Chapter 1 Notes: The Late Middle Ages (1300–1453)

Total disaster: This super awful plague hit Europe during the Late Middle Ages (1347
–1350).
Pre-conditions: Europe was already struggling with too many people, not enough food, and everyone was kinda sick.
Death toll: It killed, like, $rac{2}{5}$ (that's 40%!) of everyone in Western Europe!
What they thought: People had no clue why it was happening! They blamed everything from stinky air to Jewish communities – super unscientific and wrong.
Consequences (immediate):
- Prices for farm stuff went down, but manufactured goods got super expensive.
- Rich landowners in the countryside struggled, but people in cities (especially nobles) actually kinda benefited per capita.
- Trade groups in cities got way more powerful.
- Kings used the chaos to get more power and centralize their governments.

Not actually 100 years: It was 116 years (1337
–1453), but active fighting was only for 44 of those years.
Reasons for the drama:
- England owning parts of France (so rude!).
- France helping Scotland fight England.
- A big fight over Flanders, which was important for trade.
- The English King Edward III thought he should also be the King of France – total power grab!
Early chaos: France had way more people and money, but their leaders were a mess, so England totally won a lot at first.
Turning point: Joan of Arc showed up and totally hyped up the French, making them feel super nationalistic and helping them kick England out.
Outcome (by 1453): England was basically left with just one tiny spot in France called Calais. France got almost all its territory back.
What it meant: This war totally made both French and English people feel like they were part of a strong nation, and their kings got even more powerful.

Pope problems: The Pope in the 13th century was trying to be the ultimate boss, but kings were pushing back.
Boniface VIII vs. Philip the Fair: Pope Boniface VIII tried to tell the King of France what to do, and the king literally sent an army to beat him up! Boniface survived, but his power was super weak.
Avignon Papacy (aka Babylonian Captivity) (1309 –1377): The Pope moved to Avignon, France, and was basically under the control of the French kings. It was a huge scandal for the Church.
The Great Schism (1378 –1417): Things got even crazier when there were, like, TWO Popes at once (one in Rome, one in Avignon) – everyone was confused!
- Conciliar Movement: Some people thought a council should run the Church instead of just the Pope, but the Pope eventually got his power back.
Challenging the Pope: People like John Wycliffe in England and John Huss in Bohemia argued that kings should have more power than the Pope. Huss even got burned at the stake for his ideas, which caused big revolts!
Major takeaway: The Church went through a really tough time, and its authority was questioned a lot, laying the groundwork for future religious changes.

Early days: Russia became Christian in the 800s thanks to Byzantine missionaries, and Kiev was the main cultural hub.
Mongol takeover: The Mongols took over around 1243 and ruled until 1480, totally shaping Russia's political structure and taxes.
Moscow rises: Moscow started becoming super important, especially after 1380, when the Russians actually beat the Mongols in a battle.
New power: Over the next century, Moscow became the central power, uniting Russian areas and eventually kicking the Mongols out completely.
Mongol legacy: Even though they were a pain, the Mongols influenced Russia's government, military, and created Moscow as the central capital.

What We Covered

Learning objectives: Recap of the social/economic impacts of the Black Death, how the Hundred Years' War helped national identity, how secular rulers challenged the Pope, and how Mongol rule shaped Russia.
Lecture topics: How disease totally changed history (Black Death), price changes, trade issues, and how kings got more power. Also, the super messy relationship between the Church and State (Avignon, Schism, corruption).
Cool visuals: Saw pictures of flagellants, plague burials, the creepy Dance of Death, Edward III paying homage, Joan of Arc (legend!), Pope Boniface VIII's declarations, Huss before his trial, and Mongol stuff (even a Mongol passport!). Maps showed the Black Death's spread and the Hundred Years' War.
Old documents: Read stuff from Bocaccio (Black Death), Wycliffe (anti-Pope ideas), Pope Boniface VIII's 'Unam Sanctam' (pope power!), Vladimir of Kiev (Christianity), Huss's ideas, and the John Ball Sermon (peasant revolt!).
Things to think about: Why rulers picked sides during the Great Schism, how our view of the plague has changed, John Ball's Adam and Eve remarks, Boniface VIII's claims, the Avignon papacy's impact, how the Church dealt with powerful kings, and the Mongols' influence on Russia.
More help: Web links, MyHistoryLab assignments, and interactive maps for deeper dives into the Black Death, Hundred Years' War, and Great Schism.

Key Figures and Terms (Quick Recap!)

Boniface VIII (r. 1294 –1303): The Pope who got into a fight with the French king and tried to be super powerful with his 'Unam Sanctam' order.
Clement V (r. 1305 –1314): The Pope who basically moved the papacy to Avignon – scandal!
Avignon Papacy (1309 –1377): That time when the Pope was living in France and was basically controlled by the French kings.
Great Schism (1378 –1417): When there were, like, multiple Popes at once, dividing everyone's loyalty.
Conciliar Movement (to 1449): The idea that Church councils should have more power than the Pope – a big challenge to papal authority.
John Wycliffe (England): Smart guy who argued that kings should be more powerful than the Pope.
John Huss (Bohemia): Another reform leader who got executed in 1415 for his anti-papal ideas, causing revolts.
Marsilius of Padua: Argued that emperors should have more power than the Pope – big deal for church vs. state debates.
Joan of Arc: The ultimate French hero who totally inspired the French army and helped them win the Hundred Years' War!
Vladimir of Kiev (989): The guy who brought Christianity to Russia.
Mongol Rule (1243 –1480): The long period when the Mongols dominated Russia, influencing its politics and eventually leading to Moscow's