Merriman Teacher Notes 6 Summer 2023 PDF

## Europe **Towns - Centers of Learning/Universities** * Paris (theology) * Montpellier (medicine) * Bologna (Roman Law) Founded 1088 * England, Oxford & Cambridge founded 1200s **Literacy rose faster in towns than in rural areas, but still only a tiny % of population** **Town Gov'ts dominated b...

## Europe **Towns - Centers of Learning/Universities** * Paris (theology) * Montpellier (medicine) * Bologna (Roman Law) Founded 1088 * England, Oxford & Cambridge founded 1200s **Literacy rose faster in towns than in rural areas, but still only a tiny % of population** **Town Gov'ts dominated by rich merchants, guild masters, property owners** ## Municipal Liberties * Towns not bound by feudal obligations to lords. * Peasants/serfs who reached towns= Free * Freedoms in towns obtained by buying charters of exemption. * Liberties specified in laws. * Sometimes Kings sought alliances with towns to restrict power of nobles. * Loaned $ to rulers. * Towns thrived where no strong King or nobles (Holy Roman Empire, Hakan Stakes) ## Town Tradition of Collective Guts * Basis for later constitutions and gov't **With power of nobles in E Europe, less development of towns:** * **No special charters or liberties** * **Russian Tsars considered towns as personal property** ## The Emergence of Sovereign States * Late 1900s France, Spain, England "new" monarchs. * "New" monarchs began to centralize power to themselves. * Also, greater authority in independent of monarchs. **Monarchs established primacy over rivals** * Made laws, imposed admin, unity, raised or commanded armies. * Imposed taxes, summoned advisers, appointed officials to represent and enforce will of monarch. **France - Kings unable to consolidate power, b/c Kings of England controlled vast parts.** ## Hundred Years War (1337-1453) * War between Kings of France and England, over who actually ruled France. * French Kings ultimately successful. * Consolidated power. ## England * 1215 Magna Carta - King John- nobles could only raise taxes w/ consent of Parliament (divided into 2 Houses: Lords and Commons in 1300s). * 1482 absorbed Burgundy. * 1490s took over Brittany. ## Not "new" monarchy - Holy Roman Empire - Estab 6962. **~300 Semi-autonomous states from large countries to free cities.** * Emperor elected since 1300s, elected by 7 princes in the Holy Roman Empire * Emperor could not consolidate power, b/c had to promise freedom to get elected **Emperors saw themselves as protectors of papacy (popes)+ all Christendom.** * Austria part of Holy Roman Empire (HRE), ruled by Habsburg family. * Extended control over other lands 14th+ 15th c. * 1438 Habsburg first elected Holy Roman Emperor. **7 Habsburgs elected, continually until 1740.** ## Developing State Structures * As monarchs consolidated power and took on taxation, judicial role, etc needed across term, century origins of bureau-cracy etc. needed. * But also monarchs got $ from own lands through taxation, selling offices/titles, gov't bonds, seizing land from recalcitrant. * Popes both religious and temporal authority. * Nobles generally exempt from gradual growth of public debt.