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Flashcards in High Medieval Economy Deck (96)
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1
Q

Summarise the economic situation from 900-1000:

A

Decline, maybe stability at times. No development and a rudimentary economy. Violent societies.

2
Q

Summarise the economic situation from 1000-1315:

A

Dramatic growth in all aspects of society e.g. population, technology…

3
Q

Summarise the economic situation from 1315-1500:

A

‘Little Ice Age’. Economic stagnation, 1346 Black Death.

4
Q

When was the Black Death? What was its mortality rate.

A
  1. 50-60% fatality rate.
5
Q

What was the general impact of the economic change in the late medieval era?

A

It created a growing politicised class of merchants in Europe.

6
Q

What were the two ways economic and demographic change occurred in the late medieval era?

A
  1. Through the changing of existing settlements.

2. Creation of new areas

7
Q

What exemplifies the changing of existing settlements as a facet for demographic and economic growth?

A

The change in the manorial system .

8
Q

What was the Lord’s own land in the manorial system called?

A

Demense.

9
Q

What types of tenants existed in manorial systems prior to the transformation that occurred in the late medieval era?

A

‘Free’ and ‘Unfree’ peasants.

10
Q

What was the defining difference between ‘free’ and ‘unfree’ peasants?

A

‘Free’ peasants paid their rent in food or money, ‘unfree’ were serfs tied to the land who paid in labour.

11
Q

What eventually happened to the renting practises in the manorial system? What did this mean?

A

All rent eventually became paid in food and money. This meant that peasants had more freedom as they were no longer tied to the land they cultivated.

12
Q

What began happening to the manorial lands?

A

They were being fragmented, becoming smaller and smaller yet still supporting the same sized families.

13
Q

Why was there a change in manorial systems functioning?

A

Because lords began pandering to the emerging supply-demand economy rather than an economy of sustenance.

14
Q

What increased the profits lords made in manorial systems?

A

The use of banalities.

15
Q

What is a region specific example of the manorial system?

A

‘Fronhofs’ were specifically in Germany and were indoctrinated into societal laws etc. unlike de facto manorial systems in other countries.

16
Q

What percentage of goods from the manorial systems was surplus?

A

50%.

17
Q

Why was there a decline in servile rents?

A

Because these were only beneficial when land was being cultivated, but this was becoming increasingly uncommon.

18
Q

How many acres were needed to support a medieval family?

A

10 acres, but many were living on just one.

19
Q

Why was there a creation of new areas?

A

Because of the pressure on resources in Western Europe.

20
Q

What new technology helped alleviate the pressure on resources in the west?

A

The adoption of the three-field crop rotation system over the traditional two-field system.

21
Q

In particular, which people migrated east?

A

The Germanic peoples.

22
Q

What was the economic relationship that developed between the east and west?

A

Eastern surplus grain was sent west to aid overpopulation. This increased trade and product circulation in Europe.

23
Q

What was the impact of the increase in European product circulation?

A

There was a growth in towns and cities as they grew to accommodate trading networks.

24
Q

What drove the start of high medieval trading networks?

A

A growing domestic demand for basics of survival.

25
Q

What was the good was being traded the most in the high medieval economy?

A

Grain.

26
Q

Where were there high levels of early urbanisation and. why?

A

Around the Rhine, due to the proximity to the North Sea and thus the cultivated English wool trade, as well as the eastern grain farms.

27
Q

Who argued that the two largest industries in the medieval era were grain and textiles?

A

Malcolm Barber.

28
Q

What exemplifies the high medieval trading network?

A

Champagne fairs.

29
Q

What sort of goods were exchanged at Champagne fairs?

A

Flemish textiles, ‘orient spices’ as well as Fertile Crescent money circulated by Italian merchants.

30
Q

What did Champagne fairs bring to the Champagne region of France?

A

A growth in infrastructure due to localised wealth. Also built confidence in trade.

31
Q

What bound merchants of Champagne fairs?

A

They were often sponsored by counts (and later kings), contracts from Champagne were valid anywhere in the world. If these were broken, all merchants from the town of the person who broke it would be banned.

32
Q

What led to the decline of Champagne fairs’ prominence?

A

The introduction of maritime trading routes, Bruges became new economic centre due to geographical location.

33
Q

What caused the development of maritime shipping routes?

A

The decline of the Muslim Empire in Spain opening up the strait of Gibraltar from 1200 to Christians.

34
Q

What percentage of people in Flanders (14thC) lived in cities in comparison to the rest of Europe?

A

60%, in comparison to 10-15% in the rest of Europe.

35
Q

What city depicts the precarious economics of the medieval society?

A

Bergen, Normandy (very Western) It was blockaded by Germany to protect their monopoly and subsequently experienced a famine.

36
Q

List three new cities that arose due to late medieval urbanisation:

A
  1. Berlin.
  2. Jüteburg.
  3. Lübeck.
37
Q

List three cities that grew in importance due to the development of trading networks:

A
  1. Cologne.
  2. Ypres.
  3. Ghent.
38
Q

What was the population of Paris by 1300?

A

200,000.

39
Q

Which cities had a population of 100,000 by the closing of the medieval era?

A

Venice and Florence.

40
Q

What was essential to urban success in the medieval era?

A

Access to water AND land.

41
Q

What percentage of the European population lived in urban areas by the close of the medieval era?

A

15%.

42
Q

When did demand exceed supply?

A

At the turn of the 14th Century.

43
Q

Why did demand exceed supply in the closing of the medieval era?

A

Land had, simply, become less productive.

44
Q

What 7-year period was especially damning and why?

A

1315-22: poor weather + less access to land + diminished returns + over-population. (Northern European starvation)

45
Q

When did Northern European starvation begin?

A

1315.

46
Q

How much of Europe was affected by the Northern European starvation?

A

400,000 miles sq

47
Q

During the Northern European starvation, what was the percentage increase in grain prices?

A

3000%.

48
Q

What percentage of the European population died in the Northern European starvation?

A

10-15%, concentrated in urban areas.

49
Q

What caused the Northern European starvation?

A

The alternation in weather patterns known as the ‘little ice age’.

50
Q

What is the Little Ice Age described as by many historical meteorologists?

A

The single greatest atmospheric change in 10,000 years.

51
Q

What were the three (perceived to be at the time) ‘plagues’ experienced by Europe during the Northern European starvation?

A

Torrential rain, livestock disease and famine illness.

52
Q

How did the mid-14th Century Black Death spread?

A

Along train routes.

53
Q

What is the problem in historical studies of high medieval demographic change?

A

Must use rudimentary census data due to a lack of adequate source material (records often estimates only)

54
Q

What can be said about sources of demography for different countries in Europe?

A

Some are more representative than others for certain regions. e.g. English tax records due to lords keeping their own records (incentive=money)

55
Q

What is the variation in urban population records?

A

They are more representative for the Continent than for England.

56
Q

What is the historiographically accepted rural-urban relationship?

A

Interdependent economically, differences in standards of living.

57
Q

Is population growth a cause or consequence of economic growth?

A

An amalgamation of people spurred on an increase in cities, yet this is perpetuated following on by more advanced regions with growing trading economies.

58
Q

Who argues that recovery from the 1346 Black Death was rapid but varied?

A

Pound.

59
Q

What was the outcome of the Black Death?

A

Pressure on resources alleviated, growth in luxury trade.

60
Q

Who calls the period 1000-1315 a period of ‘urban recovery’?

A

C. Cipolla

61
Q

From the 11-13th Century, what fraction of the European economy was farming based?

A

9/10

62
Q

By what decade are serfs almost entirely extinct in Western Europe?

A

By 1180

63
Q

What does Titow contribute to the study of high medieval economy?

A

Titow notes that in the high medieval period, 1 person required 3.6 acres of land.

64
Q

What area of England can we use in corroboration with Titow’s claims of land use?

A

Touton, Winchester: in 1248 a person had 3.3 acres, in 1311, a person had 2.5 acres

65
Q

Who argues that the three field system was not as successful as some suggest?

A

D. Nicholas, the three-field system was more easily adopted in new settlements

66
Q

What is a source for migration east?

A

The Bishop of Bremen

67
Q

What did the Bishop of Bremen say regarding eastern populations?

A

‘the slavs are an abominable people, but their land is rich …’

68
Q

What is a source for the economic importance of urban areas?

A

Bonvesin della Riva on Milan

69
Q

What did Bonvesin della Riva say regarding Milan

A

‘the abundance of all goods … ‘

70
Q

What is an example of new technology spurring on the growing trading network across Europe?

A

St Gothard Massif Pass - a bridge build across the Alps

71
Q

What does C. Cipolla outline as the three leading industries of the high medieval economy?

A
  1. International trade
  2. textiles
  3. buildings
72
Q

In the 14th Century, what were the exports of English wool?

A

35-40,000 sacks per annum

73
Q

How many Lombards (money-lenders) were present at Champagne Fairs at their height?

A

150-200

74
Q

Why were money-lenders called Lombards?

A

Due to the rise in Italians who skirted round doctrinal laws after the decline in Jewish prominence in the sector.

75
Q

When was the practise of Lombards restricted and by whom?

A

Lombards were geographically restricted in 1294 by Philip IV.

76
Q

When was the height of the usury network?

A

1270-1300

77
Q

What were Champagne fair contracts called?

A

Fair-letters

78
Q

What can be said about the number of English settlements in 1180?

A

There was the same number of English settlements in 1180 as there was in the 1800s.

79
Q

How many towns were founded in 13th Century Germany?

A

3000, approx.

80
Q

By 1300, how much cloth was been produced in Florence?

A

100,000 cloths per annum

81
Q

How was Florentine cloth sourced?

A

From 200 English / Scottish monasteries

82
Q

How much was 100,000 Florentine cloths worth?

A

> 1,200,000 (according to Giovanni Villani)

83
Q

What is significant about English population increase in the 13th Century?

A

English population doubled, but land cultivation increased <20%

84
Q

For D. Nicholas, what was the irreversible point of economic decay during the high medieval period?

A

1320s.

85
Q

What can we look to to corroborate the wealth amassed in Florence during the high medieval era?

A

Dante’s Paradiso

86
Q

How did Christians skirt around doctrine prohibiting usury?

A

By hiding interest rates in exchange rates at fairs.

87
Q

How can we characterise late medieval cities and towns?

A

They were characterised by a highly differentiated occupational structure and diversity of demand.

88
Q

What contributed significantly to the economic decline of the closing of the period?

A

The bullion famine, caused by dependency on Middle Eastern gold being cut off by Mongols, yet silver still being shipped East.

89
Q

Between 1180-1311 what was the increase in coins per person?

A

3x- an artificial economy had emerged riddled with inflation and debasement.

90
Q

What is the largest and most representative source for late medieval population?

A

Hearth Lists

91
Q

What is the margin of error when using Hearth Lists to study late medieval demography?

A

15%

92
Q

What is an issue with Hearth Lists?

A

We have no way of quantifying the size of an average household

93
Q

Between which two sources, according to Norman Pounds, can we see a 3x population increase?

A

the 1086 Doomsday Book and the 1377 Poll Taxa Lists

94
Q

What was the population increase per year in Touton, Winchester?

A

0.85% (1209-1448)

95
Q

What did D. Nicholas say regarding the. relationship between rural and urban economies?

A

‘the rural and urban economies were … not discrete entities’

96
Q

Until when was there symbiosis between the rural and urban economies?

A

Until the 12th Century.