Film Lecture Life in the High and Late Middle Ages Questions to Consider What were the social economic and political consequences of the Black Death What were the fundamental shifts in attitudes at the top and bottom of the social ladder in the later Middle Ages I Introduction A Disintegration or crisis They thought it was disintegration a punishment for sin by god We would think of it today as a crisis that will pass B The Black Death Eliminated a horrific amount of people Originated in Mongolia Supposed sources bad air smoke from a volcano gas released from an earthquake comets alignment of planets punishment for sins wrath of god the Jews and or foreigners Cures blood leading quarantines burnings houses bodies towns blocking off entrances and exits hot onions o infected areas doctors wouldn t look at the dead people wearing outrageous outfits birdlike mask long cloak gloves perfume cloths in the nose going to church to be relieved of skins no drinking of water Loyalties and family ties were lost through parents leaving their children when they had a trace of the plague Immoral behavior broke out orgies huge feasts where they would gorge themselves throw up and eat more some even commit murder in hopes to avoid the plague Flagellants group of individuals who tried to atone themselves of their sins by traveling to cities and preforming rituals where they would whip themselves believe the source of the plague is Jews Anti Semitism exists while the plague hits and they use this anti Semitism by to blame the Jews in particular for the plague Eventually led to the 100 years war II Film The Black Death A Consequences of the Plague Ones faith was completely lost 1 Social Consequences Social mobility is created in Europe No more competition within merchants Feudalism is undone by the plague Serfdom starts to end 2 Economic Consequences Short term labor became scarce therefore more valuable abundance of unharvest food crops because of lack of laborers to harvest agricultural trade is reduced Long term food remained abundant wage labor remained valued 3 Political Consequences Social mobility did not translate into political equality III Social Change in the Later Middle Ages A Revolts and rebellions 1 The Peasants Revolt Begins in countryside Started by John Wylclef a renegade professor from Oxford University tries to get the message of the church is wealthy we are poor and basically the worlds corrupted across and that church land should be redistributed Becomes a defeat for the peasants in the short term a March on London b Demands Demands are eventually met just not in the short term 2 General features a Revolts 100 s of revolts 1 000 s of peasants partook in revolts Not spontaneous well planned b Resistances Presence of corruption church clergyman abusing power etc Presence of high taxation c Government Uses force against people No negotiation d Attacks on ruling elites Becomes normal Archbishop of Cannabary was killed in the peasants revolt e Fundamental cause All comes back to land the source of wealth and power B Aristocratic life in the later Middle Ages 1 2 3 4 Increasing wealth Wealthy people continued to get wealthier Insulated from the plague politically Increasing insecurities Live in world of collapsing feudalism Half serfdom Investment Costs more to do what one was doing before become entrepreneurs Grow a more globalized system of trade Nobles invested in Christopher Columbus expedition to go to India and Asia to open a new all water trade route 5 Service One owes service to their lord 6 Concept of Legal nobility Before plague if one could prove parents were noble then they would be noble too BUT now it is not good enough just to be born into nobility 7 The noble style of life 8 Kings and princes One is not really a noble unless he she lives like a noble Church isn t supremely powerful kings and princes are promoted new monarchy promoted knighthood transitioned the post futile form of monarchy 9 The future Monarchy s collapse and there will be a form of a republican government Labor decreases with the inventions of machines