FROM THE

MIDDLE AGES
TO THE EARLY
MODERN
PERIOD
UNIT 6
 From the Middle Ages to the
Early Modern Period
The term modern is used to describe innovative or novel concepts. The Early Modern Period
should therefore be considered a period of changes with respect to the previous era. However, the
Early Modern Period began at the end of the Middle Ages, and between the 15th and 18th
centuries in Europe there was also some continuity with the medieval period.
Continuity: feudal economics
and society

 The structure of society was the

 The king was at the top of the social system. However, his power and
position largely depended on the powerful privileged estates:
 Noblemen did not work, as they considered manual labour to be beneath
them. They could only be judged by the king or by other noblemen, and
they only paid taxes to the monarch if they agreed to do so in the courts and
parliaments. The most important noblemen had feudal estates of which they
were lords. They charged the people on their land taxes and administered
justice to them.
 The clergy had a spiritual function in society: to protect people’s souls.
They continued to enjoy privileges, such as collecting tithe payments
and having their own justice system. Like the nobility, the clergy did
not pay taxes to the king unless they agreed to do so in the courts.
Members of the high clergy could also be feudal lords. So if a bishopric
had feudal estates, the bishop was the lord of those estates just as a
nobleman would be.
 Underneath these two estates (which were minorities
in terms of the number of people in them) was
the Third Estate. Most members of this estate were
peasants (crop and livestock farming were their
main activities), although it also included artisans,
merchants, doctors, lawyers, etc. They did not
have their own justice system, as they were judged
by their lords if they lived on a feudal manor, or by
the king if they lived in the realengo (land belonging
to the monarchy). The taxes they paid sustained the
privileged estates and the monarchy.
Changes: key characteristics of a new era

 Although there was a lot of continuation from the Middle Ages, the Early Modern Period
was a time of great change in Europe, when compared with the conditions of the previous
period.
Economic changes

 Craftwork and trade experienced a period of important growth, but crop and livestock
farming continued to be the main economic activities. This resulted in economic growth in
cities. It also resulted in the need to obtain precious metals with which to complete trade
transactions.
Cultural changes

 New artistic styles appeared, such as Renaissance art, as well as new cultural movements,
including Humanism, which first developed on the Italian Peninsula. Humanist ideas
spread rapidly thanks to a revolutionary invention: the movable-type printing press.
Europeans also discovered and explored continents which were previously unknown to
them.
Religious changes

 This was a period of religious intolerance: Jews and Muslims were persecuted, and there
were wars between Christians because of new sets of beliefs that went against the authority
of the Pope.
 Social changes
 As cities grew, the wealthy middle class became more important. However, they never
outnumbered the peasants nor gained as much power as the nobility or clergy. Europe also
recovered from the population crisis of the 14th century.
 Political changes
 Although privileges and institutions such as the courts and parliaments did not disappear,
monarchies gained a lot of power.
 ESTAMENTAL SOCIETY

Privileged minority Unprivileged

Peasant

Bourgeoisie

Craftsman

Nobility
Clergy

Slaves/outcast
Factors leading to geographical
discoveries
One of the most significant historical events of the 15th and 16th centuries was the discovery
of territories previously unknown to Europeans through maritime exploration. Several
historical factors in Europe provided the motivation to explore:
Economic factors

 Gold and silver were needed to make coins, and Europe was highly dependent on products
such as spices and silk imported from Asia. When Byzantium was taken by the Ottoman
Turks in 1453, the traditional trade route to obtain spices was blocked, so alternative routes
had to be found.
Demographic factors

 After the population crisis of the Late Middle Ages, the population grew and there was a
higher demand for precious metals and products from Asia.
Political and religious factors

 There was a significant rivalry between Islamic and Christian states. Islam was greatly
strengthened by the Ottomans. This rivalry was particularly relevant in the Iberian
kingdoms, where the spirit of the Crusades remained, but it also affected the rest of
Europe’s Christian kingdoms.
Sociological factors

 These factors were associated with the Renaissance and the desire to learn and explore.
Books, such as Marco Polo’s description of his travels to China (The Travels of Marco
Polo), also helped to encourage exploration.
Scientific and technical factors

 There were scientific and technological advances in navigation, such as new types of boats
called carracks and caravels. Furthermore, many geographers believed that the world was
round, not flat, as had been commonly believed previously.