Decline of Feudalism

King Henry's youngest son, John became king in 1199. He was not a strong leader and lost most of the lands that England controlled in France. He also taxed the barons heavily, ignored their rights and fought with the Catholic church.

In June of 1215, angry nobles forced a meeting with King John. They made him put his seal on the Magna Carta, which means "great charter."

It was an agreement between the nobles and the king.

• observe common law and traditional rights of nobles and the church
• consult the nobles and church leaders before imposing any special taxes
• "no free man" can be jailed without the judgement of his peers (could no longer be imprisoned for no reason - had to be charged with a crime)

*originally protected the rights of nobles, but came to become a foundation for all English peoples' rights

In 1295, Edward I (King John's grandson) gave the people even more say in their government. He put together a MODEL PARLIAMENT - a governing body that included some commoners, Church officials and nobles

The Impact of Political Developments in England

These changes contributed to the decline of feudalism in two ways:

- some strengthened royal authority

- some gave powers/rights to the common people

• Magna Carta gave rights that even the king could not violate
• monarchs should rule with the consent of the governed
• Henry II's reforms increased the role of judges and juries
• the Model Parliament gave people a voice in their government

The Impact of the Black Death.

% of population that died due to the plague

• China - about 50% (1200-1393)
• Europe - about 33% (some historians say more like 50%) estimates of 24 million deaths

Other impacts:

• Trade slowed to a trickle in Afroeurasia
• it dismantled the economic system in Europe
• Less workers meant they were more powerful/valued and could ask for more money
• many peasants moved to the cities to find work
• Peasant revolts - when nobles tired to go back to the old system, riots broke out throughout Europe
• Power shifted from wealthy nobles to the common people

Between 1337 and 1453, England and France fought a series of battles for control over lands in France. Known as the Hundred Years' War this long conflict contributed to the erosion of feudalism in England and in France.

Early English Successes

• French army had heavily armored Knights that could barely move when off their horse
• English had lighter armor, foot soldiers and the LONGBOW - which gave them a huge advantage over the French
• The English paid their soldiers, who were commoners

The French Fight Back

• France modernizes their tactics (with the longbow and paid soldiers)
• Joan of Arc (17 year old peasant girl) helped create a new sense of national unity that brought the French people together to fight the English
• by 1451, the English had been driven out of France

Magna Carta

King John and Magna Carta

The nobles agreed that the King could continue to rule, if he agreed to the following:

Social Changes stemmed from high death rates.

Black Plague - Ted Talk

King Edward I and the Model Parliament

Mass grave of Plague Victims in Venice, Italy

The Hundred Years War

The Impact of the Hundred Years War

Conclusion

• The Hundred Years' War contributed to the decline of feudalism by helping to shift power from feudal lords to monarchs and to common people. During the struggle, monarchs on both sides had collected taxes and raised large professional armies. As a result, kings no longer relied as much on nobles to supply knights for the army.

• In addition, changes in military technology made the nobles' knights and castles less useful. The longbow proved to be an effective weapon against mounted knights. Castles also became less important as armies learned to use gunpowder to shoot iron balls from cannons and blast holes in castle walls.

• The new feeling of nationalism also shifted power away from lords. Previously, many English and French peasants felt more loyalty to their local lords than to their monarch. The war created a new sense of national unity and patriotism on both sides.

• In both France and England, commoners and peasants bore the heaviest burden of the war. They were forced to fight and to pay higher and more frequent taxes. Those who survived the war, however, were needed as soldiers and workers. For this reason, the common people emerged from the conflict with greater influence and power.

Bubonic Plague

Political Events

5.1 Introduction

• Royal court, jury trials, and formally accused
• limited power of monarchy
• model parliament gave people a voice in govt
• Magna Carta

• so many commoners died that they become more valuable
• less workers meant higher wages for those who survived
• serfs left the manors and moved to the cities
• peasant revolts kept things from going back to the feudal ways

Feudalism declined in Europe from the 12th through the 15th centuries.

Hundred Years' War

Three reasons for the decline:

• political changes in England
• disease
• long series of wars

5.2 Political Developments in England

• shifted power from Lords to the Monarchs and common people
• new military technology (longbow) made knights and castles less important
• new sense of nationalism shifted power from local lords to the monarch and common people
• those that survived the war were in greater demand as soldiers and workers

Henry II's Legal Reforms: (1154-1189)

• jury must formally accuse a person of a serious crime
• person would be tried before a royal judge
• Constitution of Clarendon (1164) - took power from the Catholic church by laying out King's rights and that clergy would be tried in royal courts

Decline of Feudalism

Decline of Feudalism