Chapter 8 Medieval Topics

Background…

The year is 1215 and King John of England has angered his own nobles with oppressive taxes and abusing his own power…

So then…

A group of these angry nobles force King John to sign a document that would forever change English law…

The Magna Carta!

Why so important?

1. Gave basic rights to all English citizens.

2. Made clear that the monarch (king/queen) must obey the law.

For example…• Could no longer arrest or imprison someone without cause!

• Now entitled to a “legal judgement of [your] peers”

Today, we call this DUE PROCESS OF LAW and the right of HABEAS CORPUS

Also…• The King agreed not to raise taxes without first consulting his Great Council!

Later, American colonists would point to this clause when arguing “No taxation without representation!”

What were the Crusades?

The Crusades were a series of wars in which Christians battled Muslims for control of lands in the Middle East.

There were a total of 9 Crusades

Background… The Seljuk Turks move into the Holy Land (Jerusalem and

other places where Christians believed Jesus lived and preached).

The Seljuk Turks were Muslim…

The Seljuk Turks now controlled the Holy Land in the Middle East…

This now prevented Christians from traveling to the Holy Land!

How does the Christian Church Respond?

Byzantine Emperor Alexius I asked Pope Urban II for help…

Pope Urban II agrees to send Christian knights to fight off the Muslim Seljuk Turks…

The 1st Crusade begins in 1096.

Why go fight on a Crusade?

1. Religious motivation

2. Many knights hoped to gain land and money

3. Adventure

Pope Urban II had his own motivations…

….he wanted to heal the split between the Byzantine and Roman churches (remember the Great Schism??)

So what happened?

The Crusades, in all, lasted nearly 200 years (1095-1291)

Only the 1st Crusade came close to achieving its goals.

Christian knights captured Jerusalem…then massacred Muslim and Jewish residents of the city.

All other Crusades were won by Muslims…

Impact of the crusadesTrade expanded and increased

- Returning crusaders brought back goods from the Byzantine Empire and Middle East…

Did not end the split between the Roman and Byzantine Churches

- The Crusades actually made the split even worse…

Christians realized there were regions of the world they never knew existed

- Curious Europeans set out to explore far-off places…

Crusades Video Clip

http://www.history.com/videos/the-crusades-crescent-and-the-cross#the-crusades-crescent-and-the-cross

What was the Black Plague? The Black Death was an outbreak

of the bubonic plague. It was caused by a bacteria carried

by fleas residing on black rats on merchant ships.

The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30% to 60% of Europe's population.

Normal Life Breaks Down…

Some people turned to magic and witchcraft for cures

Many people believed the plague to be God’s punishmentThese people beat themselves with whips to show

they repented their sins

Other people left cities and hid in their homes

Some Christians blamed Jews for the plagueThousands of Jews were slaughtered, as a result of the

hysteria

The Economy Suffers…

Black Plague Video Clips

http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=7155

http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=7157

http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=7162

The Spanish Inquisition was set up by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain in 1478.

Its purpose was to examine the sincerity or genuineness of people who converted to Christianity.

What was the Spanish Inquisition?

Heresy = rejecting or not practicing the beliefs of the Christian Church.

People were urged to turn themselves in or tell of others who might be guilty of heresy.

For example, you could be turned in for:1. Questioning Christian beliefs/practices2. Eating meat on a day of abstinence3. Urinating against a church wall

Accusation

First, you would be arrested.Then, you would be imprisoned.And finally, you would be put on trial to

determine if you were guilty of heresy!

Then what…

And if found guilty…You would be burned alive…

Hundred Years’ War

What was the Hundred Years’ War?

A series of conflicts between England and France between 1337 and 1453 (actually 116 yrs.)

The two countries were battling for land and control of the English Channel

New Military Technology

New military technology during the Hundred Years’ War changed warfare…

1. Longbow• Accurate, could shoot 3 arrows with longbow in

same time it took to shoot 3 arrows with crossbow

2. Crossbow• Tremendous firing power, could pierce plate armor

and chain mail

3. Cannon• Could smash castle walls

Effects of New Military Technology

Changed warfare Knights no longer effective because new weapons

could easily pierce armor

Battles could be fought from a farther distance now

Standing armies of serfs and peasants used now = serfs & peasants could operate longbow and crossbow w/o much training

End of chivalry Combatants began to fight “dirty”

Crossbow & Longbow

BACKGROUND…

The year is 1429 and the French have consistently suffered defeat by the English for the past 92 years…

The King of France, Charles VII, is desperate for help and alternatives to help his people beat the English…

JOAN OF ARC

Joan was 17 years old when she approached the King of France.

Joan told the King that Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret told her to drive out the English.

Desperate, the King of France authorized Joan to lead an army against the English!

INSPIRATION

Joan motivated and inspired the French troops.

In one year, Joan led the French to several victories!

Joan’s victories “turned the tide” of the Hundred Years’ War in favor of the French!

CAPTURE

Joan was captured in 1430 during battle

She was put on trial forwitchcraft and foundguilty of heresy…

She was sentenced toexecution.

JOAN OF ARC’S DEATH

After an “unfair” trial,Joan of Arc was sentencedto die by burning at thestake.

No relics of her exist. TheEnglish burned her bodythree times to reduce it toashes…

LEGACY

The French went on to win the Hundred Years’ War and Joan was credited with rallying the French.

Joan of Arc was made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in 1920.

VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z6F10t5GA0&feature=player_embedded#