The Late Middle Ages
Week 3: Philosophy, Politics, & Culture
Progress or Regress?
Europe flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries. Developments in thought transformed society. Universities and Scholasticism
Scholasticism
Emphasis upon logic and dialectic Conceptual analysis rooted in the art of disputation Aristotelian principle of Sufficient Reason
Thomas Aquinas
1225-1274 Influenced by Muslims philosophers Linked God to Humans
Via Antique
Aquinas believed that essence was existence. I am who am Deontological - cause to effect The Five Proofs - Aristotles Reasons for Causality. Summa Contra Gentiles & Summa Theological
William of Ockham
1280 - 1349 Ockhams Razor Reduces everything to the simplest equation. Nominalism
Via Moderna
Ockham did not believe there was a need for proofs because there is faith. There are no UNIVERSALS outside of words and concepts. To be is to be an individual
Questions???
Was Aquinas right in asserting that we need both faith and reason? Does reason negate the power of God? Who sounds more appealing Aquinas or Ockham? Why?
Crisis of Church & State
Benedict XI 1303-1305 short reign as pope allowed for Philip IV to directly influence the papacy. In 1305, Philips childhood friend, Bertrand de Got was elected Clement V. Thus, begins the French domination of the College of Cardinals, and Avignon Papacy.
Avignon Papacy
Clement V: 1305-1316 John XXII: 1316-1334 Benedict XII: 1334-1342 Clement VI: 1342-1352 Innocent IV: 1352-1362 Urban V: 1362-1370 Gregory XI: 1370-1378
John XXII
Attempted to move the papacy back to Rome. Fighting with Emperor Louis IVsimilar to Boniface and Philip IV Ultimately stayed because of the pressure from the kingdoms.
Indulgences
Basically pardons for un-repented sins get out of purgatory.
Under Clement VI you could buy indulgences for people who were already DEAD!
Opposition to Avignon
English opposed the papacy at Avignon as a result of the Hundred Years War. Others opposed the decadence of the Papal Curia. 1377 Gregory XI moved back to Rome.
The Great Schism: 1378-1417
After Gregory XI died the Italians insisted on an Italian pope and elect Urban VI. A few months later, the French Cardinals elect Clement VII, who is headed in Avignon. Conciliar Theory of Church Government
Conciliarism
The basic theory of conciliarism was to unify and reform the Church, and it called for several Church Councils. Council of Pisa 1409-1410 Council of Constance 1414-1417 Council of Basel 1431-1449
Pre-Reformation Stirrings
John Wycliff and Lollards in England Mass in Vernacular Clerical Poverty Against Indulgences Challenged the dogma of Transubstantiation Jan Huss and Hussites in Bohemia Mass in Vernacular Challenged the validity of the sacraments Lay communion
Political Development
Government Models in the Middle Ages:
Cortes Spain 1230 Parliament England 1265 Estates General France 1304 Reichstag (Imperial Diet) HRE 1356
The Hundred Years War
1337 - 1453 struggle for power between France and England.
Not really one but, several, a long series of campaigns broken by occasional interludes of truce and peace.
Background to War
Treaty of Paris 1259 King Henry III of England (1216-1272) abandoned his claims to Normandy, Maine, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou. King Louis IX of France (1226-1270) reserved his right to hold the English duchy of Gascony as a fief.
Underlying Causes
Piracy: French and English sea merchants robbing and looting boats. Flanders: English Wool superior to the wool trade, but clothes and products made in Flanders. Dynastic Implications: 1328 Charles IV of France died with no direct male heir.
The Plot Thickens
Capetian Dynasty failed to produce a male line. Philip IV had four children: Louis, Philip, Charles, and Isabelle. Isabelle was married to King Edward II of England and they had a son Edward III.
Philip VI de Valois
1328-1350 Count of Valois, and 1st cousin to King Charles IV Capet. Holds vassalage over King Edward III of England. Extremely Haughty
Edward III and Philip VI
The War Begins
In 1337, Philip VI began to support the Scottish Rebels against the English Crown. He also attempted to take Gascony away from Edward III, by seizing territory through force. The so-called King of France Three Major Phases of War
Conflict during Edward III
1337-1360 was the first phase of the war. Edward embargoed wool causing urban rebellions in Flanders. England was outnumbered 4 million to 15 million
Battle of Crecy
Edward attacked Normandy and finally defeated the French in Crecy in 1346. Major English victory because they held onto the port city of Calais.
A Brief Respite
Edward and Philip ran out of money. Philip VI died in 1350 John II aka Jean le Bon (1350-1364) was crowned King of France.
The Black Prince of Wales
Edward, the Black Prince, begins his campaign, in 1355 Plunders the French countryside 1356 captures King John II of France near Poitiers.
Battle of Poitiers
English Success
France witnessed a lack of leadership due to John IIs imprisonment. 1358 Estates General attempts to take control of government under Etienne Marcel, but leads to the Jacquerie Revolt. 1360 Treaty of Bretigny
Effects of the Treaty
The French were to pay 3 million crowns to the English. Only came up with 400,000 crowns but Edward released John and held his family. John turned himself into Edward and lived out his days in London. Charles V (1364-1389) becomes King of France.
The Second Phase of War
The second phase began over a Feudal dispute in the Duchy of Gascony, which the Black Prince, Edward ruled. Charles V was savvy and quite intelligent. His main strategy was to start war, but avoid the English troops.
Dynastic Issues
After Edward III died (1377) and Charles V (1380), the war effort lessened. Richard II (1377-1399) of England was a weak and unfavorable monarch. English Peasant Revolt 1381 brought animosity to the lowering sort. Richard abdicates to his cousin Henry Bolingbroke.
Once more into the breech dear Friends
Henry V (1413-1422)
Led a series of victories in France and eventually seized the whole country in 1420.
The Third Phase
Henry V was capable and efficient monarch, but he was cruel, cold, and selfish. In 1415, he led a small garrison of English troops into Calais. Heavy rains and disease cornered Henrys troops. Battle of Agincourt - October 25, 1415
The fewer men, the greater share of honor!
Treaty of Troyes
Henry V negotiated the Treaty of Troyes (1420) which stated that he would marry the Charles VIs daughter, Catherine, and become the heir apparent to the King of France.
Henry V and Charles VI both died in 1422
Final Phase of War
Henry VI of England declared king of France, but was an infant Henry VIs uncles assume control. Charles, the dauphin, went into hiding.
Joan of Arc
Deliver of French Military genius, who had visions from Saints and God. Her visions were presented to Charles in hiding, in 1429.
Siege of Orleans
Charles VII
On July 16, 1429 Charles marched across France to Reims. Crowned King of France. Slowly acquired back his land.
Visionary of God ???
Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians. In 1430, she was ransomed to the English who tried her as a heretic.
The End of the War
In 1435, Charles VII makes peace with the Burgundians and slowly takes control of France - Treaty of Arras. 1450 Battle of Formigny 1452 Battle of Bordeaux 1453 Battle of Castillon
The Black Death
Europe had been weakened due to famine and bad health. Overpopulation of cities 1347 - plague hits Europe Bubonic - carried by fleas on rats Wipes out 2/5 of the population
Conceptions of Death
Christians believed it was a bad sign Humanism develops during this time. Pre-Renaissance
Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote this story in midst of Black Plague. Morally inspired and teller of several pilgrim stories Holy Relics Thomas aBeckett
Back to the Dark Ages
The 12th and 13th centuries Europe flourished. In the 14th and 15th centuries there is a great decline. Pre-Renaissance Europe was hit with social, political, and economic distress.
The Break Down
Hundred Years War - 1337-1453 Black Death - Plague hits Western Europe 1347-1430 Great Schism - 1378-1417 Conciliar Movement 1415 End of the Byzantine Empire - 1453 Humanism - Reacting to Scholastics
Next Week
Next week we delve into the Renaissance and the Birth of Modernity. Based off the readings in the textbook and packet discuss the meaning of the Renaissance How does Burckhardt view it? What criticisms can be leveled against his view?
