plague
Rosies with rings around them, were filling with puss all over Europe. The bubonic plague changed the way of how the peasants and the government in Europe thrived, ultimately ending the middle ages, and birthing the renaissance. The rise of secularization, the shift of who is ruler, and the debasing of currency, all contributed to the end of the Middle Ages, and the beginning of the Renaissance. The intellectual decision for most people to become secular from the church dramatically changed the culture of Europe. As people started to become ill with the plague, they started to drift away from the church because they weren’t being healed. The catholic church ran the middle ages. We see this through ideas like Petrine Supremacy and Divine Right. The fact that the pope christens the king into becoming king, “under the power of God” shows how in control the church was. Because of the secularization of people, the church was becoming less powerful, ending the Middle Ages. And because humanism started to form, as the church was ending, the renaissance began. The political power of the king changed greatly. Peasants were given land for money, causing the king to need to raise taxes. However the poor peasants didn’t have extra money to give him. The merchants and clergy men who are taxed, want something in return. So, the king forms a parliament. This allows the king to be overruled. Also, as humanism started to become popular, people drifted away from the church, giving the pope very little power. Thus, there is no long any solo ruler, like a king or pope, in Europe, causing the beginning of the renaissance. The economical change in Europe, specifically the development of the middle class, ended, and began, an era. The bubonic plague killed off one third of the population. Because of this, the king needed more money to make up for the lost taxes. So, he debased currency, and taxed clergy men and merchants. Also, because there was less peasants, there were less