Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
From The Middle Ages to The Modern Age - Coggle Diagram
From The Middle Ages to The Modern Age
Society and the Feudal economy
The basic structure of society was the same as in the Middle Ages
Social groups were divided according to privileges
The three estates of the realm
At the very top of the social system was the king
His power and position depended largely
On the powerful privileged estates (the nobles and the clergy)
Each social group played a particular role in society.
The three estates
Common people
Mostly peasants, but also craftsmen, traders...
No justice system of their own
Judged by their lords, if they lived on a feudal manor, or by the king, if they lived in the realeng
They paid taxes
To support the privileged estates and the monarchy
The clergy
Had the social and spiritual function
Looking after the souls of people
They enjoy privileges
Collecting tithes for their own benefit
Administering justice
They did not pay taxes to the king, unless it was accepted in the courts
High-born members of the clergy could be feudal lords and have feudal manors
The nobles
Did not work
They considered manual labour beneath them
Only the king or other nobles could judge
Not pay taxes to the king unless it was agreed on in the parliaments and courts
The lords of feudal manors
They collected taxes from
The inhabitants
Administered justice
Collective privileges: cities
They enjoyed the main type of collective privileges
The city council was in charge of exercising these privileges
Monarchs and their kingdoms
The political system was organised in the same way as society
Power was very fragmented and disputed between monarchs, privileged estates and cities
Political and social conflict
Was common
Armed conflict between nobles
Violence between groups of citizens
Estate courts and parliaments
Endured where the monarchs and the privileged groups in their kingdoms
Could negotiate peacefully under the king’s authority
Monarchies of the 16th century
Most Europeans lived in kingdoms like Portugal, England and France
Some kingdoms joined together under the same ruler to create
Composite monarchies
Made up of equal kingdoms that maintained their own laws and institutions
Independent political entities
That acted like kingdoms, although they were not
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity with little internal cohesion
The title of Emperor offered more prestige than real power, because the many territories in the Empire were very independent.
Basic traits of a new era
Although there were some similarities with the Middle Ages, the Modern Age did represent a big step forward for Europe
Changes in
Culture
New artistic styles appeared, including Renaissance art and architecture
There were also new cultural movements, such as Humanism
Culture reached more people than ever, thanks to the revolutionary invention of the printing press
Economy
Craft, trade and financial activities experienced a huge boom
Agriculture and livestock farming continued to be the main economic activities
Religion
Intolerance with great persecution of Jews and Muslims
Wars between Christians due to the emergence of denominations
Social
The third estate became more diverse and complex, as a result of urban growth
The bourgeoisie acquired influence and wealth, and salaried work increased
Demographic recovery after the drop in population
Political
The system of privileges and institutions did not disappear, monarchies gained power
The royal courts became more powerful
People from the nobility, the clergy and the bourgeoisie
Involved in government
The factors behind geographical discovery
Demographic factors
After the demographic stagnation of the Late Middle Ages, the population went through a period of growth
This increased the demand for precious metals and products from the East
Political and religious factors
There was religious rivalry with Islam, which was reinforced by the Ottomans
The conflict was particularly noticeable in the Iberian kingdoms
Economic factors
Europeans needed gold and silver to produce coins
They also depended on products from the East, such as silk and spices.
Sociological factors
The spirit of the Renaissance inspired people to discover and explore
Books like The Travels of Marco Polo acted as inspiration
The 15th and 16th centuries are known for the geographical discoveries made through sea voyages
There were several factors in Europe at that time that led people to explore the world
Scientific and technical factors
Advances were made in navigation with new ships
Many geographers also started to believe that the world was round and not flat
The Modern Age
In Europe, from the 15th to the 18th centuries, there was a certain continuity
Some things stayed the same as in the medieval period
The period after the Middle Ages
