ABB108 Spatial Histories

ORIGINS OF THE MIDDLE AGES

• Collapse of the Western Roman empire by the 5th century - no common languages, less security, retreat of culture

• Economic and political crisis gripped Europe following collapse - a power and security vacuum.

• "Dark ages" mark transitional period characterised by a retreat from multiculturalism of the Romans, and from their pragmatic approach to science and knowledge (one of a number of transitional periods that usually accompany the collapse of an empire

• Deurbanization

MAJOR CHANGES OF THE MIDDLE AGES

• Trading networks and urban infrastructure declined between the 5th and 8th centuries.

• Emergence of decentralised kingdoms.

• Decay of cities and development of a rural society on the ruins of the Roman urban empire, which formed the basis of the feudal system.

FEUDAL SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE MIDDLE AGES

• Period characterized by feudalism: strict and often inflexible social hierarchy.

• Dominated by a warrior aristocracy which ruled over masses of peasants.

• Feudalism based on: lords, vassals and fiefs.

• Conservatism and violence as a response to uncertainty.

The feudal world and space

• Land ownership - extensive holdings on the part of the aristocracy and church.

• Peasants practising a mix of private and communal land ownership

• Land = power

• Ability to amass and successfully defend resource-producing land was the key to power in this epoch and was a defining force in shaping the nature of the landscape.

• Sometimes, urbanisation was deliberately promoted by feudal proprietors

CHURCH AND STATE OF THE MIDDLE AGES

• The Catholic Church played a major unifying role in medieval Europe

• Feudalism as a form of social organisation was founded on the welding together of the power of the church and state.

• In fact the nature of society was often explained as being an expression of divine will.

• Importance of Church scholarship and of Latin as a common language of power.

MIDDLE AGES: CITIES AND TOWNS

• At the end of the 10th century Europe began to undergo an economic renaissance (high Middle Ages) due to a gradually stabilising political environment.

• Among the major changes:

  • Population growth, from 22 million in 950 to 55 million in 1350

  • Increase in agricultural production

  • Industrial and commercial renewal (beginning of mercantilism).

MIDDLE AGES: LAYOUT OF MEDIEVAL CITIES

Three basic patterns of the medieval towns:

• Rectangular system of block platting inherited from the old Roman layout, sometime altered by the building of a citadel or monastery.

• Organic and informal layout, with an irregular, unplanned and complex street system.

• New towns (military and economic outposts) designed according to a strict checkboard, with an open central place.

MIDDLE AGES: CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDIEVAL CITIES

• Small in size - due to need for defensible perimeter

• Houses built on several floors and facing out to the public area - as opposed to an internal courtyard.

• Complex layout of public areas, due to the fact that they had to accommodate different authorities and were 'planned' in a generally ad-hoc manner.

 

• Medieval cities traditionally had several centres e.g. religious, commercial and were divided into different quarters (polycentric)

• Social hierarchy was reflected in the built environment, with wealthy living in the centre, near important buildings, and the poorest population in the outer districts, or outside the city walls themselves.

 

• Were surrounded by walls to defend them from the outside world.

• Often too small to accommodate increasing population.

• New walls were built to protect settlements outside the existing walls.

• This process of expansion means that some cities possessed several sets of walls.

• The nature of the walls changed as offensive siege weapons became more powerful and sophisticated.

 

• Balance of power between the aristocracy, the church and the merchants - which was fluid and often violently contested

• Privileged political entities, with laws formulated for the benefit of the people concentrated within the city walls.

• City government included councils and magistrates

• In addition to civil authorities, the church authorities also had their say.

• Existence of ethnic and religious ghettoes within cities.

• Generally functional but a s religious strife and conservatism increased, frequently the scene of terrible atrocities, particularly against Jewish or Roma minorities or sects such as the Cathars that were regarded as heretical.

MIDDLE AGES: THE DECAY OF THE FEUDAL ORDER

• The unforeseen consequences of the crusades - new ideas, the growth of trade and banking and interaction and trade with the Islamic empires that existed to the South.

• Increasing rates of new inventions e.g. artesian wells.

• The rise of the new middle classes - with different priorities and interests, and subsequent contest for power with existing establishments such as the Church and aristocracy,

 

• The 'black death' as a social leveller - demand for labour made blatant exploitation more difficult and changed the balance of power.

• Rise in power of guilds, particularly those associated with trade and shipping - something that is reflected in the status they occupy in the built environment.

• The fracturing of Christianity and subsequent violence and warfare that was to stretch on in Europe for hundreds of years.