Feudalism
Historians call or refer to feudalism a system of promises that governed the relationships between lords and vassals.But in simpler words feudalism was known as an economic system in the Middle Ages.It defined each person's duty in the Middle Ages.There were different classes in the feudal society.The first ones on the society were the kings and queens,then the nobles,after that the knights,and at the very end were the peasants.They all had a duty to follow.
The Crusades
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of bloody battles. There were four main crusades.The First Crusade was in 1096 it involved 5000 crusaders between these were peasants and Jews.Pope Urban II was a Medieval pope he called on Christians to launch the First Crusade to take revenge and attack the Jews for the death of Jesus,during this they took over Jerusalem.The second Crusade was in 1147.This battle involved both French and German kings.It was to retake land from Muslims but thanks to their poor planing they gained heavy loses;they were defeated.The Third Crusade began in 1189.King Richard wanted to regain Jerusalem .King Richard was the king of England and he led the soldiers to the third Crusade .He earned respect for his bravery and fairness.But King Richard failed and sent home.The Fourth Crusade began in 1201.This battle was independently between soldiers.Venetians asked the knights to conquer their rival trade city,Zara.They ended up conquering Constantinople and carried many treasures.Other Crusades were not successful and they ended where they had begun.
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was made by a group of people to limit a kings power. The Magna Carta made it so a king couldn't just throw someone in jail. The person had to have a trial first. It also made it so that kings couldn't break the laws. King John approved the document Magna Carta. The Magna Carta made it so the king couldn't choose a judge because then the judge would most likely agree with the king every time. When the Magna Carta was made a council called Parliament was also formed.It also limited the king's power.
The Black Death
The Black Death was a deadly plague that swept through Europe. It killed millions of Europeans. 1/3 of Europe to be exact.This deadly plauge swept through Europe between 2347 and 1351.This plauge was orrigionally from central and eastern Asia.This plauge spread when traders brought rats carrying the deadly desease to Medieval ports in 1347.From there it quickly spread throughout Europe.Fleas that feasted on the blood of infected rats passed on the plauge to people.There were many kind of deseases they were different forms of the desease.The plague killed so quickly that people were often found dead on the streets and they were picked up and burned they belived that burning them would avoid the desease from spreading.Some did not receive ceremonie they were just burned.Because of the loss of many people the manor system fell apart completly.
The Hundred Years' War
The "Hundred Years War"was a conflict between England and France.This conflict began when the king of France died and he had no sons.Two men decided to claim the throne one was French,The other one was the king of England.In the end the French man became king.The English king did not take this so well so he decided to invade France.This invasion began a long conflict between England and France that came to be called the Hundred Years' War.At first the English armies did well,winin most of the battles.After nearly 100 years of fighting things turned upside down for England.A peasant girl,Joan of Arc,rallied the French troops.Sadly the English eventually captured and killed Joan.But it was too late the French had already droven the English from their country in 1453.The hundred years war had many drastic changes in both England and France.In England,Parliament's power because the king neede the Parliament's approval to raise money to pay the costly war.Parliament gained more influence and the king began to lose power.In France,the changes were a little different instead of loosing power the king gained power.During the war the king became popular with the nobles.Fighting the English created a bond between them.That is why the nobles supported the king after the war as well.
Popes vs. Kings
Popes and kings controlled most of the European society.Popes held the spiritual power and kings the political power.There was one spesific case between a king and a pope.The conflict was held between Pope Gregory VII and king Henry IV.Their conflict began when Pope Gregory VII and king Henry IV did not agree with each other about who should get to choose the bishop.Each one believed they had the right or duty to accomplish this act.Of course this had happened before but king Henry IV was the only king that had the guts to go against the pope.But the pope in response excommunicated Henry.Desparate to stay in power,Henry went to italy to ask for the pope's forgivness.But he refused to forgive him.But Henry stayed 3 days in the snow barefoot outside the castle where Gregory was staying at.Gregory accepted Henry's apology and allowed the emperor back to the church.Gregory had proven that the pope was stronger the king at least for that moment.In 1122 there was a new emperor and a new pope.They came to an agreement that the pope should be able to choose all bishops and abbots.
