Essay Sample on History of Western Civilizations

According to the book on western civilizations (Cole, J., & Symes, C.), the mid-fourteenth century was a transition between the middle ages and the modern world. This period was full of crisis and separation. Some crisis included natural plagues such as the black-death that was Europe's most apocalyptic natural disaster. This plague (1335) negatively affected Europe's economic stability resulting in lack of labor and extremely low prices of their outputs. The black plague catastrophe claimed roughly 75-200 million lives in Eurasia.

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The Italian Renaissance began in the 14th-17th centuries after widely spreading across Europe. It started in central Italy centered at Florence city. It is mainly recognized for its art, sculpture, and music. Renaissance popes had close engagement with politics in Italy, and thus, it significantly impacted the Roman papacy. It later spread to rest Europe countries with the Italian adventurers serving under monarchs in Europe welcoming the dawn of discovery age.

The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) headed by Emperor John V was most of its time the most prominent empire before the rise of the Ottoman's oppressing rule. The empire was headquartered at Constantinople. Christianity was legitimated and made the central religious belief. The fall of the Byzantine Empire era happened after a civil war when the empire allowed Stefan Dusan to infest the empire's remaining territory and became the Serbian empire. The Byzantium Empire left a legacy of the greatest empire, and their culture had significant influence in western traditions.

The mid-fourteenth century was also faced by great warfare, for example, the Hundred Years' War that lasted a century. This warfare stemmed from the conflict between the French and England's imperial families and also triggered by other happenings such as King Edward laying claim of the French town. This heightened to military divergences, and the English under Edward III defeated the French under Philip of Valois. Arms used in the war worsened with the introduction of gun powder before the war came to an end in 1453 with a French victory.

Revolution was experienced between the 18th and the 19th centuries after ushering in the age of discovery. Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth promoted formulation of modern ideas that promoted nation-building. Revolution and nation-building began in northern America and spread to the colonies. After the Second World War, the American population prospered and moved to their own homes in the suburbs.

In the 13th, 14th, and the 15th century, the Roman church was faced by a leadership crisis due to the claim of multiple popes of the papacy (Cole & Symes, 2013). In the year 1414 to 1418, the council of Constance was established to end western Schism in the church, which was caused by the claimant of multiple popes who claimed leadership of the church. The Council of Constance voted a new pope and brought order in the church (Cole & Symes, 2013).The council after choosing a new pope the pope was able to establish his leadership unquestionably and developed the doctrine of papal infallibility which holds that the pope is preserved from a potential error during his tenure as the shepherd and teacher of Christians on faith and morality (Cole & Symes, 2013). Power victim in the church is depicted as a significant problem facing the Catholic Church that has the potential of causing a crisis.

The 100-year war refers to the 1337 to 1453 conflict between France and England, which was caused by William of Normandy conquest of England, which led to the requirement of England to pay tribute to French kings. However, the frustration of Edward III of England with Philip VI of France failure to re-establish the Guienne that had been taken by Charles IV and English attempt to take manage of Flanders which was a central location for wool and cloth trade in England. Besides, Philip's sustain of Scotland further fueled the 100 years' war. England's ability to besiege Calais which surrendered in 1356 and later England was able to receive Calais and a hefty ransom for the captive king. France suffered the most from the hundred year's war in which farmland and ensuing famine, and the Black Death led to the decimation of the French population (Cole & Symes, 2013). Marauders invaded the countryside and civil wars became common. In England, the war reduced its continental power and sought more investment in naval power.

References

Cole, J., & Symes, C. (2013). Western civilizations: Their history & their culture. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.