14th+Century+Crisis+-+Changes+in+feudal+society

The end of feudalism? The 14th Century Crisis ** A TIME OF CRISIS **

In England, as elsewhere in Northern Europe, the local population was hit by a series of harsh crises, the three most devastating of which were the Great Famine of 1314/5-22, the Great Cattle Plague of c.1315-21 and the Black Death of 1348-51. All these events together and its consequences is what have made historians talk about a general crisis of the xivth century. This means that when talking about the Middle Ages, historians agreed in saying that the historical tendency of the xivth century in terms of economy was one of crisis. This crisis seems to have been created by an adverse combination of **ecological and institutional factors**. The combination of inequality among different communities within the manorial structure of late-medieval England, on the one hand, and the ongoing warfare, on the other, created the conditions that led to the crisis. This is, a disruption in equal access to food supply, created by socio-economic advantages (ab)used by stronger social strata to secure food supplies, at the expense of poorer elements, during famine years. Clearly, in the case of the early fourteenth century crisis, the poorer E|echelons were deprived of a steady and ready access to their food supply not only by disastrous Y|yields, low availability and high prices of grain, but also by the ability of stronger elements to R|recruit the //remainder of the potentially available// grain supply, whether through the market, or P|purveyances.
 * **__ The Plague __**

In the mid-1300s a deadly disease called bubonic plague, or the **Black Death,** reached Europe. It was spread by fleas carried by rats. Eventually, the **epidemic,** or outbreak, killed one-third of all Europeans. People were terrified and normal life broke down. People fled cities or hid in their homes. Without workers, production declined. Survivors demanded higher wages, leading to **inflation,** or rising prices. Landlords tried to limit wages and forced villagers off the land. The plague not only spread death but also social unrest, as bitter, angry peasants revolted. Some villages lost nearly all their people. Many were completely abandoned. In other villages the survivors were able to buy and rent all the spare land. So some peasants became much richer. Most peasants were villeins. These people were usually forced to work on the lord’s land. However, after the Black Death the lords were short of labourers, so the peasants from the lord’s control. Many left their manors. Because of all these changes, in the long run, many peasants were better off.
 * **__ The Church in crisis __**

By the late Middle Ages, the Church, too, was in crisis. Many monks and priests had died during the plague. Survivors asked tough spiritual questions. The Church could not provide the strong leadership that was needed. For 70 years, a luxury-loving papal court ruled in Avignon. Reformers arose within the Church, calling for change. In 1378, they elected their own pope in Rome. French cardinals elected a rival pope. This Church **schism**, or split, finally ended in 1417 when a Church council removed authority from all three popes and elected a compromise candidate.
 * **__ War in Europe __**

For most of this time, a destructive war raged. Between 1337 and 1453 England and France fought a series of conflicts known as the Hundred Years’ War. Both sides wanted control of lands in France that had once been England’s, the English Channel, and regional trade. England won early victories with new technology, the **longbow.** However, led by 17-year-old Joan of Arc, France began to win battles. Joan had told the uncrowned king, Charles VII, that God sent her to save France, so he authorized her to lead an army against the English. In one year, her troops won several victories, but she was captured, tried, and burned at the stake. Her martyrdom rallied French forces, and with their powerful new weapon, the cannon, they drove the English out of most of France. Ultimately, the war helped French kings expand their power. In England, it strengthened Parliament. As Europe recovered from the plague, its population grew, manufacturing expanded, and trade increased. This set the stage for the Renaissance, Reformation, and Age of Exploration.

Identifying causes, characteristics and effects of the crisis The English peasant revolt of 1381

Proto-absolutism: The rise of the power of kings

Exploration voyages: the search for new resources

European voyages of exploration

[1] When people die of hunger. [2] Cows and similar. [3] Being at war [4] Level or class in society [5] Level or class in society [6] Results of agricultural production [7] Get together [8] the right of the sovereign to buy provisions and use horses and vehicles for a fixed price lower than the market value.