Medieval Europe: Urbanization, Trade, and Social Transformation
The End of the 11th Century: A Period of Peace and Innovation
At the end of the 11th century, the number of wars and invasions decreased sharply. This period of peace allowed for technical innovations in agriculture:
- New cultivation methods, such as triennial rotation.
- New farming tools, such as plows, watermills, and windmills.
The Origin of Medieval Cities
From the 11th century, new population centers began to appear. They grew near abbeys, castles, and existing villages. These centers were a focus for trade.
These new urban centers were called burgs, and their inhabitants were called burghers. The position of burgs was important.
What Medieval Cities Were Like
- Medieval cities were protected by high walls.
- Inside the walls, the streets were narrow and unpaved.
- There was usually a large square in the center of the city. This square had the most important public buildings: the cathedral, the town hall, and the marketplace.
- There were also hospitals, schools, and inns; religious buildings, such as churches or convents.
Guilds
Medieval cities became production centers of artisanal products. Artisans that made the same product lived on the same street, which was named after them.
Artisans who made the same products formed guilds, which were made up of apprentices, artisans, and masters. The guilds ensured that all artisans respected the same rules concerning working hours, tools, quality, and price.
The Main Trade Routes
Maritime trade became more important than land trade over long distances. This was because of the increased capacity and speed of ships:
- The Mediterranean route joined the West (Venice, Genoa, Marseilles, and Barcelona) with the Near East and the Byzantine Empire.
- The Atlantic and Baltic (Hansa) route joined the ports of the Iberian Peninsula with northern Europe.
The Appearance of the Bourgeoisie
The growth of cities transformed feudal society. Kings, nobles, and clergy conceded more personal freedom and rights to their subjects. As a result, a new social class was formed: the bourgeoisie.
- The high bourgeoisie were important traders and bankers.
- The petty bourgeoisie were master artisans and small-scale traders.
Other social groups also lived in cities, including nobles, clergy, and peasants. There were also minorities such as Jews.
Jews worked as doctors, moneylenders, or artisans and lived in a separate neighborhood called the Jewish quarter.
City Government and Culture
Cities were governed by magistrates, who worked under the mayor in the areas of finance, order, and justice.
Over time, this resulted in cities being governed by the richest families, who made up a privileged group called the urban patricians.
During the 12th century, the bourgeoisie and the nobles began to develop an appreciation for knowledge.
European Monarchies at War
Some kings provided royal charters to the bourgeoisie, freeing them from the control of feudal lords.
Some European monarchies wanted to consolidate their power and establish clear borders between kingdoms. This led to serious conflicts such as the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) between the kings of England and France.
The Agricultural Crisis
At the beginning of the 14th century, there was a serious agricultural crisis. The crisis was due to a series of bad harvests over a number of years and poor-quality land.
In the middle of the 14th century (1347), the plague (also known as the Black Death) broke out in Europe, causing many deaths.
Revolts in Cities and the Countryside
As the crisis extended across Europe, numerous revolts broke out in cities and in the countryside. These revolts were forcefully suppressed by the nobility, the bourgeoisie, and the kings.
New Architecture
In the middle of the 12th century (1149), a new artistic style emerged in France, which later spread to other parts of Europe. This style was known as the Gothic.
Gothic buildings were taller than Romanesque buildings. Many Gothic buildings were constructed in cities, including palaces, town halls, and especially cathedrals.
Gothic architecture used:
- The pointed arch.
- Large stained-glass windows (the importance of light – cathedral of León).
- Flying buttresses to reinforce the walls.
Definitions
Triennial Rotation: A technique of crop rotation that divides the cultivated area into three equal parts: one for cereals, another for a different type of crop, and the third left fallow (a technique in agriculture where the cultivated land is left unseeded).
Hundred Years’ War: An armed conflict between France and England from 1337 to 1453. Although the English occupied much of France, the war ended with the victory of King Charles VII of France.
Gothic Sculpture: Used to decorate churches and cathedrals. It was more realistic than Romanesque sculpture, and figures were often depicted in scenes.