Europe in 1650

Overview of Politics and Society

Political Map of Europe in 1650

Holy Roman Empire in 1650

Crises of the 17th Century

•War

• Plague

• Famine

Thirty Years War: 1618-1648

• Defenestration of Prague

• Causes: – Religious– Political– Confused

• General Devastation in central Europe

Treaty of Westphalia: 1648

• Rulers in each of the states within the Holy Roman Empire independent of Emperor

• HRE a loose confederation of 352 states

• Recognition that different religions can co-exist within the Empire

Effects of Thirty Years War

• German states of central Europe fragmented for more than 200 years

• Population of central Europe decimated:

• In 1600, approximately 20 million people– By 1648, only 13 million– By 1700, still only 14 million

English Civil War: 1641-1648

• Struggle between Royal forces (Cavaliers) and Parliamentary forces (Roundheads)

• Issues:– Religion– Royal authority – Taxation

• War ended with trial and execution of King Charles I in 1649

Fronde in France: 1650s

• Rebellious groups of nobles attacked royal strongholds, trying to capture child King Louis XIV

• Issues:– Religion– Royal Authority– Taxation

• Revolt fizzled, largely because nobles were not united

Plague

• Epidemics of plague ravaged Europe

• 1649-1654: Mediterranean region

• 1657: Southern Italy

• 1665: London and southern Englan

• 1675-1685: Spain

• 1720: France

Bubonic Plague or ‘Black Death’

Bubonic plague from bite of an infected flea:– enlarged and inflamed lymph nodes

(around arm pits, neck and groin). – headaches, nausea, aching joints, fever of

101-105 degrees, vomiting, and a general feeling of illness

– 1-7 days to appear– mortality rate was 30-75%

Pneumonic Plague

• Second most common form of early modern plague

• Spread through droplets from coughs• Infected the lungs• Slimy sputum tinted with blood,

becoming progressively worse & bright red

• Mortality rate: 90-95%

Causes of Plague

• Poor sanitation

• Overcrowding, especially in cities

• No understanding of disease and its causes

• Bubonic Plague spread by fleas carried by brown rat

• Often half population died

• Famine often preceded or followed plague

Famine: Why?

• 85% of population lived directly dependent on the land for survival

• Low yield: 4:1 ratio needed for prosperity

• Little or no fertilizer—2/5 of land left fallow each year

• Climate colder and wetter during 17th century: seeds sometimes rotted in ground

Results of Famine

• In rural areas, lack of food to survive winter and plant next year

• In towns and cities, rising prices created hardship for poor and even ‘middling’ folk

• Poor transportation networks made movement of food difficult

• Example: Weavers of Beauvais