Transcript www.thekeep.org

Europe 1500-1650
Outwards vs. Inwards
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Inwards: Ming China
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Early 15th century voyages for Tribute
But they had decided outsiders were useless,
thanks to Mongols, so they gave up reaching out
Also, China had little need for outside goods
Outwards: Europe
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Europe finally overcome centuries of invasion and
death
Economy was growing
Europe needed goods from other regions due to
temperate climate.
The Silk Road
The Thousand Buddha Cave (On
Silk Road)
The Silk Road and Spice Trade
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Romans, Han, Maurya, and Parthians together
assembled this route
Rise of Islam disrupted the trade
Black Pepper and Cloves were valuable trade
items along with silk and Porcelain
Venetians controlled Mediterranean end
Fall of Constantinople prompts search for new
routes
Prince Henry the Navigator (March 4,
1394–November 13, 1460)
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Sponsors voyages of exploration and new
technologies
New Technologies: Caravel
Technical Innovations
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Caravel combined European square rigging and
Arabian lateen rigging, allowing it to sail better
against the wind and thus return up coast of
Africa
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Compass: Allowed sailing away from shore
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Gunpowder: Military edge
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Chinese invented Compass and Gunpowder,
but rejected large scale sea exploration for
political / cultural reasons.
The Rounding of Africa
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1488—Bartholemew Dias rounds the Cape of
Good Hope
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)
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Italian Sailor
Approaches Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain to
go west to reach Asia
Based on thinking Earth is much smaller than it
actually is
They sponsor him, having just conquered
Grenada in 1488.
The Four Voyages of Columbus
Columbus “Discovers” America
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1492—First Voyage
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October 12, 1492—Discovers San Salvador
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He brings back natives, tobacco, gold, chile
peppers
Also brings back syphillis and gives the natives
the “gift” of Black Plague, Herpes, Gonorhea,
measles, small pox, etc, etc.
Thought he'd found India
“America”
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Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) and Ferdinand
Magellan (1480-1521) explored the coast of
South America and began mapping it.
Amerigo named the new world after himself and
the name stuck.
The Ravages of Disease
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As civilization grows, nastier plagues can last
longer
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Human trade networks spread disease
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Cities become plague pits
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Isolation of Americas had protected them from
Eurasian Diseases
These now crossed the ocean and slaughtered
30-50% of Indians
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Mexico loses 95%
The Columbian Exchange: Food
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To Europe From America
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Potato
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Corn
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Beans and Squash
From Africa to America
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The Yam
From Europe and Asia to America
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Wheat and Spices
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Alcohol
The Impact of Domesticated
Animals
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End of Lack of Draft Animals:
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Better agriculture
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Easier Long Distance Trade
Impact on Nomads
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Plains Indians (North); Llanos and Pampas Indians
(South) now became horse nomads and much
more powerful
Family Life in Early Modern Europe
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Average European is a poor farmer who
probably rents his land
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Problem of the Little Ice Age (1450-1850)
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People marry later to save up resources for
own business or farm
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Familes are part of extended families
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You expect to lose half your kids by age 10
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Live until 50 or 60 if you make it past 10.
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Birth Control is not very high quality
– Nursing children is the most effective way
Family Life II
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Family life is rather utilitarian in order to
survive
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Children are apprenticed young to give them a
future
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Towns are small by modern standards (most
are 5-10,000 or less. Largest is Naples with
212,000
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Towns dominated by artisan guilds and
merchants and clergy
Leadup to the Reformation
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15th century clergy is 6-8% of urban population
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Many literate are technically clergy but don't
work as priests/nuns/monks
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Church owns 1/3rd of land
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Church controls the rituals of life
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Church Services in Latin
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Upper class dominates the upper Priesthood
Problems of Renaissance
Catholicism
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Temptations of Temporal Power
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Rising Heresies from Rising Literacy
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Monastic Corruption
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The Indulgences Issue
Northern Renaissance Humanism
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Christian Humanism wanted to use Humanist
studies to reform the Church.
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Desiderus Erasmus (1466-1536): Erasmus
"aspired to unite the classical ideals of
humanity and civic virtue with the Christian
ideals of love and piety." (THOWC, p. 444).
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He wanted a religion which focused on ethics,
not symbolism, magic, relics, etc.
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Tried to restore religious texts to original, pure
state
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His work laid the foundation for new
Desiderus Erasmus (1466-1536)
English Humanism
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Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)
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Criticized the accretion of traditions and
superstitions
– Wanted to focus on ethical reform
– Executed by Henry VIII for refusing to
become Protestant
Why Germany?
1. A growing literate population, combined with the printing press, which
made it easier for new ideas to spread and for translations of the bible
to be produced.
2. Political divisions which made it hard for central authorities to
suppress heresy; German princes agreed that the Emperor needed to
be kept weak, which made it hard for him to fight local princes who hid
and supported reformers.
3. Problems of clerical corruption and a low-point in the morale and
behavior of the monastic orders.
4. Acceptance of secular influence over the church; because local
secular authorities controlled church appointments, they could change
the content of religion without their populace necessarily turning on
them.
The Reformation: Martin Luther
(1483-1586)
• Origins: Luther was a German Augustinian monk,
who came to feel he wasn't holy enough despite being
a monk, and who came to criticize the Church, leading
to him nailing the famous 95 Theses (a list of
complaints about the Church) to the door of his local
cathedral.
• His Protests:
– Sale of Indulgences
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The Focus on Penances and Works as key to
salvation
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The refusal to translate the Bible into modern
languages.
Martin Luther
Luther's Theology
• Teachings:
– Salvation by Faith
– An End to Celibacy
– Translation of the Bible into German
– Sola Scriptura
• His Impact: Luther shattered the unity of
the Western Church and opened the way
for the creation of the several thousand
Protestant denominations which exist
today.
Spread of the Reformation
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Reformation spreads in the urban centers and
the literate elites
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Nobility could use it to justify autonomy from
royal or imperial control
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Denmark and Sweden made it the state
religion
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So did many German Princes
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Peace of Augsburg (1555) stated that each
prince would have the right to set his territory's
religion
Luther's Flaws
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Luther's revolt made modern religious
toleration and freedom possible
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But Luther didn't seek religious freedom, he
sought religious TRUTH. Thus, he felt free to
persecute those who disagreed with him, as
they were clearly agents of the Devil
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Despised peasants and Jews too
Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) and
Swiss Reformation
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He led rejection of indulgences and
superstition / tradition in Zurich
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Abandoned any practice not literally
mentioned in scripture
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Religious art
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Much of the mass
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Music
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He translates the Froschauer Bible (printed
between 1524-1531)
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He dies fighting Swiss Catholics
Anabaptists and Radicals
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Rejected Infant Baptism
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Only adults could consciously choose to
accept grace.
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Some practiced communal living
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They tended to withdraw from society into
isolated communities of only the faithful
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Only those who underwent a conversion
experience could be baptized and join the
church
Over time, it becomes an oft persecuted rural
faith.
John Calvin and Thomas
Hobbes...or not
John Calvin
John Calvin (1509-1564)
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Calvin would fuel revolution across Europe
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Calvinists felt it their duty to force God's law
down everyone's throat, even though most
were damned and no human action could
change that.
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This required control of government, and the
overthrow of 'ungodly' magistrates
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A perfect tool for rebellious nobles and city folk
John Calvin (1509-1564)
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A French student of the Bible
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Drew up guidelines for the Geneva church
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Created a model for alliance of Church and
State copied by many
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Civil magistrate enforces religious law
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All must be made to act like the elect, though
most are damned
Predestination: God decided who was saved
or damned when the world began. Human
action can't change it. BUT YOU MUST
PREACH ANYWAY.
Anglicanism
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Henry VIII (1491-1547, ruled 1509-1547)
wants a son; his wife Catherine of Aragon
(1485-1536) gives him a daughter Mary
(1516-1558, ruled 1553-8) but no legitimate
sons.
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Henry needs an annulment (which would
declare the marriage invalid so he is free to
remarry)
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So he founds his own church!!!!
Anglicanism: Quest For a Son
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Pope won't give Henry an annulment; he is a
puppet of Charles V, nephew of Catherine of
Aragon.
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Henry now gets Parliament to help him take
over the Church
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Appoints his own Archbishop, Thomas
Cranmer, who gives him an annulment
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He sends Catherine to a nunnery
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He marries Anne Boleyn, his mistress
Anglicanism: Quest For a Son II
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Anne Boleyn is a Protestant. She gives birth
to Elizabeth I (1533-1608, ruled 1558-1603),
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So Henry trumps up charges and kills her.
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The Anglican Church at this stage is mostly
Catholic in theology
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Monasteries are shut down
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Parliament's involvement strengthens its
power and importance.
The Heir Troubles
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Jane Seymour, Wife 3, dies in childbirth
producing Edward VI (1537-1553,
theoretically ruled 1547-53 (actually a
regency))
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Henry churns through three more unfortunate
wives and dies a bloated, evil, syphillitic beast
of a man in 1547.
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Edward VI is too young to rule; his uncles take
the country in a more protestant direction.
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But his death at 16 means STILL CATHOLIC
Mary I, his sister, inherits...
The Catholic Reaction Under Mary
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Mary I (r. 1553-58) persecutes Protestants,
restores Catholicism
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But she has no child and foolishly marries
Phillip II of Spain, who just wants her kingdom
and is basically focused on killing Dutch
people and Turks
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When she dies, the throne passes to her sister
Elizabeth I
The Elizabethan Settlement
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Elizabeth I (1558-1603) just wants a
compromise which will please the largest
possible group; the lunatic fringes can be
driven out, she hopes.
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Catholic style hierarchy and top-down control
of theology and ritual
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Local gentry, lords, merchants appoint parish
priests and theology and ritual are Protestant
in nature.
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This creates a split between High Churchmen
(like fancy ritual) and Puritans (Calvinists)
Catholic Reform and CounterReformation
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Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) and the
Society of Jesus
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Loyola was a courtier and soldier
Turns to religion after an injury
Author of Spiritual Exercises (1548)
Founder of Society of Jesus (1534)
Jesuits became educators and
intellectuals
Council of Trent (1545-63)
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It abolishes various kinds of corruption
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the sale of office, indulgences, etc., by
Popes to raise money for palaces and
wars ('Simony')
Forced higher moral quality on clergy
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Increased Bishopric staff
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Seminaries created
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Retained traditional theology and sacraments
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Created a better behaved church, but one still
using most old practices
Counter Reformation
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Spain, Italy, Poland—Reformation is rolled
back by better clergy and Inquisition
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Protestantism flourishes in North and Central
Europe, however
Results of Reformation
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Clergy Shrinks 2/3rds
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Many monasteries destroyed and Church
lands taken
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Worship is now in everyday language and
Bible too
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Old practices (Shrines, relics, pilgrimages,
confession, etc.) abandoned.
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Clergy can marry; subject to secular authority
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A fifth of Europe is Protestant in 1650.
The Wars of Religion (1560-1650)
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Geneva vs. the Society of Jesus
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Jesuits: Provide a spiritual revival on Catholic
tradition, improved clergy, obedience to
authority. Stabilizing, usually. Episcopal model.
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Calvinists: State enforces godly law,
community of believers, predestination and
salvation by faith alone. Revolutionary, often.
Presbyterian model.
French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion (15591600)
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Henry II dies while jousting, leaving weak
child-heirs dominated by his wife, Catherine
de Medici
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Rebellious French nobles use Calvinism to
excuse rebellion against the throne
(Huguenots)
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Bourbon and Montmorency-Chatillon
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2/5ths of nobility, many peasants
Guise are Ultra-Catholics but also challenge
royal power
French Wars of Religion (15591600)
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Catherine tries to play Protestants vs. Guise to
preserve her own autonomy, but finally feels it
necessary to slaughter Protestants in the
Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre (3000
dead), only to find this leaves her totally alone
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War now erupts for decades
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Rise of the politiques
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Henry IV (1589-1610) Bourbon emerges as
winner, converts to Catholicism. “Paris is
worth a mass” Allows toleration of all
Christian faiths.
The Troubles of Mary, Queen of
Scots
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Mary I of Scotland (1542-1587, Queen of
Scots 1542 at age 6 days to 1567) took the
throne at the age of 6 days old
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Married Francis I of France and had a French
education
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She was not well suited to rule over Scotland
with its violent, hard-to-control nobles who
began turning to Calvinism, in part due to
preacher John Knox (c. 1510 – 24 November
1572)
John Knox (c. 1510 – 24 November 1572)
and The Scottish Presbyterians
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Theologically, John Knox combined Calvinism
(salvation by faith alone, predestination, Bible
is only source of authority, rejection of old
traditions) with extreme misogyny
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Wrote multiple books on why no woman should
ever be in charge of anything
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Believed women should be submissive to men
in all things and have no autonomy or
independence at all
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Married a 17 year old at age 50 (she gave him
three more kids); this was his second marriage
John Knox vs. Queen Mary
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Queen Mary was faced with ongoing problems
between her Catholicism and the Protestant
nobles, especially Knox.
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Her own bad decisions as ruler and in
marriage (including blowing one of her
husbands to bits with gunpowder. He was her
half-first cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley)
ultimately led the Scottish nobles to overthrow
her and drive her out
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John Knox was a dominant figure in the
ensuing regency for her son James VI (15671625)
The End of Queen Mary
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Queen Mary fled to England, but plotted
against Elizabeth
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First Elizabeth had her imprisoned, and then
eventually when she kept plotting, Mary was
murdered (possibly Elizabeth's orders,
possibly someone trying to curry favor)
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Mary Queen of Scots is the source of the
Children's rhyme “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary”
Imperial Spain and Phillip II (15561598)
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Spain becomes head of the CounterReformation
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Dutch Revolt in 1564, lasts off and on to 1648
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Phillip marries Mary I of England, but it is
largely nominal
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After death of Mary Queen of Scots, he invades
England in 1588, the famous Spanish Armada,
which fails.
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His meddling in France only increases the
Death Toll
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But he crushes the Turks at Lepanto in the
Med.
Further Collapse in Holy Roman
Empire
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HRE is divided into hundreds of tiny to small
states by 1618
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Three Bishops, 3 Protestant “Princes” and the
elected monarchy of Bohemia choose the
Holy Roman Empire
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This enables the Catholic Habsburgs to
monopolize the Throne
Thirty Years' War (1618-48)
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In 1618, Fredrick II, elector of the Palatinate,
is elected King of Bohemia. He is the
Protestant son-in-law of James I of England
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Habsburgs respond with war, touching off a
series of wars which devastate Germany
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Bohemia + Palatinate vs. Habsburgs
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Danes vs. Habsburgs
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Sweden vs. Habsburgs
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France vs. Habsburgs
Thirty Years' War (1618-48)
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War goes from Protestants vs. Catholics to
France vs. Austria to dominate Central Europe
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France also beats up Spain
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Treaty of Westphalia leaves the nation
devastated and divided
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Elites increasingly disgusted with religion
Superstition and Enlightenment:
The Witch Panic
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Massive Witchhunting in 1400 to 1700: About
70-100,000 are accused and tried for it
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Some villagers tried to leverage old
superstitions to gain power in villages
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But old village unity was crumbling and
marginal people were most likely to be
attacked as witches
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Further, the Clergy had declared since 13th
century that all non-Church 'powers' were of
the Devil
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Reformation triggered religious turmoil
Superstition and Enlightenment:
The Witch Panic II
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Scapegoating: Europe was in a cold period, harvests
were often bad, society was in turmoil and old social
niceties were being abandoned. Many sought to blame
witches
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Why Women?: Single women tended to be poor
widows and those who had never married and both had
more independence than women were allowed but also
were poor and vulnerable. Many of the accused were
midwives, which was a socially dangerous job, given so
many babies died
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Witchhunting declines as elites become secularized.
.
Writers and Philosophers:
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616)
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Traditional Spanish literature was obsessed
with Chivalry and Knighthood (King Phillip III
nearly drowned trying to re-enact an Arthurian
Story)
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Cervantes was a realistic soldier
•
Don Quixote was published in halves in 1605
and 1615
– Story of a delusional old would-be Knight
and his peasant squire
– Parodies traditional chivalry
– It ends with him a broken man
Pablo Picasso's Don Quixote
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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Greatest of English Playwrights
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Wrote a mixture of historicals, tragedies,
comedies and English “historicals” (not very
accurate)
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Accepted the culture of his day but sometimes
teased it and examined it
•
Tragedies seen as his greatest: Hamlet,
Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth (1603-6)
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His English Historicals are basically
propaganda for the monarchs who patronized
his work
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
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Mathematician, Philosopher, Theologian
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He fought vs. both skepticism and dogmatism
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Religion had to be based on a leap of faith
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Reason was a tool for the material world
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God was a loving being who would redeem
the undeserving
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Pascal's Wager: It's better to act as if God exists
than gamble he doesn't, as the consequences for
being wrong he exists are not as bad as the ones for
if you gamble he doesn't and you're wrong.
Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)
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Dutch Jewish Philosopher
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God and Nature are one and the same
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Mind and Material are both made out of God
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God's Will rules all
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Human minds may think they control the
world, but they merely observe
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
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Leviathan (1651)
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Hobbes thinks humanity is basically,
fundamentally NASTY
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Only brute force can tame the beasts
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Thus, society must be ruled by a tyrant who
crushes all underfoot to a semblance of
civilization
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Fails totally to explain how this monarch won't
be a hideous beast too.
–
Hobbes preferred Tyranny to the anarchy of
post-Civil Wars England when he wrote this
John Locke (1632-1704)
•
John Locke, by contrast, thought men began
as blank slates and were then shaped by their
experience and upbringing—Blank Slate
Theory: Locke's Essay Concerning Human
Understanding (1690)
•
The best government was not an absolute
monarch, but rather, the legitimacy of all
government flows from the consent of the
governed; they may revoke this in face of
tyranny (Two Treatises of Government
(1690)) and form a new government. A basis
for the American Revolution