Heresy began to spread in the Middle Ages, to the alarm of church officials. Heretics believed that the clergy and sacraments were not important. Their beliefs threatened the social order and caused authorities to begin the Inquisitions and punish anyone that was deemed guilty of heresy. Friars spread Christian teachings in an attempt to stop the heresy, and wars over the matter were common.
In 1309, the pope fled Rome as a result of a dispute over the papacy. Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1379, but died in the same year. Following his death, there was a forty year conflict between two men who both claimed the papal power.
There were also political wars going on at the same time. The most destructive of these wars were the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses.
In 1309, the pope fled Rome as a result of a dispute over the papacy. Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1379, but died in the same year. Following his death, there was a forty year conflict between two men who both claimed the papal power.
There were also political wars going on at the same time. The most destructive of these wars were the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses.
The Hundred Years' War
In 1337, King Edward III of England invaded France, believing that he was the rightful heir to the French throne. It appeared that his army would emerge victorious. However, in 1429, Joan of Arc changed that. She took command of a French army and led them to multiple victories against the English before she was convicted of heresy. By 1453, King Charles VII of France had driven most of the English out of his country, thereby ending the war. |
The Wars of the Roses
Shortly after the Hundred Years' War was over, the Lancasters and the Yorks started a war over the English throne. Edward IV, a York, took the throne in 1461. When he died, his brother, Richard III, was made king. However, Richard was killed in an uprising in 1485, and Henry VII, a member of the Tudor family, became King of England. |
Between 1347 and 1351, a devastating plague swept through Europe. It was known as the Black Death. It is believed to have been in two forms: bubonic plague, which was spread by fleas, and pneumonic plague, which was spread through the air. The following is a brief video that explains the spread of the plague and its effects on the body:
http://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/videos/the-black-death-begins The Black Death spread easily, and most of the people who caught the plague died within only a few short days. It wiped out approximately one-third of Europe's population. Many people believed that the plague was punishment from God. Others blamed the Jews for poisoning the water in the wells. These people massacred many of the Jews. The plague brought an end to the manorial system. The few workers that survived abandoned the manors and found jobs in the cities. The deserted land was bought by wealthy people that made more efficiently organized estates. |
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