The Middle Ages in Western Europe 500 1450

The Middle Ages in Western Europe 500 -1450

Early Middle Ages (500 -1000) n n n Europe fragmented into various Germanic kingdoms after Rome’s collapse in 5 th c. Spain, S. Italy, and Sicily were all conquered by Muslims by 8 th c. Feudalism replaced Roman cosmopolitanism

High Middle Ages (1000 -1200) The Crusades n n n Muslim Turks controlled Christian shrines in M. E. by 1000 Pope urged Christian knights to “liberate” the Holy Land Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099

Saladin recaptured Jerusalem during 3 rd Crusade n Muslims had recaptured all of the Holy Land by 1291 n

Impact of the Crusades n n n Benefited the European economy, especially N. Italy Europeans gained new technologies from the Muslim world Europe started to emerge from the isolation of the Middle Ages

The Late Middle Ages (1300 -1450) The Black Death n n Killed 1/3 of Europe’s population Impact: -Decline of Feudalism -Peasant Revolts -Improved peasant conditions post-Plague

The Great Western Schism n n Resulted from the election of two competing popes Europe took sides Eventually resolved, but popes lost power to kings Weakened the Church as an institution

The Hundred Years’ War n n Began with a dispute over French throne England won early victories at Crécy and Poitiers (longbow, gunpowder) Joan of Arc turned the tide against the English at Orléans in 1429 English were expelled from most of France by 1453

Impacts? Nobility decimated n Kings centralized power n Feudal decline accelerated n Growth of nationalism n Britain and France-1 st modern nations n