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Questions and Answers
Which town is known as the center of learning for medicine?
Which town is known as the center of learning for medicine?
What was a key factor that allowed towns to thrive in areas without strong kings or nobles?
What was a key factor that allowed towns to thrive in areas without strong kings or nobles?
What significant document was established in England in 1215 that limited the power of the king?
What significant document was established in England in 1215 that limited the power of the king?
Which empire had a system of approximately 300 semi-autonomous states?
Which empire had a system of approximately 300 semi-autonomous states?
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What was the outcome of the Hundred Years War?
What was the outcome of the Hundred Years War?
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Which statement is true about the town government structure?
Which statement is true about the town government structure?
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What was one reason why literacy rose faster in towns compared to rural areas?
What was one reason why literacy rose faster in towns compared to rural areas?
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Who were granted significant powers within the Holy Roman Empire?
Who were granted significant powers within the Holy Roman Empire?
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Study Notes
Medieval European Towns
- Towns grew, particularly in northern Europe due to trade routes reaching London to Novgorod
- Trade interaction occurred between northern and southern Europe
- Towns became centers of learning with universities such as:
- Bologna (Roman Law)
- Padua (medicine)
- Oxford and Cambridge (Theology)
- Montpellier (medicine)
- Literacy grew faster in towns than rural areas, though it was still a small percentage of the population
- Town governments were dominated by wealthy merchants and guild masters
- Municipal liberties provided freedoms from feudal obligations to lords, and peasants/serfs who moved to towns were free.
- Charters of exemption granted freedoms, and kings sometimes allied with towns to limit power of nobles.
- Towns thrived where there were no strong kings or powerful nobles.
- Collective action by citizens was an important component of the local government in towns.
Power of Monarchs
- In the late 1300s to 1400s European monarchs gained more centralized power
- Monarchs established authority over their rivals
- Power was centralized through law-making, tax collecting, army command, and appointing officials
- Monarchs imposed taxes, commands armies, appointed officials, and consulted advisors.
- Kings of France faced challenges in consolidating power due to powerful lords
- The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) was a war between England and France regarding control of the French throne
- The French Kings eventually gained power through consolidation
- In England, King John faced opposition regarding taxes in 1215, resulting in the signing of Magna Carta
- England's Parliament had two houses: Lords and Commons starting in the 1300's
- Gradual growth of the public debt occurred.
Development of State Structures
- As monarchs gained power through taxation, courts and administration, bureaucracies developed
- Monarchs gained land through conquest or purchase, such as with Burgundy (1482), Brittany (1490s)
- The Magna Carta was an attempt to restrain King John's power in 1215
- Medieval European monarchs' need for revenue led to various tax measures.
The Holy Roman Empire
- The Holy Roman Empire had numerous semi-autonomous states
- The Empire's Emperor was elected by seven princes
- Emperors often struggled to consolidate power due to the need to gain support from electors
- The Habsburg family held the position of Holy Roman Emperor from 1438 to 1740.
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Description
Explore the evolution of towns in medieval Europe, focusing on their growth due to trade routes and the rise of universities. Understand the impact of wealthy merchants and local governance on town life, as well as the dynamics between towns and monarchs during this era. This quiz delves into the transition from feudal obligations to municipal liberties.
