Unit 5. The High Middle Ages. Urban reinassance

UNIT PRESENTATION

Title

The High Middle Ages. Urban renaissance

Unit description

This unit analyses the changes experienced by feudalism in Europe between the 9^th and 13^th centuries. Attention is focused on the appearance of parliaments; on the advances carried out in agricultural techniques; and, most of all, in the recovery of urban life, stating the causes of this fact, the spatial organisation of cities, their government bodies, the activities performed by craftsmen guilds and merchants, and the features of the new urban society and everyday life in the city. The unit closes with the analysis of the cultural renewal ¾appearance of universities¾; the main features of religiosity at the time ¾crusades, military orders, the Inquisition and the mendicant orders¾; and the main architectural, sculpture and pictorial expressions of Gothic art. The technique of analysing works of art applies now to sculpture, providing a useful methodology for the discussion of sculptures.

The various activities presented throughout the unit are designed to help students acquire knowledge on the following:

-  The European territory. A mosaic of kingdoms and nations.

-  The consequences of agricultural progress.

-  Medieval cities. Recovery, functions and spaces.

-  Government and economy in medieval cities.

-  Society and everyday life.

-  Cultural and religious renewal.

-  Gothic architecture.

-  Gothic sculpture, painting and stained glass.

-  Analysing works of art. Sculpture.

-   Checking progress in the development of some core competences.

2.  TEACHING OBJECTIVES

  1.  To distinguish the territorial scope and political organisation of the High Middle Ages.

  2.  To list agricultural developments, their causes and consequences.

  3.  To understand the renaissance, the functions and spaces of the medieval city.

  4.  To differentiate the forms of government and the economic activities of medieval cities.

  5.  To check the groups existing in the new urban society and some aspects of their everyday life.

  6.  To understand and explain medieval urban culture and religiosity.

  7.  To recognise Gothic architecture.

  8.  To analytically look at Gothic sculpture, painting and stained glass windows.

  9.  To learn how to analyse a sculpture.

10.  To promote the development of the core competences.

Activities
1. Which centuries are included in the High Middle Ages?

2. Read the introduction of the unit in page 88 in your book.
State if the following are true or false. Make the corrections needed.
a) During the 11th c. agriculture was declining.
b) Therefore people didn´t have a lot to eat and many people died.
c) That is why we say economy was much worse than in the Early Middle Ages.
d) Some cities appeared and crafts and trade became more common.
e) The people that undertook the urban activities were called bourgeoisie.
f) In the cities cathedrals were built in a new style: Gothic style.

3.  Agricultural progress
Read page 92.
3.1. Which was the main innovation during the 11th c. in agriculture?
3.2. Explain why the triennial rotation was a better crop rotation system.

Used before the 11th c.

Used from the 11th c.

4. Agricultural innovations had enormous consecuences. Make a simple mind-map to explain them. (Read 2.2 in your book).

5. Urban renaissance
 Read 3.1. in your book. Why did new cities appear?

6. Who were the bourgeois?

7. What were the bourgeois dedicated to?

8. A new social group emerged with the renaissance of the cities and the appearance of the  bourgeoisie. Draw a social pyramid of the High Middle Ages.

9. The medieval city or borough. Read 3.2 and draw a medieval city.

10. Economy.
 Read 4.2.
What was a guild?

11. Political organisation. Parliaments. 
 Read 1.3.
11. 1 State if the following are true or false.
a) Until the 12th c. some people advised the king in an assembly called Curia Regis. Its members were part of the privileged groups (nobles and clergymen).
b) From the 12th/13th c. some other people were asked to join the assembly. These new members belonged to the bourgeoisie (non privileged) The new assembly was called Parliament.

11. 2 Listen to the explanation of the teacher and answer these questions.
a) Why did the king allow some non privileged people to join his assembly?
b) The king received ......................... from the Parliament. The members of the Parliament could present some ....................... to the king.
c) Is it true that kings always did what the Parliaments asked them to do?
d) How was the Parliament called in the Iberian Peninsula?

12. Cultural and religious renewal.

Read 6.2. in your book
12.1. Define the following. To do it use the following terms:

Crusades: Holy Land / military expeditions / Pope / 11th-13th c.
Military orders: monk-soldiers / defence / Holy Land / pilgrims / Kinghts Templar, Knights Hospitaller and Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
Inquisition: Court / judge / crimes against the Church / beginnning 13th c.


13. Gothic Art.
13.1 Make a table in your notebook comparing Gothic and Romanesque architecture.
The table should include the following: time /main buildings / Type of arch / height of the building / walls / windows / plan / area (rural or urban) / type of buttress / ceilings

13.2 Gothic sculpture
Read the following and make a table comparing the Romanesque and Gothic sculpture
It should include: stiff or certain movement / emotions and feelings / realistic or non realistic / subjetcs or topics / close to the wall or detached from the wall / features of the Crucified Christ / Features of Virgin Mary with Jesus

I advise you to make your table in a digital format and incorporate some pictures with examples of sculpture to it. Using tables is quite simple and helpful :) give it a try!!!

Please, pay attention to pictures and legends published here.

Besides the image of Virgin Mary with Jesus a new kind of representation was used. It is called "pietà" and it represents Virgin Mary holding her son Jesus after his death.

13.3 Gothic painting

a) Define the following: stained glass windows (vidrieras), altarpieces (retablos)

b) Which are the functions of the stained glass windows? Make a simple mind-map to explain. You can find that information in your book.

b) What are the functions of an altarpiece? For this you have to do some research and think a bit : ) Make a simple mind-map to explain.