Topics 10 & 11: What Leaders and Events of the Middle Ages Made Kings and Popes Powerful?
By lydiasch
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Charlemagne was one of the most important kings in medieval European history. He waged constant wars during his long reign with the goal of converting non-Christian Germans to the east and seizing loot for his followers. Charlemagne was king of the Franks and later Holy Roman Emporer, making him the most powerful man in Europe.
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William I the Conqueror was a Viking-descended king from Normandy in northern France. He invaded and defeated the Anglo-Saxon king and instituted Norman rule. William's conquest had major importance by displacing the Anglo-Saxon nobility and reshaping the English language.
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Pope Urban II launched the Crusades and strengthened the papacy as a political entity. The First Crusade led to military success with the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 but the project for union failed.
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The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims that started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups.
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The Knights Templar was a large organization of devout Christians during the medieval era. They carried out what they considered to be an important mission, which was to protect European travelers visiting sites in the Holy Land while also carrying out military operations. They helped spread the Christain faith, and they were directly influenced by the Pope and his demand for a crusade. -
King Richard I of England (also known as Richard the Lionheart) was the first European noble to give his crusading vows to recover Jerusalem and take it out of the Muslim hands. He dedicated his reign to recovering the Holy Land, spending very little time in England.
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The Magna Carta or the Great Charter was a royal charter signed by King John of England. This formally acknowledged the feudal privileges of the nobility, towns, and clergy. The main effect that the Magna Carta had was that even the king had to respect the law; they began to call the Parliament (a meeting of the Church, nobles, and well-off commoners) in order to get authorization and money for their wars. -
King Louis IX was a French king that led the Seventh Crusade to the Holy Land. The kingdom of France was at peace during his reign, so his barons agreed to accompany him to Jerusalem in the Seventh Crusade. King Louis IX also had a great influence on England and its king, making him very powerful.
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Edward III of England is recognized for his victories in the Hundred Years' War. He was also king during the Black Plague, which halted the war with France. Edward was a charismatic and considerate leader that helped England through difficult times.
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The Black Plague was a pandemic of bubonic plague that would come to be the most deadly disease outbreak in history. It is estimated that 75–200 million people died from the plague, killing 30% to 60% of all Europeans. No person of this time knew the true cause of the plague, but it was believed that the plague was God’s punishment for sinful ways. This thinking led to the Catholic Church and the Pope gaining more power than ever before. People were terrified and the Chruch gave them answers.