Merriman Teacher Notes - The Structure of Society PDF
Document Details
Uploaded by MarvelousCynicalRealism2045
2023
Merriman
Tags
Summary
These notes provide an overview of the structure of society during the 14th to 16th centuries in Western Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Key social groups like the clergy, nobles, peasants, and Burghers are discussed. The notes also touch upon feudalism and the impact of the collapse of the Roman Empire and Charlemagne's rule on law and order.
Full Transcript
### The Structure of Society - **Main Groups:** Clergy, Nobles, Peasants, Burghers ### Clergy - Prayed and cared for souls - Served as priests, teachers, judges, nurses, landlords, chaplains ### Nobles - Governed a Busht (land owned must be wealthy for wealth) - Titles connoted superiority of...
### The Structure of Society - **Main Groups:** Clergy, Nobles, Peasants, Burghers ### Clergy - Prayed and cared for souls - Served as priests, teachers, judges, nurses, landlords, chaplains ### Nobles - Governed a Busht (land owned must be wealthy for wealth) - Titles connoted superiority of birth - Sometimes intermarried ("keep bloodlines pure"). - Not supposed to work, but be ready to defend King and family ### Peasants - Labored in fields - 85% of pop c. 1500 - Lived in villages/small settlements - Developed in 10th and on, on nobles' lands - Depended on protection of nobles in exchange for labor in fields - No legal status unless owned land (only same in Western Europe) ### Burghers - Town residents - Entrepreneurs/business ### 14th to 16th C Western Europe - Village, town, parish formed - Defensive wars against Muslim Empires ### Only Tried in Ecclesiastical Church Courts - Specific orders (Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican, etc.) - Secular clergy - Order served whole community - Priests/monks usually as poor or senior ### Ottoman Empire - Had autonomy for religious communities/milletsystem - Appointed by sultan - Western Europe not so tolerant, sending Jews and Muslims expelled ### Roman Catholic (RCC) Europe - Viewed Islam as constant threat, even though Ottoman Empire allured people and conquered to keep own faith practices (taxed at a higher rate) ### 73/4 Earnings Used to Buy Food - Lots of beggars in towns/cities - Wandered wherever help could be found - RCC encouraged acts of charity ### Beggars from Local Community - Tolerated/helped, but those from outside local community viewed with suspicion especially gypsies (Roma) ### Bandits practiced along roads - Travel very dangerous ### 980-1030 - Law and order broke down across Europe - Violence as normal - Warfare between clans, territorial lords, predatory bands, Vikings - Feudal structure emerged as reaction to anarchy ### Response to Collapse of Authority Post-Roman Empire & Charlemagne - 980 - 1030 law & order broke down across Europe - Violence as normal - Warfare between clans, territorial lords, predatory bands - Feudal system emerged as reaction to anarchy ### Feudalism - King - Lords - Vassals - Peasants - Fit into overwhelmingly agricultural world - View decentralized and localized.
