11.37 Recovery: Forms of Renewal and Rebuilding II – Western Europe

Political & Economic Rivalries in Western Europe

• Not unified under one political leader or structure 

• After the height of the black death, Europe keeps losing it population 

end of manorialism/feudalism/serfdom 

• This unravels after the black death 

• Labor was in high demand after the black death 

• Serfs abandons lords and found new jobs in the towns 

• Serfdom virtually disappeared in western Europe in the 15 century 

• End of the era of lords and vassals, mid evil europe 

rival monarchies (in Western Europe) 

• This replaces feudalism 

• Confederation of territories under an elected emperor 

  1. the major players 

  • England and France  

Granada/Spain 

• Spain = Ferdinand or Aragon + Isabella of Castile in 1469 (they marry and create Spain)  

  • Wanted to rule over a Christian world 

• Granada = last piece of the Muslim world, falls in 1492  

Italian city-states 

• Venice, Florence, Genoa 

• Connected to trade 

• Venice = used ottomans ships for trade 

• Med Sea trade made Italian city states wealthy 

• City created banking systems because they had all this money and didn’t know what to do with it 

• First to be hit by the black death, also recovered faster from the pandemic than elsewhere in western Europe 

  • Due to trade and wealth from their connections 

the Renaissance 

• "rebirth" 

• Time when classical past from Greece and Rome was recovered by writers and artist and created the beginning of the modern individuals 

• Importance of human reason 

• Emphasizes secular learning (ancient Greece and roman text, architecture) 

Humanism 

• going forwards by going back 

• Needed to know Latin and ancient Greek 

• Believed they were in a new modern age 

  • Saw themselves shaping into classical society 

• Recover and study classical texts and art work 

• Humanist made an argument, so convincing about education that people still believe it today 

Art

• Applies to Christians and classical Greeks 

• Fits more to how they see themselves now  

money and urban culture 

• Renaissance started in Italy because of wealth and city-states 

• Produces goods to sell 

• Italy was the economic center of Europe 

• City states: competitive, breed urban rivalry, high culture is in demand 

comparing Ottoman Empire and Western Europe 

Western Europe is about different competing monarchs & city states that are all rivals with each other, that are rules by Christians and not tolerant of other religions