Assignment
This paper should be 2 pages long, typed in 12 font, double-spaced, with one inch margins all around. The pages should be stapled together. All your language and ideas and conclusions in your paper should be your own. If you have borrowed language, ideas or conclusions from any source, including our class readings and discussions, you MUST acknowledge that source and provide an appropriate citation. Use the MLA citation format.
Answer one of the following questions:
1. What changed in the rural economy between ca. 950 and ca. 1300? Did peasants share in the prosperity of the central Middle Ages? Were there limits on economic growth and when did they appear?
This question depends on Chris Wickham, Medieval Europe, pp. 121 to 130, with p. 105 for background on seigneurie banal, or banal lordship; and pp. 138 to 139, on the limits of expansion.
The paper should begin by discussing demographic growth in Europe and the ways that peasants might react to the pressures of a growing population, which put pressure available resources. Then the paper has to consider the question of whether or not peasant farmers were better off economically as a result of economic growth during these centuries. What is the evidence for growing prosperity among peasants? On the other hand, landlords kept changing the way they managed their estates, or manors, and increasing the demands they made on the peasants who worked the land for them. What did the development of the seigneurie banal, or banal lordship, mean for peasants? How did lordly power become more oppressive? How did peasant villagers respond? What role did the increased use of money play and all of these changes? Finally, was there a limit to the ability of the agricultural economy to expand?
2. How did Royal government expand in power between 1150 and 1300?
This question depends on Chris Wickham, Medieval Europe, pp. 141-46, on political events; and pp. 151-62, which give general conclusions about the growth of royal power. Since this is a short paper, it would probably be best to concentrate on one kingdom, either France (in which case you should review pp. 9-11 for events described on p. 142; and pp. 166-67, on the "Cathars" or "Albigensians"); or England; or Castile (in which case, review pp. 57-60 on the history of al-Andalus).
If you choose to write about England, you can consult Somerville's Outline of English History, which is posted below this assignment sheet. The relevant chapters are: "King John"; "The Crisis of John's Reign," especially the sections on "John's Character" and "War and Taxation"; "Magna Carta"; "Henry III and Rebellion"; and "Edward I."
For France: the big issue was the expansion of the royal domain (or demesne), especially as a result of the struggle between King Philip II of France and King John of England; and as a result of the Albigensian Crusade. What kind of administration did the kings of France create for their new kingdom?
For England: major problems arose as a result of King John's loss of territory in France; taxation; and the demands of the aristocracy to have a say in government and taxation.
For Castile: the kings of Castile managed to gain more territory from the Muslims; but they also faced the problem of trying to keep their kingdom from breaking up.
The histories of these kingdoms differ, but they all have a few things in common. Growth of royal power can be considered an outcome of economic prosperity as well as a response to the demands of ever more expensive warfare and the need to tax. All of these kingdoms depended upon professional government officials, who were often experts in Roman law, like Walter of Merton in England; or Guillaume de Nogaret in France. All these kingdoms had to deal with the issue of corrupt royal officials and the need to make them accountable to the central government.