The Role of the Church and Religion in Medieval Life - Assignment Example

1. What was the role of the church and religion in medieval life Which s and events were the most significant Why What criticisms were made of the Catholic Church during this period In the medieval time period society had been divided into three basic segments. The three classes were based on the functions of the people. There were those who fought, those who labored and finally those who prayed. Those who fought included the nobility and knights. They were also the ruling class. Those who labored were the ones who had to serve the nobility. They were serfs and the other lower classes of people who had to do as they were told. Finally the Church hood came. Religion was reserved strictly for the priests and monks. Also education was meant for them as they would be required to read the Bible and scriptures. The role of the village clergy was to oversee the spiritual life of his people on the medieval manor. It was the village priest who represented the Church for the medieval men and women. (Kreis, 2006) The church had the backing of the people as they were considered the spiritual people who god had chosen for the spreading of his teachings. This put a great responsibility on the Church as they held much influence over the people. But they held all control over education as it was not open for all. Therefore most of the inventions of the time, such as the printing press, were developed by the priesthood. The concept of proper land management was also introduced by them improving the quality and efficiency of the land production. But around the 12th century the people began to notice an increased change in the lifestyles of the priests. They were moving towards a worldlier lifestyle living their lives like the aristocracy. This negative feeling built up and led eventually to the Protestant Reformation. Other notable movements were those of the Franciscans, Waldensians, Poor Clares and Dominicans. (Sherman & Salisbury, 2006) These events were considered important as they showed that people wanted the church to reform itself and to be more religious in nature then it was. The people wanted to prevent the Church from deterioration and were willing to bring about change in the system. Aside from the worldly nature of the Church the main reason for dissent among the people was the Church's desire for more money. They began offering indulgences which did not suit the people as they saw the rich buying their way to paradise rather than leading a good pure life for it. The church's own attitude towards the people became more aloof as they concentrated their attention on the wealthy and were found to be serving under nobles and other feudal lords due to their education. The church would preach in Latin and since not many people knew the language they had to rely on the church for communing with god whereas they themselves couldn't. The inquisition was the straw that broke the camels back as the church now began prosecuting the people. This led to much dissatisfaction and when Martin Luther introduced the Protestant Reformation where he stressed on the actions of the people gaining them access to paradise rather then them buying it, people embraced it in multitudes. (Dolan & Hubert, 1980) 2. Review the Crusades. Why did the crusaders go to the Holy Land, and what did they accomplish The crusades were initiated by an emotional speech done by Pope Urban II in 1095 which began the 200 hundred year lasting crusades. He moved the nobility to take back the Holy lands, to redeem themselves in the eyes of god by clearing themselves of their sins, and for the common people to become the soldiers of god. This speech was so potent that by the end of it the people were willing to lay down their lives for the Church and to go forth into battle against the heathens who had control over the Holy Lands. (Schreck, 2003) The crusades religious reasons were to reclaim the land from the Muslim invaders, secondly to repair the rift between the Roman and Orthodox Christianity since the Schism of 1054. The Schism was an event in which the Eastern Christian Churches (led by the patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius) and the Western Church (led by Pope Leo IX). The Crusades were an attempt to unify the Christian world. The third reason stated was that the Crusades were aimed at funneling the energy of the constantly warring feudal lords and their knights towards the same cause of "penitential warfare" (Bartlett, pp. 19-29, 1999). Another thing which can be noted about the crusades is that they saw the start of the expansionary process of the west. The Crusades initiated the process of the west into first setting their sight on lands towards the East and another added benefit of the Crusade was that it introduced them to a civilization much more advanced then theirs. (Kreis, 2006). The total expeditions sent forth to the Holy Lands were numerous and obtained little for the Crusaders. Initiated in the name of religion the crusades took on the light of marauding unkempt troops who would loot and steal whenever they got the chance. The accomplishments of the crusades were that they may have aided in the broadening of perspectives. As both the civilizations came in contact with each other they learnt a lot about their cultures and customs. Though the relations between Muslims and Christians were much more significant in Spain and Sicily rather than in the Holy Lands. Another so-called accomplishment of the Crusades could be that they cut down the number of troublesome knights in Europe. The knights who would lounge about the country robbing and abusing their powers found an outlet for their violence. Since they weren't economically sound they also found an opportunity to make their fortunes stealing from the East. Deterioration of the western relations however could be traced back to the time of the crusades. (Sherman & Salisbury, 2006) 3. What were the causes of the Hundred Years War How did the war transform government in both England and France What was the impact of this conflict on feudalism There were two basic causes recognized which may have led to the Hundred Years War. The first cause which most historians believe in was that the French kings had attempted to claim their rule over the English-held province of Guyenne. Guyenne had created much conflict amongst the two nations ever since Eleanore of Aquitaine, the countess of the province had married Henry II, the English king. The land was situated to the south-west of France and had posed as a threat to the French government of any impending war with the English. This province could provide as a direct route for the English to lead an attack into France (Atchley, "An Outline History of France, The Hundred Years' War, 1337-1453") France not only aggravated the English by taking control over Guyenne but also attempted to take control over Flanders trade with the English. Flanders was famous for its cloth manufacturing. The English provided the fleece for the material and depended on this trade for its foreign exchange. The cloth would then be sold to France and the money generated would be used to buy the wine being produced in southern France. This three-way economy suited all until the French tried to control the economy of Flanders arguing that the counts of Flanders had been vassals for the French monarch. The English could not let the French dominate over their economy and supported the middle class cloth manufacturers against the ruling nobility who was being supported by the French. The civil war which broke loose also helped trigger the series of wars between the two states. (Nelson, "The Hundred Years' War, 1336-1453") Other reasons also believed to have ignited the Hundred Years' War are the "Auld Alliance", an arrangement between the Scots and the French to side against the English, a dynastic conflict between the two states as King Edward III of England was the grandson of King Philip IV of France through his daughter yet the French could not allow him to rule over their country. They came up with the 'Salic Law' which stated that property could not be descended through a female in the state of France. Thus they refused the right of Edward III and made Philip of Valois the new king of France. An aggressive fighting spirit of the English could also be attributed to the cause of the Hundred Years' War as the less populated country was willing to wage war against the much densely populated and wealthier country of France. (Nelson, "The Hundred Years' War, 1336-1453") After the series of wars, both nations had been left with economically and socially miserable government structures. The manorial system of the states, where serfs had to work for their lords just for shelter and protection, was replaced by the system of hired labor and rents. Now workers had to be bought and they could migrate to places with better pay rather than serve their lord without leaving or questioning his authority. Another major effect was the crumbling of the Knights prestige. Now kings relied on hiring trained mercenaries for war rather then relying on the strength of their own army and knights. The religions figures that used to be an influential factor in decision making were moved from their position of power and the people began listening to the secular leaders who were becoming increasingly popular (Sherman & Salisbury, 2006) The impact on the feudal structure was the most significant as the lords and nobles no longer were able to dictate their authority with much force. The strongest force of the states, namely their knights, proved to be not as forceful as they were imagined to be and the hiring of mercenary soldiers to lead the army decreased the strength of the states own law enforcement. The nobility and religious leaders were too busy fighting each other by the end of the war and the people who needed guidance and leadership were left without leadership. (Nelson, "The Hundred Years' War, 1336-1453") 4. What were the key features of the new sprit that came to be called the Renaissance What were the medieval roots of the Renaissance In what ways did this cultural movement break away from medieval ideas Did the Renaissance lead to an improvement in women's lives The meaning attached to the word Renaissance is "rebirth". And this is what was to be worked on. It was the rebirth of an era as it encouraged new thought, new hopes and new understanding for the world. It wished to bring a new age and break out of the "Dark Ages" in which society had become entangled. It has never been truly determined as to what the period of the renaissance was. Since there were so many movements taking place all over the European part of the world it is difficult to differentiate as to when the Renaissance started and when it ended. The key feature of the renaissance is the consciousness of a cultural rebirth. (Sherman & Salisbury, 2006) The Renaissance was a cultural movement of art, science and thought. Its roots were set in the Medieval time as it was introduced in the middle ages (around 1200 when the Church made advancements in technology and science) it survived throughout the middle ages and eventually brought the middle ages to an end. The roots of the renaissance were set with the establishment of the early universities in the 12th century. These universities later taught some of the most influential thinkers who aided in the spread of the renaissance. (Pioch, "La Renaissance") The Renaissance differed from the medieval times as it was more accepting of the new ideas prevailing and it appreciated new thought as compared to the Medieval times were change was not appreciated. Art gained popularity and many scientific breakthroughs were achieved by scientists as they no longer had to fear the Church or its Inquisition. A more secular approach was introduced into society. (Burke, 1998) As such the role of women during the renaissance had little or no change. Women during the renaissance were meant to be homely and should be chaste. Their role was important as wives and mothers as they were looked upon as signifying the social status of their fathers and husbands. Women's activities differed from those of the men as women were to be proficient in home activities rather than outdoor activities. Household chores were the responsibility of the women whereas men's activities involved working and fending for his family. But by the end of the renaissance women entered the sphere of writing and created many literary pieces as they began to realize their power and importance. (Radek, "Women from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment") 5. Why did the Protestant Reformation lead to war Describe the major conflicts, their causes, and their resolutions. How did Protestantism transform people's lives The Protestant Reformers based their beliefs that the actions that one follows will dictate their place in the hereafter. But the lifestyles of the Catholic priests and their rulers and their attitudes towards religion did not deem proper to the Protestants. Thus this separate branch of Christianity was created. The wars between the two groups were not only caused due to ideological beliefs. There were numerous other reasons for them. The Reformers did not like the way they were being ruled and voiced their opinions. They wished for freedom of worship and the right to express themselves. The nobles began siding with the people whereas others would side with the king. This led to a division as two separate groups were being created with empires. Why the nobility got involved could be due to the political significance. Had the Protestants been able to dispose of the king then the supporting nobles could rise and assume the throne. (Hooker, "The Wars of Religion") Another reason why the reformation took place was that the merchants, artisans and traders felt that the Church was gaining too much control over the economy. They did not like the way the Church and its clergy had become corrupt. They wanted change as they felt it had become necessary and that the Church should revert back to its early teachings of humility and modesty. They did not want the church to be asserting its authority in the state affairs either. We could say that this movement gave the birth to secularism (Kreis, 2006). The peasants and other lower level people of society had now openly revolted towards their lords and the Protestant faith seemed to them to be much more in support of their cause. Many of the reformers were thus the working class of people who felt that the opulent lifestyles of the wealthy should be checked. Even the nobility sided with the Protestant faith as they saw this as a way of regaining their lands that the Church had forcefully taken over. The major conflicts which took place were the Thirty Years War which lasted from 1618 to 1644. There were three phases in the Thirty Years War. The Bohemian phase was the beginning of the war as the new king of Bohemia, Ferdinand II, was a zealous catholic and the Protestants feared he might recatholicize Bohemia. He was overthrown and the crown was offered to Frederick V of the Palatine. This fueled the war to move outside of Bohemia to the Holy Roman Empire itself. The first phase ended at the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620 with the Catholics gaining a victory. The second phase of the wars was between states instead of faiths. The king of Denmark aided the Protestants against the Catholic rule in northern Germany. But the purpose of the aid was more political in nature as Denmark wished to gain its kingdom. But the Protestant forces were beaten by Albrecht von Wallenstein, who nearly crushed Protestantism. In 1630 Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus entered the war in order to protect the Swedish interests from Wallenstein's threat. Even though he lost the city of Madgeburg he was able to defeat Wallenstein in the battle of Lutzen in which he was killed during battle. France, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Scotland, and England all got involved into the wars and civil wars broke loose among all the states. Though it is debatable whether the wars were fought one thing is for certain, the wars saw the end of the religious rule. It could be attributed to this era to have ignited the dawn of the Scientific Revolution. (Kreis, 2006) The outcome of the religious wars was that the French became the strongest nation in Europe with Louise XIV becoming the absolute leader. It also could be called the age of "mercantilism". Due to the influx of gold and silver to aid the wars the merchants had gone money-mad and now a capitalist state was being achieved. The people began investing their money and properly utilizing it for the future. The explorations were also popular during this age as people began expanding their empires and to preach their religion to new people. Basically the religious wars could be said to have removed people's interest from religion as they had seen the bloodshed it had caused and moved them towards a more secularist capitalist society. (Sherman & Salisbury, 2006) 6. Review the areas of Spanish and Portuguese exploration and consider where these early efforts forced England, France, and the Netherlands to focus their attention. Which areas turned out to be most profitable in the long run Why The Portuguese and Spanish explorers were the first to set forth to discover new lands. They were motivated to search for new lands for a number of reasons. Be it for the cause of spreading the Christian faith or to accumulate wealth and prestige, the common thing that these explorers had was their direction. They had their eyes set on the East. They had heard tales of the Indians, and most explorers wished to reach their empire. In the process they were able to discover new places. The main area where these explorers concentrated on, however, was the West Coast of Africa. The explorers were trying to find a direct route which would lead them into China and India. Aside from the West Coast of Africa the explorers also discovered the Atlantic islands of Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde Islands. ("The European Voyages of Exploration", 1997) The Spanish and Portuguese monarchs of the time were smart enough to realize the potential of these explorations. Not only were they being able to expand their empires but in turn they were also obtaining much wealth in the form of spices, gold and silver by the explorers. The empires began funding for the explorations and would get a significant share of the earnings of the explorers. This made the European community sit up and take notice of what was going on around them. The Portuguese were lacking in both population and wealth as compared to Europe but now thanks to its advances in explorations it no longer had to rely on trade with Europe for its economy. (Camino, 2005) The main areas that the European countries set their sights on were China and India. The naval expeditions of the countries all aimed to be the first to enter the Muslim held regions to the East. Many naval battles even took place between the maritime forces as the countries rushed to conquer the Eastern lands. Works Cited For All Questions: Sherman, Dennis and Joyce Salisbury. The West in the World, updated edition 2/e. McGraw Hill, 2006 Question 1: 1. Kreis, Steven. The History Guide, Lecture 23, Medieval Society: The Three Orders . 2006 2. Dolan, John Patrick & Jedin, Hubert. "History of the Church", University of Michigan, Seabury Press.1980 Question 2: 1. Schreck, Alan. Historical Foundations, Lecture VI. Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio, 2003 2. Bartlett WB. "God Wills It - an Illustrated History of the Crusades". Sutton Publishing Limited, Phoenix Mill, United Kingdom, pp. 19-29, 1999 3. Kreis, Steven. The History Guide, Lecture 25, The Holy Crusades. 2006 Question 3. 1. Atchley, Sharon. "An Outline History of France, The Hundred Years' War, 1337-1453".www.french-at-a-touch.com. 19 March 2008. http://www.french-at-a-touch.com/French_History/hundred_years_war_1337-1453.htm#The%20Causes%20of%20the%20Hundred%20Years%92%20War 2. Nelson, Lynn Harry. "The Hundred Years' War, 1336-1453". The University of Kansas. 19 March 2008. http://www.vlib.us/medieval/lectures/hundred_years_war.html Question 4: 1. Pioch, Nicholas. "La Renaissance". Web Museum. 19 March 2008. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/renaissance/ 2. Burke, Peter. The European Renaissance: Centres and peripheries. Blackwell Publishing.1998 3. M. Radek, Kimberly. "Women from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment". Women in Literature. 19th March 2008. < http://www.ivcc.edu/gen2002/Women_from_the_Renaissance.htm> Question 5: 1. Hooker, Richard. "The Wars of Religion". Reformation the Religious Wars. 19th March 2008, < http://www.wsu.edu/dee/REFORM/WARS.HTM> 2. Kreis, Steven. The History Guide, Lecture 6, Europe in the Age of Religious wars, 1560-1715. 2006 Question 6: 1. "The European Voyages of Exploration", The Applied Research Group, The University of Calgary, 1997 2. Camino, Mercedes Moroto. Producing the Pacific. Rodopi.2005 Read More