Unit 2: Networks of Trade

Middle Ages - Trading in Towns

Merchants emerged with new industry, referred to as Burghers, became politically powerful

• Towns often formed alliances with each other

• Hanseatic League

Hanseatic League (1358)

Trade alliance though northern Europe to drive toward nationhood, increase social mobility and flexibility

Middle Ages Architecture

Romanesque to Gothic - especially reflected in cathedrals

• Flying buttresses: tall windows and vaulted ceilings

• Often had art and sculpture, music

Scholasticism

Growth of education and knowledge - founding of universities for men

• philosophy, law, medicine study

• ideas of Muslims and Greeks - came in conflict with religion

Crusades (11-14th century)

Military campaigns by European Christians to convert Muslims and non-Christians, combat religious questioning, Heresies

Heresies

religious practices/beliefs not conforming to traditional church doctrine

Pope Innocent III

issued strict decrees on church doctrine - frequently persecuted heretics and Jews, unsuccessful 4th crusade

Pope Gregory IX

• Inquisition: formal interrogation and prosecution of perceived heretics with punishments like excommunication, torture, execution

• church often referred to as Universal Church or Church Militant

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Christian theologian who made advancements in Christian thought - faith and reason aren’t in conflict

What led to urbanization in the Middle Ages?

Trade - cities usually were around trade routes

• Silk Road cities were the most populous - Baghdad, Merv, Chang’an

• Constantinople, Paris, Italian City-States

Mongols

set of tribes and clans that were superb horseman and archers

Genghis Kahn

unified the tribes in Mongolia in the early 1200s to expand their authority over other societies - first invaded China in 1234

Mongol Empire

panned from Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe - spit into hordes after death of Genghis Kahn, ruthless warriors destroying cities but remained peaceful after settling into cities

Golden Mongol Horde

conquered modern-day Russia

Kublai Kahn

Genghis Kahn’s successor - ruled China

Mongol Culture

Didn’t really have a set culture - didn’t enforce religion or way of life on conquered nations, but didn’t make any cultural advancements

Timur Lang

Mongol leader who took over India and destroyed everything - grew Islam in the nation

Mongol Leadership

If any residents of society the Mongols took over resisted, they would immediately kill them, so most had no choice but to give in - they were ruthless fighters, organized and mobile

Impact of Mongols

• Great diffusers of culture

• Prevented Russia from culturally developing

• World trade, cultural diffusion, global awareness grew as they spread through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia

Song Dynasty in China

bureaucratic system built on merit and civil service examination creating a lot of loyal government workers, improved transportation and communication and business practices

• Kept China stable and retained focus on Confucian principles

Song Dynasty Industrialism

• improved literacy with printed books from early form of movable type which increased productivity and growth

• Had some of the largest cities in the world and a powerful navy

• Utilized gunpowder, magnetic compass, advanced ships

• Their iron production between 800-1100 rivalled the British production centuries later

Rise of Trade

Trade exploded from 1200-1450

• Improved with better transportation and monetary systems

Main Global Trade Routes

1. The Hanseatic League

2. The Silk Road

3. The land routes of the Mongols

4. Trade between China and Japan

5. Trade between India and Persia

6. The Trans-Saharan trade routes between west Africa and the Islamic Empire

Bubonic Plague

started in Asia in the 14th century and carried by merchants - killed about 1/3 people in England

Indian Ocean Trade

• Dominated by Persians and Arabs - western India to Persian Gulf to eastern Africa

• Great Zimbabwe: trading empire in Africa from 11th to 15th centuries

Silk Road

• China to Mediterranean cultures in early days of Roman Empire and from 1200 to 1600

• Cultural exchange through travellers stopping at trade towns - Kashgar, Samarkand

• Silk, porcelain, paper, religion, food, military technologies

Hanseatic League

• Made up of over 100 cities

• Created substantial middle class in northern Europe

• Set precedent for large, European trading operations

Expansion of Religion and Empire

Both natural spread of religion through contact over trade and intentional diffusion through missionary work or religious war - often caused conflicts between opposing cultures

Other Reasons People Were on the Move

1. Ran out of room in certain places, but cities were always increasing in size as opportunities grew in them

2. New cities and empires drew people in

3. Muslim pilgrimages

Xuanzang

Chinese Buddhist monk who travelled through T’ang Dynasty to India to explore Buddhism

Marco Polo

merchant from Venice who travelled to China and Europe

Ibn Battuta

Islamic traveler who travelled through Islamic world to India to China

Margery Kemp

English Christian who travelled through Europe and Holy Land