The System of Government During the Medieval Age
The Medieval Age was a troublous time interval that took place in Europe before the 14th century. During this time, the Black Plague, Renaissance, the downfall of Roman Empire, and the great migration of tribes were processing. The most worthy point to mention is the idea of the system of the government developed rapidly during this time. Government was the system that controlled the community; the existence of government stabilized the situation of a country. Government’s decisions directly effected every social class during the Medieval Age because the rights and the powers of every social class were connected to the government. The basic elements that manipulated the system of government were township, the crusade, and government style.
Of the preliminary elements of the government, townships were changed mostly by the government. The population of the town may decline if government declared and joined the war. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article on Crusade, “Having fulfilled their rows of pilgrimage, most of the crusaders departed the home…” (“Crusade”). The war declared by the government had caused people to leave their home, which directly lead to a significant decrease in population of the area. Township also enacted a substantial role in changing the government system. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article on Crusade, “The country of Tripoli and the principality of Antioch were each reduced to the capital city and a few outposts…” (“Crusade”). The Latin establishments have been lost, which caused government changed completely. However, due to the loss of the old tradition in Medieval Age, new ideas emerged rapidly. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article on Crusade, “The townsmen demanded the privilege of governing themselves of making their own laws, administering their own justice, leaving their own taxes and issuing their own coinage” (“the Medieval Age”). This illustrated the emergence of the idea of autonomy in the Medieval Age. Township was an important factor government in the Medieval Age.
Similarly, the Crusades have an equivalent impact on changing the system of the government. Crusades are one of the most important events in the Medieval Age; it lasted for two centuries. Government system was effected by the crusade. The Muslims had taken over the Christian territory and had changed the government into Islam dominated system. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article onCrusade, “Approximately two-thirds of the ancient Christian world had been conquered [by the Muslims]” (“Crusade”). Muslims dominated much of the Christian territory and, therefore, influenced not only their culture but completely manipulated their government. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article on Crusade, “It was a terrible thing for the holy city, as Jerusalem was called, and the Holy Land, where the city was located to be ruled by Muslims, instead of Christian” (“Crusade”). The statement suggests that Muslims took over the Jerusalem; their arrival has changed the government system from a Christian government to a Muslim government. The military system in the crusade also has impact on the government as well. According to Encyclopedia Britannia article on Crusade, “virtually independent, sanctioned and constantly supported by the papacy and exempt from local ecclesiastical jurisdiction, these military orders aroused the jealousy of the clergy and constituted a serious challenge to royal authority” (“Crusade”). The military order had gained support by the papacy and its power was becoming a threat to the king. This statement implies the king was virtually separated from his power. The existence of the crusade is also a danger to the government. According to Crusade, “The Crusades themselves, which continued until 1291, were a disaster for Byzantium” (“Crusade”). This implies that the duration of the crusade was becoming longer, which became a liability to Byzantium. In conclusion, Crusade was the conflict that affects the government system in Medieval Age.
Lastly, the government style is a major element of the government in the Medieval Age. Government styles in the Medieval Age were often associated with feudalism. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article on Government, "But the troublous times, during which trade and urban life were minimal, meant that effective power lay with those who controlled the land and it's product: a military aristocracy of great estates and fiefs" ("Government"). This is an example of feudalism. People holding lands and their products are having great powers. On the other hand, the kings were holding their power firmly, however, they also granted their powers to their dukes. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article onGovernment, "Rights, title, and privileges were forever being granted, revoked, and reaffirmed" ("Government"). This statement maintained that the kings granted their powers to others; by granting powers, the kings made sure that their dukes maintaining a state of loyalty. However, this led to powers spread unequally among the lords and the dukes. According to the Encyclopedia Britannia article on Government, "Medieval Europe, in fact, was a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of political arrangement......because everybody's claim to power and property was fragile and inconsistent with everybody else's. A certain degree of mutual forbearance was necessary" ("Government"). This statement maintained that different social classes have different levels of power, which sometimes led to disputes. One strong power was needed to eliminate different ideas. Nevertheless, some new ideas were also rising in the Medieval Age. For example, "A nation or peon can exist without taking the form of a state: physical geography, economic interest, language, religion, and history, all together or in one and twos, can create a generally accepted and recognized identity without a political organization" ("Government"). The original idea of anarchical state has existed in the Medieval Europe. However, instead of creating an anarchical state in Medieval Europe, people have established the idea of federalism in Europe. According to Government, "The foundations of the new monarchies were purely territorial. The kings of England, France, and Spain had enough to do to enforce their authority within the lands they had inherited or seized and to hammer their realms into some sort of uniformity" ("Government"). Enforcing the authorities within their own lands is an example of federalism. Nevertheless, the idea of federalism in the Medieval Ages was not completed; the powers were unable to be united. According to Government, "By 1500, most of them presided over bureaucracy (initially staffed by clerics) that would have impressed any Roman emperor. But universal empire was still impossible" ("Government"). This suggests that the unbalance and the separation of the powers had caused a "universal empire" to be unable to exist. In conclusion, different government styles have existed in the Medieval Ages and many of them were the ancestors of the current government style in Europe.
Township, the Crusades, and government style are the substantial elements that participated in the system of the government. These elements enacted important roles on affecting the government and being effected by the government. The changing in government in Medieval Europe also has effected the on government system of the current world. The idea of government is related and tied to every social class. Therefore, its development is very vital to the community. Without its existence, the Medieval Europe would definitely be difficult to stabilize.
Works Cited
Brogan, Hugh. “Government.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 June 2007. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.
Baldwin, Marshall W. “Crusades.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2013
Jones, J. Sydney., Marcia Merryman. Means, and Neil Schlager. The Crusades. Detroit: UXL, 2005. Print.