The Late Middle Ages:Crisis and Disintegration in the Fourteenth Century

Development of Rights• The English nobles and people always resisted a

monarchy with unlimited power.• COMMON LAW – Henry II established traveling

judges who went throughout England ensuring that the law was the same everywhere – for the wealthy and the common people

Development of Rights• 1215 – the nobles feared that King John had too

much power. They forced him to sign the MAGNA CARTA – or Great Charter. This was the king’s recognition that the nobles had rights he could not trample upon. These were not rights for the common people – but it is seen as the beginning of a government that recognized its own limits to power.

Development of Parliament• The nobles and wealthy people of England

developed an assembly to balance the power of the monarch. This became known as PARLIAMENT. It has two parts to it:• House of Lords – originally filled with people with

hereditary tiles (this has changed)• House of Commons – originally made up of wealth citizens

who were not nobles

A Time of Troubles: Black Death and Social Crisis• “Little Ice Age”

• Small drop in average temperatures • Famine

• Heavy rain (1315 – 1317) led to food shortages• Population growth up to 1300 put pressure on

food supply

The Black Death1. Originated in

China; brought to Europe via trading ships who docked in Sicily.

2. Chinese used plague victims as weapons in war by flinging their bodies over battlements.

3. More grossness…

Life and Death: Reactions to the Plague

• Belief that plague as a punishment from God led to…

The Flagellants • Passed through southeastern Europe & the

Low Countries.• Self-mutilation• Strict discipline• Escape outlet for the peasant.

Life and Death: Reactions to the Plague

• Attacks against Jews for “poisoning water.”• General violence due to fear and lack of

understanding – anger could not be directed toward God.

Economic Dislocation and Social Upheaval• Many people moved

away from the cities and towns.

• Declining population forced masters to find new ways to produce goods.

• Landlords increased rents and turned to raising sheep.

• Labor Shortage + Falling prices for agricultural products = Drop in aristocratic incomes

Background to the Hundred Years’ War: Kings of France and England

The Hundred Years’ War (1337 to 1453)

Causes• Entanglement of French and English royal families Royal Succession. • Feudalism upset in

the balance.• King Edward III (1327

– 1377) claims French crown after the death of Charles IV (Fr)

• French barons award the crown to Philip VI of Valois

Henry V (1413 – 1422)• French Civil War in

1415; Henry invades.• Battle of Agincourt

(1415) – up to 7000 French dead, as few as 29 English

• Treaty of Troyes gave French princess to Henry in marriage, but he dies before French king

• Charles the Dauphin now rightful heir to the French throne.

Joan of Arc (1412 – 1431)• Believed she heard

voices from St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret.

• Convinces the Dauphin to lead the army.

• Liberated France at the Siege of Orleans.

• Charles is crowned at Reims

• Joan is captured by allies of the English in 1430 & put on trial for witchcraft

• Burned at the stake (1431)

• Declared Patron Saint of France in 1920.

Conclusion• War ends with

French victory (1453) thanks to inspiration from Joan of Arc

• English driven out of France except for Calais

• New Weapons• Longbow• Gunpowder for cannons