The National Monarchies, Essay Example

Weber notes that he impact of the growth of industry and commerce on the social system as industry and commerce grew, they undermined the older systems of land owning.  Kings Louis XI and Louis XII to consolidated the monarchy in France by building loyalty within internal ranks, which contributed to the growth of royal power.  Scholars, artists and writers because a significant part of this consolidation in that they served Kings Louis XI and XII. This is also the time when modern warfare, guns and gun powder transform the world, to make castles obsolete.

The works of Dante and Boccaccio

Dante Alighieri (1265–1321), who was born in Florence. In 1302, became a major part of the  turbulent political situation of his city and was exiled (, 291). During his exile he wrote, “The Divine Comedy,” an allegory about a soul’s journey through despair to salvation. Divided into three sections, it documents a long journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise l (Sherman & Salisbury, 291).” Futhermore the authors note that, “Giovanni Boccaccio also had a profound impact on literature during this time was (1313–1375), who witnessed the devastating plague as it swept through his city (Sherman & Salisbury, 292).”In his most famous work, The Decameron, Boccaccio offers am eyewitness description of the plague. His insights into how various people responded to catastrophe is very telling. He says, “some shut themselves off from everyone else, others prayed diligently in hopes of avoiding early death, and still others denied them-selves nothing, “drinking and reveling incessantly from tavern to tavern ( Sherman & Salisbury, 292).”

Biography-Edward: The Black Prince:

The clash of values between the perfect chivalrous knight and the new circumstances of the 14^th century made his skills less effective in that in the book the Black prince embodied the highest medieval values. He was romantic and a great warrior, but he never sacked a city without conquering it. The problem was as the text notes “the medieval world was rapidly changing, and the Black Prince was not prepared for this new world (Sherman & Salisbury, 287).” Also the use of mercenary troops led to more misery in that the French had to rely on mercenary troops, but they were very expensive (Sherman & Salisbury, 287).

To explain how clothing was a tool of obedience and establishing gender roles, the text notes, “woman’s garments having been offered to her, she at once dressed herself in them, after having taken off the man’s dress she was wearing; and her hair, which up to this time had been cut “en ronde” above her ears, she desired and permitted them to shave and take away (Sherman & Salisbury, 288).” It is considered a sin for a woman to dress like a man. This conflict can be seen with Joan of Arc and much of the reason why she was so heavily scrutinized. Joan was tricked into taking back her confession, but it was also seen as a concession for her to willingly change her way of dress, and the text mentioned “In all our observations Jeanne did reply that she would willingly take woman’s garments, and that in all things she would obey the Church (Sherman & Salisbury, 288).”

The church’s sentence was, “We Decree That You Art A Relapsed Heretic,” by our present sentence which, seated in tribunal, we utter and pronounce in this writing; we denounce thee as a rotten member, and that you may not vitiate others, as cast out from the unity of the Church, separate from her Body, abandoned to the secular power as, indeed, by these presents, we do cast thee off, separate and abandon thee:—praying this same secular power, so far as concerns death and the mutilation of the limbs, to moderate its judgment towards thee, and, if true signs of penitence should appear in thee, [to permit] that the Sacrament of Penance be administered to thee (Sherman & Salisbury, 288).