Progress During Medieval Times

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Have you ever wondered about the kings and queens of the Middle age? Did you ever dream about being the shiny night or the beautiful princess? Another great question is what events occurred to cause the disappearance of such characters and traditions? Well, in order for a society to progress, change is a necessity. Events that occurred in the Middle Ages led to changes in medieval society throughout Europe. These changes can be categorized as social, economical, and political.

An important event that contributed to social change in the medieval period was the life of Joan of Arc. Before Joan came to prominence in France, she had been a mere peasant girl that often wore men’s clothing. At that time, serfs were considered the lowest of the low and were not permitted by the Roman Catholic Church to have a direct connection to God. However, after Joan led the French armies at the siege of Orleans, claiming she was told to do so by God, Catholic leaders felt that because Joan was a peasant she could not be hearing the voice of God and tried her for heresy. Twenty-five years after Joan’s death at the stake, the Catholic Church declared her a saint. Joan’s example was significant for a number of reasons. She proved to women that although she was illiterate and a young woman, she was capable of great feats such as leading the French army. Joan of Arc served as a religious role model for those in the early renaissance years. As well, the Inquisitions also contributed to change during the Middle Ages. Previous to the Inquisitions, people of Europe challenged the Catholic Church and began calling for reform to end the corruption of the Church. The Inquisitions were conducted to punish those who challenged the Church’s authority and intimid...

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...and France. However once the Great Schism came about many other political problems arose. The church became weakened since three popes had exited at the same time. There was a need to create a second council and reunify the church. Also, it had led to reformers and the reformation of M. Luther. Both of these events show that they had weakened the church which is politically adverse and proves that these events had created change.

In conclusion, with the various events that occurred during the Middle Ages, they all show that they developed social, economic and political changes throughout Europe. Although it may have taken a series of fortunate and unfortunate events, the change brought the flourishing age of Renaissance. From the night in shiny armor, comes the flowering of literature, science, art, religion, politics, and most importantly, knowledge by learning.

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