of corpses. 10. Italy was hit particularly hard as it was a major center of trade and many things went in and out; it was very susceptible to the plague.
Medieval people could find no Divine reason for the four-year nightmare, and dissatisfaction with the church gave impetus to reform movements that eventually broke apart the unity of the Catholic Church. The plague itself was disastrous enough, especially in the appearance of more than one form during the same epidemic. But coming when it did was as catastrophic as its form. The middle 14th century was not a good time for Europe. The European economy was already in difficulties.
The Black Plague, perhaps one of the worst epidemics in history, swept its evil across Europe in the middle of the 14th century, killing an estimated 20 million people. This major population shift, along with other disasters occurring at the time, such as famine and an already existing economic recession, plunged Europe into a dark period of complete turmoil. Anarchy, psychological breakdowns, and the dissipation of church power were some of the results. As time passed, however, society managed to find new ground and began its long path of recovery. The plague, as catastrophic as it was to medieval Europe, had just as many positive effects that came with this recovery as it did negative effects prior. An end to feudalism, increased wages and innovation, the idea of separation of church and state, and an attention to hygiene and medicine are only some of the positive things that came after the plague. It could also be argued that the plague had a significant impact on the start of the Renaissance.
The Bubonic Plague, or more commonly known as ‘The Black Death’ or ‘The Black Plague,’ was one of the most devastating and deadliest pandemics that humans have ever witnessed in the history of mankind. The disease spanned two continents in just a few years, marking every country between Western Europe all the way to China. During the reign of the plague, which is estimated to be the years between 1347-1352, it is estimated that “20 million people in Europe–almost one-third of the continent’s population” was killed off due to the plague. The Black Plague would change the course of European history since the plague knew no boundaries and inflicted its wrath upon the rich and the poor alike. As a result, not only did the plague have a devastating demographic impact which encountered a massive social disruption, but also, an economic and religious impact as well.
Medieval society was tossed into disarray, economies were fractured, the face of culture and religion changed forever. However, the plagues devastation was not all chaotic, there were benefits too, such as modern labour movements, improvements in medicine and a new outlook on life. Therefore, in order to analyse the impact the Black Death had on societies in the 14th century, this essay will consider the social, economic, cultural and religious factors in order to reach an overall conclusion. In order to learn how societies were impacted by the Black Death, it is important to note the situation prior to the epidemic. Britain and France had been at war since 1337, by August 1347 France was devastated.
The Plague changed the way European citizens saw the Church and Church power. When people were suffering and wanted to receive Anointing of the Sick, some priest refused to go near the infected. This led to a questioning of the Church and papal power decreased. People no longer went to grand cathedrals for mass, but rather created their own ...
The Middle Ages are known for its abundant amount of deaths from plagues and wars. Let’s first look at what happened particularly in Europe during these Middle Ages. In 1347 the Bubonic Plague, otherwise known as the Black Death, arrived in Italy. The disease caused bulbous growths and sores filled with pus to appear on the body. It made victims of the illness look like “a skeleton, with black and blue splotches” (Friedlander) stained onto the face. Friedlander also stated that within two years, the plague had slaughtered “over 20 percent of the population of Europe.” This disease spread like a forest fire across the country and killed a total of 75 million people, almost 50% of Europe’s overall population. In addition to this, the smallpox epidemic swept through Paris, France and killed 50,000 individuals in 1438, most of whom were children. According to Friedlander this disease was a “virus that spreads from person to person, by touch or through breathing or coughing.” The danger level of the sickness fluctuated between people and their immune systems, some being as deadly as or even deadlier than the bubonic plague, and showed no mercy on smal...
The Church Had enormous influence over the people of medieval Europe and had the power to make laws and influence monarchs. The church had much wealth and power as it owned much land and had taxes called tithes. It made separate laws and punishments to the monarch’s laws and had the ability to send people to war. The church controlled the people of Europe's beliefs and determined holy days and festivals. The people who worked in the church were some of the most educate people. It was one of the powerful institutions in Medieval Europe and even had its own hierarchy. The church, because of its large power and influence, caused the Christian religion to be the most widespread belief in the world. The remnants of the once powerful religion can still be found in many places to day.
The 14th century is ranked as one of the most distressing epochs in the history of Western culture. With the transformation of the Holy Roman Empire into a greatly destabilized elective monarchy, the transfer in political power from Germany to France and the escalation of England's power comes the end of the High Middle Ages in which Europe sank into a time of despair. Many events were responsible for this decline and loss of hope. Among them, three deserve special attention: the Great Schism, the Hundred Years War, and the Black Plague.
The Roman Catholic Church had complete influence over the lives of everyone in medieval society, including their beliefs and values. The Church’s fame in power and wealth had provided them with the ability to make their own laws and follow their own social hierarchy. With strong political strength in hand, the Church could even determine holidays and festivals. It gained significant force in the arts, education, religion, politics as well as their capability to alter the feudal structure through their wealth and power. The Church was organised into a hierarchical system that sustained the Church’s stability and control over the people and lower clergy, by organising them into different groups.
European history, the middle ages, or medieval period, lasted from the 5th to the 15th century (Middle Ages). During that period of time, the Catholic Church was the largest, and most important part of people’s lives. It influenced all parts of European society, from the poorest, to most powerful including the King. This influence was cause by the people turning to their priests for religious guidance, giving them agency over nearly every facet of their lives.
The Church had held sway over medieval society for centuries, but it began to lose its grip in the fourteenth century. It was not only that it could not explain nor prevent the calamities that swept through the century, it was enduring its own calamities.