Vocab: Medieval Backgrounds and the Renaissance

2nd century C.E. – unified Mediterranean basin w/ common language, culture, road network, economy, aqueducts
Causes of decline: barbarism (invasion), expansionism, Christianity (new religion) – “weakened the spirit” of the Roman Empire
476 C.E.: last Western emperor deposed (classic date of collapse of Roman empire)

Born into wealth, became spiritual hermit, attracted followers, founder of first monastery (Monte Casino) – 520 C.E.

Book written by St. Benedict with rules about how monks should live a Christian life
Basis of Western monasticism

1st monastery – founded by St. Benedict
Top of hill for protection; livestock, slaves, necessities

land given to a vassal from his lord in exchange for specified terms of service (usually loyalty, soldiers, etc.)

–

a free warrior who places himself under a lord, accepting the terms of loyal service, fighting in times of war and counseling in times of peace

an oath of allegiance/loyalty sworn by a vassal to his lord

the grant of a fief by a vassal to a subordinate who becomes his vassal

a new code of behavior that refined the manners of knights and nobles and adapted them to life in a noble household

a peasant who was personally free, but bound to the lord of a manor and worked the land of the manor.

agricultural innovation developed in manioralism

1 spring field, 1 fall field, 1 fallow field

–

a form of argument, or dialectic, developed in the Middle Ages, particularly with Abelard and Thomas Aquinas.

–

–

–

Psychologically/spiritually lost

-Written by Dante, THE medieval poem of personal spiritual exploration
-Dante climbs Mt. Purgatory along w/ sinners (but not mortal sinners) – working towards paradise
Seeing God (very psychedelic) at the end
-Biblical, Italian, philosophy, classic mythology, theology, science, astronomy all incorporated into a poem – excellent representation of knowledge of the Middle Ages
-Commedia – go from darkness to light, eventually called Divine Comedy
-Ultimately meant as a spiritual allegory (symbolic story) of the soul’s journey to salvation – what the people of the times were most concerned with
-Everything on Earth interpreted symbolically, life on Earth only a shadow/stepping stone to afterlife

–

–

style of Western European architecture and art developed after 1000; characterized by rounded arches, massive walls, and simple ornamentation.

style of Western European architecture and art developed in the 12th century (1100s); characterized by pointed arches, vaulting, and elaborate ornamentation

Provide support and resistance for building and outward weight/thrust, distribute load, helpful for storms
Allowed inner walls to be cut out/remodeled/ outfitted with stained glass

Chartres, France
Center of town, massive
Best preserved Medieval Gothic church
Spires – different b/c made at different times (always working on it)
Book of the illiterate – peasants could interpret symbols within church
Cruciform shape

1309-1377: Pope Clement V – papacy relocates to Avignon (southern France) for 70 yrs, expand bureaucracy, influenced by French rulers
–>Reduced papal prestige (corruption evident, Pope under control of French monarchy in Avignon)

-Major split of the Church in the period of 1378-1417, in which two (eventually 3) popes fought over the rule of the Church.
-Italians want papacy in Rome, French want Avignon → great divide (schism)
2 popes elected by Italian & French – conflict (eventually 3 people) – harmful for church
⇒ Loss of unity amongst princes and peoples
⇒ Worsened financial crisis

14th century – “Black Death”
-Pandemic (universal disease) that overcame all of Europe
-Merchant ships sailing from East carry rats infected with bacillus pestis (rodent disease)
-Outbreak starts in Messina, Sicily and moves north for 3 years
-Incubation of 2-3 days
-Symptoms: chills, high fever, headache, vomiting, swelling in lymph nodes of groin
-Spread from human to human through coughing
-Death in 90% of all cases, 1/3 – ½ of all population dead → demographic collapse

War between France & England 1338-1453
Not fought continually, but in phases
3 periods:
1338-1360 – initial English victories
1369-1415 – France strikes back, followed by stalemate
1415-1453 – England invades, Joan of Arc revives France, France wins

-Advocates of the authority of General Councils, rather than the papacy, in the Roman Church (especially active in the 1400s)
-People thought general council should rule Church, wanted new Church constitution
⇒ Third rival pope created in Pisa
⇒ Between 1414-18, one Roman pope heads the church

regulates Church principles; in accord with their interpretation of the Bible; socially – no divorce; Church’s legal code evolved to answer all disputes; only unified legal system

Latin prayers chanted at certain times

self-contained/sufficient religious community (not safe to go out in Middle Ages)

German word for “spirit of the times”

Joan of Arc – peasant, heard God, led French army to victory, captured & burned at the stake

1346, N. France – French unorganized, British fired down into them
First war where destruction of property (attrition) used as strategy – destroyed farmland

1356 – near Poitiers (fields of Beauvoir & Maupertuis)
“Black Prince” King John (Philip’s son) used axe to break press
chase to gates of Poitiers
many casualities & injuries (horse & men) Poitiers closed doors & did not open
even more dominant English victory

English victories, Black Death/Plague & exhaustion –> Peace of Brétingy – 1360 – English received Calais, larger Aquitaine; Edward renounced claim to French crown

Characterized certain trends: became wealthy through trade b/c Italy prosperous b/c geographical position; dominant in Florence (birthplace of Renaissance); gave rise to powerful politicians/pope; patrons of art that expressed their values; member of emerging noble class