European Middle Ages: Political And Religious Upheaval

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August 17, 2013 Political and Religious Upheaval When we look back to all of the bad events in the European Middle Ages, we think of things such as war, revolt, religious upheaval, and famine. The 14th century had all of these things and more occurring at the same time. These hundred years or so is what most look at as the major and dramatic shift between Medieval times and the modern day. But the transition was a costly one for each and every person no matter the social class. Some of the major events in the 14th century such as The Black Death, The Hundred Year War, and The Great Schism, essentially altered the way Europeans lived forever and shifted the three “big systems” of the High Middle Ages known as manorialism, feudalism,…show more content…
Both countries were turned against each other in a brutal war where both sides were decimated by deadly military innovations. A decline in the power of Feudalism could also be seen as the kings on both sides used hired mercenaries to fight for them instead of the usual peasants who followed the lords. But because so many fought and died in the war, peasants began to take more pride in their country. Soon enough, more people are looking up to the king than they are their own lords. Another reason feudalism lost power was the mercenaries that fought for the English king. After the first of the many treaties during the war was signed in 1360 by France, the English king did not want to release his unruly soldiers on his own land. Instead, they were loosed on France where they were free to loot and pillage as they pleased. Castles that belonged to lords took a beating as the mercenaries took them over and then sold them back to the lords for a large price. New weaponry made in the war made the king stronger against nobles. Because the king was the only one who could afford cannons, it made it impossible for the nobles to assert their…show more content…
When the Hundred Years War broke out, both side decided to use their ability to tax the church granted to the kings by the church as a repayment for the crusades. When the church refused to pay France, they kidnapped Pope Boniface VIII. The Pope died soon after his rescue and the cardinals elected a French pope so as not to stir trouble again. But instead of moving to Rome, the new Pope Clement V stayed in Avignon. A new string of Popes would settle in Avignon for the next 70 years where the French kings were able to maintain a firm hold on the papacy. After 70 years, Pope Gregory XI moved back to Rome where he died soon after. There a new Italian pope, Urban VI, was elected. However, Urban was a violent man so the cardinals elected a new French pope. Urban rejected the authority of the new pope and so now there was a division between France and Rome on who controlled the papacy. A church council was called in 1409 which denounced the power of both popes and elected a third. But neither of the two original popes would step down, so now there were three popes. Finally, as people got used to the idea of a church council, another one was held which removed the current three popes and put in a forth. Although the whole situation was solved, all of Europe began to question the real authority of the
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