Jeremy Keeshin

Focus Question 7
The changes in medieval society were due greatly to the Hundred Years’ War, the

Black Death, and the increasing corruption of the church, which together impacted the

role of feudalism as the main governing system. The Hundred Year’s War was caused

when King Philip VI of France seized Gascony, which in turn caused King Edward III of

England to declare war. The English won the Battle of Crécy and the Battle of Agincourt,

but their lack of numbers disabled them from winning the whole war. Joan of Arc, the

daughter of peasants, convinced the French king to allow her into battle. She brought

reassurance back to the French and they ended up winning the war.

Before this time knights were the main source of military power. However, this

war was not won by knights, but by peasant foot soldiers using the longbow. The

longbow was an important advance in weaponry because it allowed a greater striking

distance and quicker firing speed. The longbow used by the English in the Battles at

Crécy and Agincourt allowed them to take victory although greatly outnumbered.

Another significant weapon that eventually led to the triumph of the French was the

cannon, which was viable because of gunpowder. The Hundred Years’ War undermined

feudalism because the whole foundation of feudalism rested on knights, and when

knights were no longer necessary, neither was feudalism.

Another factor that catalyzed change in medieval society was the Black Death.

The disease was the Bubonic Plague, and it spread along trade routes. The death rate was

dreadfully high and overall a total of 19 to 38 million people died from the plague.

Flagellants, people who beat themselves, went around causing chaos. Many members of

the clergy failed to perform the sacraments, and this caused religious doubt. The Black

Death also caused Anti-Semitism. Jews were blamed of poisoning wells and were burnt
 Jeremy Keeshin
Focus Question 7
because the feudal lords owed them money. The Black Death put the economy of this

time in a state of entropy. The economy of the feudal system was manorialism, and this

whole structure was destabilized. Because of all of the deaths, there were more jobs than

people, and serfs started negotiating with lords, and then the serfs were freed of serfdom.

Also the as the population went down, the demand for food and the prices went down,

and landlords were stuck in a difficult position.

The other aspect that changed medieval society was the decline of the Church.

Pope Gregory XI died in 1378 and then Pope Urban VI was elected in Rome. After this

election was declared invalid, Pope Clement VII was chosen by the French and was

moved to Avignon. The two popes labeled the other as Antichrist and started a division

within the church in what was known as the Great Schism. Then Pope Alexander V was

elected as a compromise between the split. This conflict amongst the popes was not

solved until 1417, and up until then, faith in the church, as well as power, was lost. In

addition to this, the clergy behavior worsened, and the introduction of the Inquisition

only helped add to the frustration with the church. The actions of the church at this time

changed the way the rest of society viewed them in a negative direction.

The downfall of the Church, the Black Death, and the Hundred Years’ War all

combined to affect medieval society. Since there was only a limited amount of power,

whenever the nobles would lose power, it would go to the kings, and vise versa. As

feudalism was declining the royalty came to power in what was called new monarchies.

In France, the Hundred Years’ War developed a sense of nationalism that enabled the king

to gain power and use the taille, the annual land and property tax. The declining image of

the church, the plague, and the war, together altered medieval society.