Merriman Teacher Notes - Limits of State Authority 7 Summer 2023 PDF

# Limits of State Authority - Some regions retained autonomy. - Princes of towns - Tradition presents the towns with authority (Navarre) - Some regions retained autonomy - Towns present themselves this way. ## Limits to State Authority - **Public debt** (from wars, luxury, etc.) led to monarchs...

# Limits of State Authority - Some regions retained autonomy. - Princes of towns - Tradition presents the towns with authority (Navarre) - Some regions retained autonomy - Towns present themselves this way. ## Limits to State Authority - **Public debt** (from wars, luxury, etc.) led to monarchs borrowing from bankers - Thrones increasingly hereditary. - Prevent nobles from having private armies. - Made nobles more dependent on kings. ## 15th C channels of diplomacy opened btwn European monarchs - Ambassadors, etc. ## Limits of State Authority - **Prinleges of towns** - **Tradition** to advise/help kings - **Cortes**, constant need for $$ (wars are expensive) - More power, kept control ## Transforming Discoveries - **Late Middle Ages:** warfare, new tech, exploration, printing press, spread of ideas. - **Gunpowder, Warfare, and Armies** - Warfare stemmed from dynastic quarrels & disputes between kings & nobles - Gunpowder game changer - Moved warfare from king vs. noble to king vs. king - Propelled arrows, later bullets - Led to early muskets with standard caliber & ammunition - Navy put cannons on ships - Larger ships - Massive fortifications around towns - Standing armies increased in size, like 15th C and 16th C (up to 25,000) - Mercenaries/”free lancers” replaced feudal armies - Many different nationalities fighting for pay rather than anything - Pillage part of pay - Most states had some conscription - Peasants 3/4 of armies (4 pop) - Criminals also put in armies - Bad conditions of soldiers pretty bad - Barely adequate food/lodging - Very harsh punishments - Officers decided “justice” with no appeal or trial - Uniforms rare, usually symbol or tunic w/ - Epidemics & disease like dysentery & typhoid killed far more soldiers than battle - Wounded often died from bad treatment and neglect ## Medieval Continuities - **Composite States:** Poland & Lithuania - **Spanish Empire** - 3 orders/groups to society: - Clergy - Nobles - Peasants - Burghers ## Transforming Discoveries - **Late Middle Ages:** warfare, new tech, exploration, printing press, spread of ideas - **Gunpowder, Warfare, and Armies** - Warfare stemmed from dynastic quarrels & disputes between kings & nobles - Gunpowder game changer as only Mongols/Arabs moved warfare from king vs noble to king vs king - Propelled arrows, later bullets - Led to early muskets, with standard caliber and ammunition - Navy put cannons on ships - Larger ships - Massive fortifications around towns - Standing armies increased in size, like 15th C and 16th C (up to 25,000) - Mercenaries/"free lancers” replaced feudal armies. - Many different nationalities fighting for pay rather than anything. - Pillage part of pay - Most states had some conscription. - Peasants 3/4 of armies (4 pop). - Criminals also put in armies. - Bad conditions of soldiers pretty bad. - Barely adequate food/lodging - Very harsh punishments. - Officers decided “justice” with no appeal or trial. - Uniforms rare, usually symbol or tunic. - Epidemics & disease like dysentery & typhoid killed far more soldiers than battle. - Wounded often died from bad treatment and neglect. ## The Printing Press and the Power of the Printed Word - Led to end of lance, sword, crossbow, wood block. - Long bow still necessary to protect soldiers while reloading. ## Jacob Fugger - Gained fortune through trade & banking. - Loaned to rulers across Europe. - 1519 Loaned Charles V enough to become Holy Roman Emperor. ## Power of the Printed Word - Wood block printing & paper invented - Reached Europe 13th Century - Copying and hand-held books precious and expensive - 1 copy of the Bible = 300 sheepskins or more sheepskins