The Hundred Years War

I/ The High Middle Ages and the Hundred Year’s War (1337-1453)

The lastlesson was from 1100 to the Norman Conquest 1066.

Now, this is aboutLife in Britain in the middle ages.

Town and country

The population of England in the late 11th century, just after the conquests was about One million. In the late 13th: it was four million. It has just trebled!

The population of Scotland in the late 11th century was about 550 000, late 13th century: One million

London had in the late 13th century 30000 people in Wales. It was the biggest town in Britain. 5% of the population lived in town. Wool was the main thing to be sold. So the population did increase and agriculture too.

In the 7thcentury, the feudal system was inflexible; people cultivated the lands in exchange of renting lands.

By 1150, tenants paid rent; system was not based on a sort of contract and it was the beginning of a cash economy, were you need currency (cash)

Life expectancy was 30 years! at 40 a man was getting old, at 50 a man was old in the middle ages.

II/The Great European Famine and the Plague

By the 14th century, the climate got colder, (in the winter, the Thames froze over!) 1316-1317was a poor harvest. Torrential rains fell down and food became more expansive, prices rose.

People ate dogs,rats… they were like cannibals.

New genre: Song of social protest

Cistercian monasteries played a great part in the prosperity by owning large sheep flocks. Economy rose, with the wool, considered as the best in Europe, in Scotland. Monks had a lot of lands and were well organized. And they had spiritual authority.

The Bubonic Plague = the Black Death.

In1348, the Plague swept all over Europe, the horrible disease was carried by rats and fleas, they were covered in boils (furoncles) their skin was black and they died quickly.

In Winchester, the population dropped from 8000 to 2000 as a result of the plague.

In Scotland, there were fewer towns, most villages. 1350 until the end the plague was eradicated.

It Had effects on the economy. Many artisans died, craftsman but people who stayed had better wages, so artisans became more prosperous. Then the power of the baronswent down slightly, it istheDevelopment of an Urban Middle Class.

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