Western Europe Research Paper

Europe has been one of the leading powers for many centuries now. Roots of western civilization can be traced back in Europe to the times after the Age of Religious warfare, and the events that took place during this time helped create the modern world. . After the devastation of the 30 Years War, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed and introduced policies such as religious toleration, separation of church and state, more than one major branch of Christianity, and grounds for the rise of the modern state system. The signing of this treaty helped build a platform on which modern Europe was built.

Before the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia, but after the fall of Rome, Europe was a mess. There was little to no money, rampant starvation, and no form of national government. Small communities were formed, however, called manors. Manors were usually given to a knight, lord, or prince by the king of that area of land. Many people lived on the manor and worked for their Master- these people were called serfs, and they were basically contracted slaves. They did, however, have their own plot of land to live on, but the whole village was owned by the master. There were some cities in these times, such as Paris and London, that had populations anywhere from

two thousand to ten thousand. Generally speaking, however, there was very little money to go around, and even the royal class was poor. Knights were also common in these times- they were considered noble and usually had land of their own. There was also a code that the knights lived by called the Knights code. This code kept the Knight’s homicidal tendencies in line, as they were trained killers.
Around this time is when the first Crusades started. Pope Urban II was angered by the Seljuk Turks, who had taken over control of the Holy Lands. The Pope saw this as an opportunity to rally the Christians and stir up a war to claim back the Holy Lands. In 1095, Alexius I launched the first Crusade to liberate the Holy Lands from, what the Christians called, the “infidels.” There were fourteen crusades in total, and many were successful. One of the most memorable Crusades was the Children’s Crusade, which took place in the earlier half of the thirteenth century, in which around 20,000 kids were rounded up and sent off to fight for the Holy Lands. There was a massive storm, however, while the children were sailing to the Holy Lands, and many of the ships were sunk. The remaining survivors washed ashore on Africa and were sold into slavery- so the Children’s Crusade never even happened.
Even though the Crusades ultimately failed, there are many benefits that begin to emerge in this time period that set a premise for the rise of modern Europe. The first is a global trade network. The Crusades helped boost the trade between Christians and Muslims, and created a wealthier overall living style for Europeans. The population in cities began to rise, and with it there was a greater increase in the spread of wealth. Merchants came from far and wide to sell their products at International Trade Fairs in these major cities. A middle class was formed because of this, called the Burghers, which are the equivalent to modern white collar workers. The Burghers were the people with special skills, such as the doctors and bakers, and had a somewhat more dependable life style than that of the ex-serfs. They also had an opportunity to join a guild after many years of experience and work in their respective fields. The guilds allowed people insurance, and gave the members of the guild a greater respect from their customers.
This rise in population in cities also had a down side, however, as living conditions became more and more crowded and sanitation became poorer. The Black Plague swept through Europe starting the 1347, during the time of the Hundred Year War. The plague spread by fleas that infested rodent fur, and as medieval cities had a massive rat population, the plague swept through and killed many people. The plague, at that time referred to as “God’s Wrath,” had many different symptoms as there where several forms of the disease. The most common explanation for this aliment was that God was punishing his people for their sins. A group of people called the Flagellants was formed on the belief that the only way to cure the plague was to punish themselves for their sins- they whipped themselves until they bleed and paraded around encouraging others to do the same. Anti-Semitism was also rampant during this time, as another popular explanation for the plague was the Jews. Countless Jews were plucked from their homes and burnt in the streets, and many more were just burnt in their own homes with their families and belongings. The Black Death killed anywhere from one-fourth to one-third of the population in Europe.
One of the few, if not only, positives to the Black Death was that it saw the end of serfdom. As there were many fewer workers on the manors and many of their masters’ dead, serfs began leaving their plantations where they had spent their whole lives, and seeking shelter in the big cities that they had only heard about in stories. Life for the serfs who stayed at home saw some improvement, as wages increased and working conditions got better.
After the fall of then manorial system in Europe, the European life style changed again as a new age begun. Starting in Florence, Italy, the Greco-Roman curiosity was reborn and much of the ideals found in modern society were birthed. The cause of all this was the 4th Crusade, in which Constantinople was captured by Venice. Much of the Greek and Roman writings were discovered in libraries in this city, including those of the likes like Aristotle and Galen, which sparked a new interest in learning and knowledge. This time also saw the Commercial Revolution, which started in Florence, Italy. Business practices changed, international banking was started, even joint-stock companies.
Florence became the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance, but not without start-up loan from someone. The Rockefellers of the Renaissance were by far the Medici Family, as they had their fingers in almost all aspects of the Renaissance. From the building of castles to the painting of masterpieces, the Medici family basically paid for the Italian Renaissance and acquired much power because of it. The Italian Renaissance, much like the age of the Greeks, saw much change in the arts and architecture. Artists like Da Vinci, with his sculpture, paintings, and inventions, and Michelangelo, with the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Many of the landmark buildings in Italy were built during this time as well, such and St. Peter’s Basilica. Higher education was also founded during this time as universities were created by the Catholic Church. Priests taught subjects such as theology and medicine, and Cathedrals were used as schools.
The Renaissance was not just limited to Italy, however, and many other counties in Europe experienced a major change in the arts. England, for example, saw master writers such as Shakespeare and Chaucer. France built many fountains and gardens, and Poland built many of its legendary castles. Most interestingly, Martin Luther of Germany translated the Bible into German- this was the first time the Bible had been written in any other language other than Latin. Luther’s actions sparked the beginning of one of the most revolutionary principles- a split in the Christian Church.
The Renaissance, like all good things, eventually saw it’s end. The Bonfire of Vanities in 1497 saw many of the books and paintings created during this time burnt, as the Church proclaimed that things such as these promoted vanity. Even objects such as mirrors and cosmetics were burnt in an attempt to keep sin at bay.
When the Renaissance ended, many things were happening in Europe. Charlemagne was crowned king of the Holy Roman Empire on Christmas Day, Columbus explored the Americas, and the Last Crusade ended. Martin Luther, meanwhile, was stirring up the Christian world by pointing out problems he had with the church. Luther sparked the first major split in the Christian religion- Henry VIIII caused the second. After his first wife, Catherine of Aragorn, could not give him any sons, he asked the Pope for a divorce so he could marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope said no, so Henry VIII created his own religion, called it The Church of England, Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen, and there were now three major religions. Henry VIIII’s actions made the people of the Catholic Religion angry, so the Catholics decided to wage war against all branches of Christianity that were not Catholic. This war, called the Thirty Years’ War, started in 1618 and ended in 1648.
While the Thirty Years’ War was going on, the Catholic Reformation was taking place.

The people of power in the Catholic Religion were reviewing and reforming the doctrines of that faith in a reaction to the accusations made by Martin Luther. This Reformation brought out the best parts in the Catholic faith, and tried to purify and make up for some of the more sinful practices. It also sparked an interest in missionary work in the Catholic faith, and much of the heresy was battled by these missionaries. After the Catholic Reformation ended in 1648, along with the 30 Years War, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed. This treaty recognized all three of the branches of Christianity- Catholicism, Lutheranism, and

Anglican.
The Treaty of Westphalia and the events that led up to its signing was the platform on which the modern European state system was built upon. The events during the Italian Renaissance, created a society that was more focused on expansion of knowledge and creation of beautiful things, much like the paradigm found today. The Thirty Years’ War, with its recognition of all three religions, caused the religious tolerance spread across many societies today. The rise in wealth and population caused a better life style for the upper classes, as kings and queens acquired more wealth and Burghers had more costumers. Overall, without the events that led up to the Treaty of Westphalia, Europe would not be the way it is today.