Chapter 10 –

The Crusades
High Middle Ages
• Turning Point:
1215: Signing of
the Magna Carta
-“The Great
Charter”
• King John of
England forced to
sign
The Magna Carta = Checks and Balances on the King’s Power
Magna Carta 1215
• It recognized the rights of
nobles
• Kept King from being an
absolute ruler =
“Checks & Balances”
Step towards the people
taking back power
King John Signs the “Great
Charter”
 Justinian Reign
Accomplishments
• Codification of Roman Law
• Became the legal system
of latter day Europe
• Resulted in the book:
“The Body of Civil Law”
 English Parliament Emerges
• During the
reign of
Edward I
• An important
development of
representative
government
 English Parliament Emerges
1. 2 knights
from every
county
2. 2 people
from every Later, the English Parliament
town becomes as powerful as the King.

3. All nobles &

bishops in
England
 The Crusades
• Campaigns to
reclaim the holy
land from Muslims
• Pope Urban II led
the initial crusades
Urban II – A “All who die…
Pope’s whether by
Promise land or by sea,
or in battle
against the
pagans, shall
have immediate
remission
(forgiveness)
for sins.”
The Path to War
The Crusades Effect on the Economy of Europe
• Average Crusader saved 6 years of
income for one year of crusading
• Merchants throughout Europe
charged high prices and made
huge profits
 Effect of Crusades on Europe
1. Crusades
benefited Italian
port cities
through increased
trade
2. First Jewish
Holocaust –
Christian
massacre of Jews
3. Feudal System
Collapse
Effect of Crusades
on Europe (cont.)

4. Creation of 4
strong nation-
states:
Portugal, Spain,
England, &
France
Video: The Crusades