The factors that contributed to Europe’s economic growth between 950 and 1100, otherwise known as the Early Middle Ages, were the development of new technology like crop rotation as well as the improved climate which allowed farmers to produce more crops which they could trade with thus helping the economy (Norton 2010). The increase in towns and commerce also helped as the “agricultural revolution served as a foundation for a new commercial revolution” (Norton 2010). Thus the towns became a symbol for the relationship which they shared with those who lived in the countryside as the goods that were developed in the country were sold in town (Norton 2010). For without the food and clothing that is produced in the country side, there would be nothing to sell and without anything to sell, there would be no money to get the material of the goods that are sold.
The relationship between economic growth and political power is also very dependent since the increase in wealth led to “social mobility and social stratification” which would in turn affect the influence of those in power (Norton 2010). For example, “families began to establish themselves as territorial lords” and would then hire knights to defend their land (Norton 2010). By doing this there must have been an increase in territorial disputes in which those in charge (i.e. feudal lords) would have to get involved. Not only that but as more and more families became lords over their own land, England became a country of “faux ‘kingdoms’ which basically means that these lords now had more rights and power that the feudal lords had denied them as their subjects (Norton 2010). This would also result in a political system that is highly decentralized as the power is unevenly distributed more than it had been before (Norton 2010).
Feudalism contributed to the rise of “national monarchies” in England and France as well by providing a model for a system that unified the many aspects of life as it divided the people into classes and had them dependent on one another (Encyclopedia 2016). Feudalism would begin to lose its influence, however, as money became the new currency instead of goods and services (Encyclopedia 2016). Regardless of this change, or perhaps because of it, the feudal system was a chaotic one which allowed monarchs in England and France to take advantage of the situation as they consolidated their power (Encyclopedia 2016). The monarchs would then stabilize their countries and then would demand the love and loyalty of their people as they headed into the Hundred Years War and the Crusades (Norton 2010).
Finally, the Crusades impacted the reformation of the Church in several ways. Perhaps one of the most important was that “the movement helped both to militarize the medieval western church and to sustain criticism of that militarization” (Throop 2016). After all, it was Pope Urban who called for a crusade to take back Jerusalem in 1095 which would then not only begin the First Crusade but for those to come after (Norton 2010). It can also be argued that the Crusades assisted Pope Urban in solidifying his control over the church (Throop 2016) as he made his followers believe that they were acting out the will of God by trekking to Jerusalem which they would then take back from the infidels. Thus it can be concluded that the Early Middle Ages was a time of great change as power shifted from the feudal lord to a monarch while the masses were still made to fight for a cause they did not have much of a stake in nor completely understood.
Work Cited
"The Expansion Of Europe, 950-1100." Western Civilizations. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2010. Web. 24 June 2016.
"The Rise of Monarchies: France, England, and Spain." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 2016. Web. 24 June 2016
Throop, Susanna, Dr. "The Impact of the Crusades." Khan Academy. N.p., 2016. Web. 24 June 2016.
