High and Low Middle Ages: A Comparative Overview
Differences in High and Low Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages were marked by the shock of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 410 AD when the Goths, led by Odoacer, invaded Rome. This event shattered the Roman imperial order and ushered in an era of barbarian (Germanic) migrations, a process that had been occurring peacefully since the first and second centuries. Among the nobles, one emerged as the most powerful, becoming the king and commanding the most respect, a system that laid the groundwork for feudalism. An example of this can be seen in the legend of the Knights of the Round Table. Unlike the Roman Empire, power was not imposed but rather based on personal allegiance and tribute.
The Christian church in the High Middle Ages sought to preserve the structures of the Roman Empire, including the Bishop of Rome as Pope. The idea of the Roman Empire persisted, and there was a desire to revive its former glory. St. Augustine, who died in 430 AD, played a key role in this period. His writings, particularly The City of God, were influential throughout the Middle Ages. He introduced the distinction between the church (terrestrial state) and the state (spiritual), a concept that was novel to both Judaism and Islam and became fundamental in the West.
St. Augustine summarized the root of all human benefits as two basic things: trade and writing. He believed these were the keys to human development, not education. However, the religious ideal of helping the needy and the pursuit of trade were often seen as incompatible.
Low Middle Ages
The cities of the late Middle Ages became key drivers of European trade, marking the origin of Europe as we know it. The Crusades, another defining feature of the early Middle Ages, were a series of religious and commercial military campaigns. Initiated at the request of Pope Urban II, these campaigns took place between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries and aimed to conquer the Holy Land from Muslim control. The Crusades were motivated by the expansionist interests of the feudal nobility, the desire to control trade with Asia, and the papacy’s ambition to exert dominance over the monarchies and churches of the East.
The First Crusade, launched in 1099, resulted in the conquest of Jerusalem. Two prominent orders emerged in Jerusalem: the Hospitalers and the Templars. The Hospitalers, as their name suggests, were initially a charitable group that cared for sick and weary pilgrims. The Templars, on the other hand, amassed significant economic power and controlled trade routes across Europe. Founded in the twelfth century, this religious order was destroyed in the fourteenth century after being accused of heresy and excommunicated by the Pope and King Louis IX of France. Their possessions were subsequently transferred to other orders, notably the Franciscans and other military orders.
The late Middle Ages witnessed a substantial population increase due to improved agricultural production, which in turn led to a rise in land trade through medieval fairs and markets. However, the fourteenth century brought the devastating Black Death, a pandemic believed to be an outbreak of bubonic plague. Originating in the East, it swept through Europe, killing a third of the population in just three or four years. Although health resources were limited, the plague struck at the height of European growth, significantly impacting population growth and the economy.
The Black Death coincided with peasant agrarian revolutions in Castile and uprisings against the Jews. Jews were often blamed for spreading the plague and faced persecution and violence. Ironically, many Jews served as doctors, pharmacists, and lenders within their communities.
Within the church, disagreements and conflicts persisted, particularly with the German emperor. The Western Schism arose, resulting in three simultaneous Popes: one in Rome, one in Avignon, and Pope Luna in Peñíscola. Throughout the Middle Ages, the church aimed to resurrect the Roman Empire and exert control over the souls of the faithful. In imitation of Roman emperors like Augustus, the Pope of Rome adopted the title of Pontifex Maximus.
Europe experienced a series of conflicts during this period, including the Hundred Years’ War, a dynastic struggle between England and France. The English monarchs, with origins in western France, sought to reclaim their French territories. The war ultimately ended with a French victory, thwarting the ambitions of the English kings.
Despite these challenges, the Middle Ages remained a period of significant economic prosperity, although Spain lagged behind due to its focus on the Reconquista.