Medieval Cities: Growth & Governance

• This was a period of prosperity and change in Europe during the High Middle Ages (11th-13th centuries)

General Characteristics of Medieval Cities

• Agricultural improvements led to increased production, population growth, and trade
• Cities grew and became economic and cultural centers
• The bourgeoisie, a new social class of merchants and craftsmen, emerged in cities
• Kings gained power over nobles with the bourgeoisie's economic support

Political Organization

• Parliaments emerged in the 12th century, replacing the Curia Regis with broader assemblies
• England: Parliament
• Spain: Cortes
• France: États Généraux
• Holy Roman Empire: Diet
• Kings granted "charters of liberty" to cities, giving them autonomy

City Governance

• Initially controlled by feudal lords
• Cities gained self-governance through Communal Councils (Concejo Municipal)
• Members elected by citizens, presided over by a mayor
• Over time, governance fell to wealthy families (urban patriciate)

Urban Culture

• Education expanded beyond the clergy due to the growth of cities and trade
• Schools and universities were founded

Agricultural Progress (11th-13th Centuries)

• Introduction of tools and techniques led to agricultural progress
• Mouldboard plough, watermills, triennial crop rotation, metal horseshoes, and horse collars were used
• Increased agricultural production and improved nutrition rates
• Population growth occurred, from 36 million in the 11th century to 80 million in the 14th century
• Cultivated land expanded, and trade and cities revived

The New Urban Society

• The bourgeoisie was formed by craftsmen and traders
• High bourgeoisie: Rich merchants, bankers, and guild masters controlled city governance
• Petite bourgeoisie: Small traders, journeymen, apprentices, and servants
• Craftsmen worked in small workshops, often on streets named after their trades
• Guilds: Associations of craftsmen regulating production, prices, and quality, and providing social support

Guild Structure

• Mastercraftsmen: Owned workshops and tools
• Journeymen: Skilled workers who earned wages
• Apprentices: Young men learning the trade for at least 7 years without pay

Medieval Christian Art

Pre-Romanesque Art

• Asturian Art (8th-9th centuries) utilized semicircular arches, barrel vaults, and buttresses
• Example: Santa María del Naranco (Oviedo)
• Mozarabic Art (10th century) was influenced by Arab art, using horseshoe arches and wooden roofs
• Example: San Miguel de la Escalada (León)

Romanesque Art (11th-12th centuries)

• Used thick walls, few windows, dark interiors, semicircular arches, barrel vaults, and Latin cross plans
• Example: Santa María de Taüll (Lleida)
• Painting and sculpture had religious themes and didactic purposes with rigid and symbolic figures

Gothic Art (12th-16th centuries)

• Used pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and stained glass windows
• Examples: Cathedrals of Burgos, León, Toledo, Barcelona, and Palma

Mudejar Art (12th-16th centuries)

• Unique to the Iberian Peninsula, blending Christian and Islamic styles
• Materials: Brick, plaster, tiling, woodwork
• Geometric decorative patterns

The Crusades

• Military expeditions organized by the Pope and Christian kings to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslims
• Causes: Turkish conquest of Jerusalem, desire to reunify Christianity after the East-West Schism (1054), and unemployed knights seeking land
• Consequences: Establishment of military orders (e.g., Knights Templar) and cultural exchanges

Santiago de Compostela

• The tomb of Saint James (Santiago) in Santiago de Compostela became a major pilgrimage destination
• Pilgrims stimulated the local economy, leading to the construction of bridges, churches, monasteries, and hospitals
• The Pope declared it a holy city, granting pilgrims indulgences