Church Reform and the Crusades

Church Reform and the Crusades • Between 500-1000 AD • Vikings destroy monasteries and centers of learning • Priests cannot read • Popes are immoral and corrupt • Bishops cared more about their lordships than worship

Monastic Revival and Church Reform • 1000’s • Led by monasteries • Return to basic principles of religion • Expanded power of the church • Called the Age of Faith • Problems in the Church • Village priests were marrying • Simony – positions in church were sold by bishops • Lay investiture put kings in control of bishops • Reformers felt they should be appointed by the church

Reforms Begin at Cluny • Reform is based on hardships – not material possessions • Church Organization • Restructured to resemble a kingdom with the pope in charge • Pope has advisors – called papal curia • Church acted as a court • Created Canon Law – law of the church • Marriages • Divorce • Inheritance Church collects taxes in form of a tithe – 1/10 of income Cared for the sick and poor Took over hospitals

Friars and Women • Friars – traveling preachers; owned nothing; survived on begging • Religious orders of women: • Were allowed to participate in the revival • Stayed in convents • Lived in poverty • Cared for sick and poor

Cathedrals • Illustrated wealth of church • Romanesque: 800-1100 • Arches • Heavy roof • Thick walls and pillars • Small windows Gothic Style: 1100 – * vaulted ceilings * lots of light * stained glass * “City of God”

The Crusades • Muslims threatened Constantinople • Urban II called for a Holy War = Crusade • Goal: recover Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Muslim Turks Causes of Crusading Spirit: • Economic Motives • Merchants made money by: 1. making cash loans to finance the crusades, 2. leased ships, 3. hoped to win key trade routes Religious Motives • Overwhelming support: lords, peasants and knights • Knights become crusaders: wear red crosses on tunics, yelled “God wills it”, few returned from battle – if died in battle then guaranteed a spot in Heaven

First and Second Crusade • First Crusade: • Ill prepared • Did not know climate, culture or geography of Holy Land • No strategy or specific leader • No supply line Second Crusade: • Regained Edessa • Still lost the crusade

Third and Fourth Crusade • Third Crusade: • Led by Powerful Monarchs: Augustus (French King); Frederick I (Barbarossa – German Emperor); Richard the Lion Hearted (English King) • Barbarossa drowned on the journey • Augustus got mad at Richard and went home • Left Richard to battle Saladin for Jerusalem • Ended in a truce – Muslims maintained control but unarmed Christians could visit the Holy places Fourth Crusade: • Pope Innocent III calls for another crusade to retake Jerusalem • It fails

Dwindling Spirit of the Crusades • Crusades cause a permanent split between Constantinople (Church of the East) and Rome (Church of the West) • Became about personal gain Children’s Crusade: • Unarmed children marched to Jerusalem • Believed that God would deliver Jerusalem to them • They either: • Died of cold and starvation • Drowned at sea • Turned back • Were sold into slavery

Spanish Crusade • Muslims in Spain were called Moors • Reconquista – long effort by Spain to drive out Muslims • Inquisition: • Lead by Ferdinand and Isabella (Spanish Monarchs) • Goal: unify country and consolidate power under Christian rule • Anything but Christian beliefs were heresy • Captured and tortured all that were not Christian • If they confessed they were burned at the stake • Eventually they expel all Jews and Muslims from Spain

Effects of the Crusade • Failures lessened power of the pope • Weakened feudal nobility • 1000’s of knights lost lives and fortunes Positive side: • Stimulated trade

Trade, Towns and Financial Revolution • A growing food supply: • Expanding populations required more food • This required new ideas and technology in farming • Began to farm cold regions • Began to use horses (oxen had been cheap but slow; horses were more expensive but faster) • Cleared forests for farmland • Three Field System • If had 600 acres • 200 for winter crop • 200 for spring crop • 200 remain fallow This increase food supply (better variety and nutrition) which resulted in population increase (larger families that were more resistant to disease and lived longer)

Trade and Finance Expands • Expands due to population growth • Trade routes expand • Fair Days – peasants would bring wares for trade (most common was cloth) • Would come from long distances Guilds – association of people that work the same trade (unions) • Controlled crafts and trade; wages and prices • Enforced standards of quality; Ex: bread – same size, weight and price • Only masters could be guild members • Apprenticed for 6-9 years and had to make a “masterpiece”

Financial Revolution • Trade was expensive: before you could take goods to trade and make a profit, you had to buy the supplies to make the product • This required loans • A sin called usury prevented Christians from loaning money at an interest • Jews could loan money

Urban Splendor Reborn • Medieval towns were tiny and primitive • But as trade grew so did towns • Many from the manors left for better opportunities in the towns Disadvantages of townlife • Narrow streets filled with animals • Waste dumped in front of homes – no sewers • Never bathed • Cramped wood/thatch houses • Fire hazard • No fresh air Serfs could become free if they lived in the town for a year and a day

Revival of Learning • Word university – group of scholars meeting anywhere (it did not refer to a building) • Most were sons of burghers (town dwellers) or wealthy artisans • Goal: job in government or church • Most wrote in Latin • Some began to write in the vernacular (everyday language of their homeland) • Since most did not speak Latin, this brought literature to most everyone for the first time

Church Reform and the Crusades