MedievalCitiesHistoryLessonMiddleSchool.pptx

History lesson on medieval cities

1. Medieval Cities/Towns

2. learning objective Discuss if the growth of cities broke with the feudal mentality

3. Understanding the town’s growth Size and Population of Medieval Towns: Medieval towns were small, typically with populations between 2,000 and 10,000, while the largest cities in the 13th century had up to 50,000 inhabitants. Reasons for Town Development: Towns developed for various reasons, including religious purposes with churches or cathedrals as central structures, political functions with town halls governing cities, and economic purposes focused on craft production and commerce. Safety and Security: To attract merchants and ensure the safety of goods, towns were fortified with wooden fences or walls, and gates were locked at night to prevent outsiders from entering. Freedom and Liberty: Towns offered freedom to residents, including runaway villeins who became free if they lived in the town for a year and a day. The development of towns

4. the importance of guilds 01 There were two main types of guilds: merchant guilds and craft guilds. Merchant guilds controlled local trade, monitored foreign merchants, and settled disputes in guild courts. Craft guilds, formed by members of the same trade, ensured product quality and fair pricing, allowing only skilled workers to join. 02 Guilds appointed 'searchers' annually to enforce rules by inspecting goods and practices. Poor-quality work led to fines or expulsion, preventing trade in the town. Guilds also provided social support, aiding sick members, assisting families of deceased craftspeople, and contributing to the church and town. 03 Guilds amassed wealth and power, playing a vital role in regulating trade, maintaining standards, and supporting members economically and socially. Their influence extended into the political realm of medieval towns. In the Middle Ages, there were no factories, so craftspeople set up stalls outside their homes to make and sell goods. They organized into guilds, which were crucial for regulation and support.

5. The Growth of the cities Factors Driving Town Growth: The growth in trade, general population increase, and the positive attitudes of those benefiting from this growth contributed to the significant increase in the number and size of towns in the later Middle Ages. Townspeople sought bigger markets and more income, requiring charters from landowners to hold markets and raise taxes. Economic Impact of Charters: Kings, lords, and bishops sold charters to towns, generating significant income. An example is Stratford upon Avon, which transformed from a small hamlet to a market town with tax-raising powers, increasing both the town's and the Bishop of Worcester's wealth, and fostering political independence for townspeople. Political Independence and the Bourgeoisie: In northern Italy and Flanders, towns gained increasing independence from feudal overlords. Influential families and guild leaders exercised power based on commerce rather than land ownership, giving rise to a new class of powerful citizens, the burghers or bourgeoisie, including prominent merchant and banking families like the Medici, Fugger, and Coeur. Revival of Trade: The eleventh-century control of the eastern Mediterranean by Normans and Italians, along with the First Crusade, revived trade with the Near East. Luxury goods were transported from the East to Europe via Arab vessels and then through Venetian, Genoese, and Pisan merchants, leading to the self-governance of many towns by 1200.

6. universities Emergence of University Towns 01 In the 12th century, university towns developed to meet the demand for secular education, driven by kings and nobles, which began to reduce the church's influence. 02 03 Structure and Mobility: Charters and Independence: Universities operated as guilds of learners without campuses, holding classes in hired rooms or religious houses, and could move to different towns if mistreated. Universities like Bologna, Paris, Salamanca, and Oxford received charters from popes and kings, granting them self-government and legal rights, including exemption from local jurisdiction.

7. 1. Describe the three reasons why towns became established. 2. Explain carefully why the medieval guild was so important to the medieval town. 3. Explain why universities weakened the church.

8. Did the growth of cities break with the feudal mentality?