The Crusades Role in History during the Middle Ages - Essay Example

?Jerry Ciacho November 20, The Crusades The Crusades played a big role in the history during the Middle Ages also known as the Dark Ages. This series of holy wars between the medieval Christians and Muslims impinged on many Europeans. Even children were involved and lost their lives in the long battle of this religious war. The outcomes of the Crusades on Europe during this era became a significant aspect in evolving and in the development of the European civilization, affecting all aspects of life. These include the riches and control of the Catholic Church. Thus, it further increased and expanded their influence and supremacy, placing the Christian legion and resources under their full control. In addition, they attuned the people to look upon them as leaders. Above and beyond all the clout and dominance the papacy had on the people, the pouring out of gifts of devoutness was engorged by the astonishing zeal of spiritual passion into epic scope. In all these, the preeminence of papal rule and the prosperity of the Catholic Church were immensely amplified. Another aspect that was greatly developed because of the Crusades was on business and trading. A steady exigency for transportation led to the construction of ships. This widened the borders of trade, broadening the market into all of Europe. Overflowing trade goods coming from the rich lands of China and other Asian countries also found their way to Europe, therefore, building a stronger association with the European and Asian cultures. The crusades undoubtedly changed Western European life. For example, they helped chip away feudalism. Countless noblemen and knights loaned or sold away their lands to finance journeys and expeditions. This deterioration in both the numbers and power, and the matching intensification of the regal power, may be pinned down in the revolution that transpired in the birthplace of the movement, France. The Crusades, aside from their effects on religious and economical facet, facilitated the decomposition of the power of feudal nobility. It gave way to the importance of the kings and the people. Societal growth and expansion were now in the hands of the burgher class, or the middle class. Social changes also sprung out from the Crusades. It was one of the primary and the most important nurturing stimulus of the code of chivalry. Intensified and re-enforced contact and communication with Eastern influences also were refined during this period. The religious war reformed the crusaders’ intellectual beliefs and ideas as well. They liberalized their mentality, and encouraged them to venture out from castles and villages to go and explore grand urban towns and cities, magnificent palaces, marvelous clothing, and stylish and graceful etiquette. These people came home with enhanced preferences, widened beliefs and views about the world. Because of the crusades, a new world was opened in front of them. The motivation given to geographical breakthrough that changed the entire concept and thinking of the way the world was directed different explorers, such as the notable Italian Marco Polo who discovered the beauty of China, rousing the adventures and voyages of Vasco de Gama, Magellan and Christopher Columbus, may possibly be tracked back to the vigorous awareness in geographical subjects. Jerry Ciacho November 20, 2011 The Black Death The Black Death, the immense outburst of the Bubonic Plague, was indeed among the most terrible and devastating blows in all of history. It wiped out more than a hundred million people, eating into cities and towns, encroaching with a steady but unbelievably rapid stride but hit its upmost death toll in Europe during the Middle Ages between 1348 and 1350. Many believe this global virulent disease initially came from China. The bubonic plague for the most part affected only rodents, but fleas started to spread the disease to people. China was the bustling trading center of the world and with the outbreak, it was bound to extend to Western Asia and the rest of Europe. Reaching the shores of Sicily, Italy from trading ships, the death had spread all over Europe within a short time, too short that historians say that there were not enough people left alive to bury the dead. No information about the situation on the plague in China was acquired until it reached Western Asia. The Black Death, as it passed through Western Asia, depopulated India. Piles and piles of dead bodies covered the kingdom where Mesopotamia, Syria, Kaptschak and Armenia are now on. No one was left breathing in the ports of Caesarea and Caramania. Only a few cities and towns were untouched by the plague. In the city of Aleppo located in northern Syria, over five hundred people died on a daily basis. Twenty-two thousand people and even including most of the animals were taken off from the world in Gaza, Egypt within a matter of about two months.  The island of Cyprus lost virtually all its population. The toll was so great that even ships without any crewmembers were frequently noticed in the Mediterranean Sea floating away. It then floated into the North Sea, thinning out the plague wherever they landed on seashore. Pope Clement received information at Avignon that all the way through the East, probably except China, twenty four million had become victims of the plague. Reaching its peak in Europe from Italy, there were many plausible accounts of how the disease changed the manner of living, and the wrecking havoc it left. It went all the way to London, Germany, Ireland and Russia in 1351. Western Europe was changed forever because of the Black Death. Wiping out thirty to sixty percent of all the population in Europe and did not disappear completely until the 1600s, after three hundred years living with the fear and terror that it may just suddenly come back again to wipe more people out of the face of the Earth. Medieval civilization never recovered from the implacable effects and consequences of the plague. There were labor shortages everywhere which resulted in food supply shortage as well, leaving thousands and thousands of people malnutritioned. This scarcity resulted in the high demand for more laborers and workers, while the workers demanded for higher salaries and wages. Because landlords repudiated and did not satisfy the workers’ demands, peasant revolts broke out all over Europe, in France, Italy, Belgium and England, by the end of the 14th century. The Church, which was a dominating and a highly influential power, greatly declined its influence and weight on the people when thousands and thousands lost its faith. The millions of prayers who religiously and fervently asked for the deliverance from the plague were disappointed when their prayers were not answered. What was the reason for their unanswered prayers? A new age of political tumult and philosophical skepticism lay ahead. Read More