Transcript Chapter 12 Part 4
Life of the People
Chapter 12-4
Marriage
Most important consideration: Economics Marriages were arranged by parents for ALL classes A girl who married without parental consent was shunned by family Unwed pregnancies did happen but marriage was encouraged by all community Children were economically important
Marriage
Most married within their own village and within their own station Needed permission of the Lord of the manor Needed to pay lord a fine: Merchet Parish priest had to publish Banns three weeks in a row (notifying possible objectors) Parents needed to make financial settlement Dowries even for the poor
Marriage
Most marriages in the summer or harvest Discouraged during the holy days Women expected to work in the fields with husbands…were true partners in the relationship Wealthy women had great responsibilities Marriage age depended more on economics than anything else
Marriage
Men in the 30’s (had to AFFORD a wife) Women usually 20’s but some as early as 12.
Marriage was for life: no divorce, some annulments (a Catholic sacrament) No big party: met at Church door with witnesses and exchanged vows with Priest’s blessing Private weddings occurred but rife with problems
Prostitution
Not respectable but considered necessary as many men had to wait to marry Legal and regulated by local authorities Large urban centers had red light districts Rules: Prostitutes had to live in certain areas, had defined hours of business, had to wear some identifying article of clothing, were barred from business if they had “the burning sickness”
Work
Most worked on collective land holdings Called the Open Field System Church calendar coincided with cycle of crops Priests blessed land Parish celebrations of good harvests Peasants had universal hatred of obligations to lord of the manor
Guilds
Had replaced the Hansiatic League (during middle ages, German towns and tradesmen monopolized trade in Northern Europe) 13 th Century Guildsmen in urban areas better off than agricultural workers 14 th Century guilds still exclusive in spite of lack of population Most important thing: a monopoly of product
Guilds
Had high initiation fees, long apprenticeships, passed on to families, ethnic considerations, women usually excluded… BUT no age restrictions Guilds took care of sick members, old, widows BUT journeymen put in many years before becoming a Master (only then could they sell their product. Had to create a masterpiece to certain high standards to be judged by other masters AND there had to be an opening…#’s were controlled by the guild)
Guild Problems
As the population increased guilds grew too large Many masters did not even know their won journeymen Fewer slots for new masters = Frustration, strikes, riots Many in towns joined in with peasant revolts Also…ethnic issues
Crime
After the Hundred Years’ War no more looting Nobles needed $. Entertainment was costly Many were on fixed incomes So they engaged in Fur Collar Crime: generally nonviolent. Kidnapping, robbery, extortion Juries and witnesses were intimidated Nobles were the local judges
Crime
Abused peasants had no recourse So riots and peasant revolts Central authorities not strong enough to deal with peasant revolts Peasants burned castles, raped, looted, killed and DESTROYED RECORDS (who had paid special taxes, fees, feudal obligations, etc.) Biggest Peasant revolt in England 1381: Lollards, Wyclif, Ball
Peasant Revolts
Nobles had to band together to crush revolts Were everywhere: England, France, Germany, Spain Eastern Europe Underlying issues were never dealt with After the Plague: peasants demanded (and got) higher wages (Western Europe) Parliament failed in an effort to freeze wages Statute of Laborers: an attempt to freeze wages
Entertainment
Everyone enjoyed bear baiting, bull baiting, public drunkenness, public executions BUT only the elite nobility: jousting, tournaments, archery contests Church holidays and festivals Laity took increasing control over Church maintenance, building, lands, finances
Race Relations
Before the plague, Legal Dualism: Ethnic groups were permitted to practice own customs, religious beliefs, language, law, etc. regardless of where they lived Example: Mudejars (Muslims) in Spain One Big Exception: The Irish The problem was not rooted in religious difference English were always racist toward the Irish
The Irish Problem
1210 The Statue of Kilkenny issued by King John No English/Irish marriage Widows could not inherit from husbands All Church offices to English Irish could not sue English in court English did not even have to show up in court Killing an Irishman not even a felony Banned from guilds and civil office
The Irish
Lived in ditches Lost all land to the English and had to pay rent to minority absentee land owners Still issues today
Racism
By second ½ of 14 th century racism everywhere Migration of ethnic groups due to the plague caused economic…then racial tension Also big competition for Church offices Mudejars expelled from Spain Guilds more exclusive: members had to prove both sets of grandparents belonged to regional ethnic group
Racism
Laws and restrictions were made to protect interests of the natives Big problems between Poles, Germans, Bohemians The Dalimil Chronicles: a history of Bohemia with much German-bashing Conflict got worse with rising Bohemian nationalism
Racism especially prominent when it came to Church offices
Polish Archbishop Swinka routinely called Germans Dogheads Bohemian Archbishop Drazic founded a friary that would only admit Bohemians who could prove both parents were Bohemian Bishop John of Cracow (German?) tried to expel Poles from the region and refused to appoint any Poles to Church offices
Rising Nationalism
The increase of vernacular literature contributed In Eastern Europe, nationalism was a response to German migration Much translation of religious material from Latin to the vernacular Eastern Europeans DID NOT reject all Western literature (ie. Tales of Knights and Chivalry)
Vernacular Literature
Middle Ages: Latin and Church themed (though some Chivalric tales) Example: Thomas Aquinas & Summa Theologica: never completed but a guideline or summary of important Church teachings combined with rational thinking By 14 th Century, vernacular literature on the rise: Dante, Chaucer, Villion, de Pisan
Vernacular Literature
Dante (1265-1321) Chose Tuscan Italian to write
The Divine Comedy
Trilogy in verse form Homer the guide A Christian work but critical
Vernacular Literature
Chaucer (1340-1400) Canterbury Tales Written in verse Stories told by Pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land Used Middle English
Vernacular Literature
François Villon 1431-1463 wrote
The Grand Testament Ballad of the Hanged Man
Was the most prolific French writer of the time Was the greatest poet of Medieval France Was a gang member and murderer Not just common language but VERY common
Vernacular Literature
Christine de Pisan
The Book of the 3 Virtues
The City of the Ladies
Was raised at French Court Father was court astronomer Husband died and had to support children Queen of France was her benefactor
Literacy:
increased in response to the needs of commerce and government
13 th C. Only some Church officials 14 th C. nobles and merchants: needed wills, inventories, books # of schools increased More non-noble, non-Church government workers Girls in convent schools: more reading than writing
The Arts
Medieval Art generally religious or Chivalric Architecture: 800-1100 Romanesque: Churches with round arches, heavy roofs, dark, thick walls and pillars, few small windows 1100’s Gothic: Tall Structures, vaulted ceilings, stained glass, light, airy pointed arches and tall spires Flying Buttresses supported walls 1170-1270 500+ Churches built in Gothic style