Late Medieval History

• The Middle ages was a time of increased violence.
• Black Death date - 1348 - 1350
• Papal Schism date - 1378 - 1417
• Hundred Years War date - 1337 - 1453
• A little ice age caused declining harvests.
• Farming was affected by unusual weather such as rain and storms.
• There was not enough to eat, life was relatively short and brutal struggle to survive old age. England, experienced a significant drop in population known as a 'demographic slump'
• Black death was a great natural disaster, a pandemic.
• By 1351, the black death killed 100 people across Eurasia, with one-third coming from europe.
• Black death random quote on symptoms - 'A high fever, aching limbs and fatigue' were the initial stages of infection.
• The Decameron was a book containing 100 short stories about Middle Age Europe.
• Giovanni Boccaccio quote 1 - 'Many died in the open street, others dying in their houses, made it known by the stench of their rotting bodies. '
• Giovanni Bocaccio quote 2 - Consecrated churchyards did not suffice for the burial of the vast multitude of bodies, which were heaped by the hundreds in vast renches, like goods in the ships hold.
• Essay analysis - One of the interesting questions in history is whether war leads to instability or instability leads to war. Judgement - It is both.
• Black Death analysis against Middle ages being unstable - Venetian Authorities established social order, in the form of lockdowns.
• In 1348, Venetian Authorities established quarantines, ships arriving in Venice were required to anchor for 40 days, this practice was known as 'trentino' or 'trentino di sanita'
• Venetians also had strict laws regarding who could leave the city during an outbreak, anyone leaving would be fined heavily.
• The late middle ages were considered as a time of technological advancement.
• Hundreds Years War, fought between rulers of the kingdom of England and france, lasted 116 years starting in 1337.
• Poor harvests and disease outbreaks make war more likely, but, war also worsens poor harvests and disease outbreaks.
• Case study of Middle Ages becoming more violent - The Code of Chivalry
• The Code of Chivalry - A set of behaviours towards knightly opponents - whom one would treat on the battlefield with respect and trust, not killing your fellow knight, but holding for ransom in good condition. This seperated the knight from common archers and mercanaries.
• Code of Chivalry in the context of the Hundred Years War - English Kings began to hire mercanaries in the Hundred Years War who vicously looted and plundered in a way that wasn't chivalrous.
• Hundred Years War changed the nature of war through innovation - The Longbow, helped the English win at the Battle of Agincourt. This is because they were able to unleash a 'cloud of arrows' on the enemy as they would strike down soldiers.
• The late Middle ages is a teleological narrative of progress. While Warfare did stimulate technological advancement, it led to disruption and setbacks.
• Evaluation against the Middle ages being unstable, or a time of violence - the Renaissance.
• The Renaissance was a revival of classical learning.
• Renaissance was a renewed interest in science and technology.
• The Renaissance can be seen as a needed classical revival of learning after decades of decline in the late middle ages period.
• The Renaissance shows that the Late Middle ages was a time of transition.
• In the 14th and 15th centuries, crime rates were higher than today.
• Child mortality was high - around 50% of children died by the age of 5.