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Goanet joins Noel Rebello to raise money for Daddy's Home (Margao, Goa) Sponsor Noel as he climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,882m or 19,298 ft) Make a donation at www.Goanet.org, click on MAKE A DONATION, state "Daddy's Home" in the Donation comments For more information see: http://bit.ly/SupportDaddysHome --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medieval Europe started in 500 AD as the "Dark Ages" (fall of the Roman Empire) and the period ended as a rejuvenated "Renaissance Europe" in 1500. This is also called the "Middle Ages." Then started the "Period of Modern History." As one era was ending, and the next beginning, there were major changes in the works. The feudal system was evolving to centralized national monarchies. They took-on other battles of succession and endless battles and with other monarchs and the power of the pope. This also resulted in a shift from widespread local corruption and moral decay to become stable but centralized power and tyranny. Hence the period is also called the "Absolute Monarchs". The kings of Europe got more powerful as the Middle Ages were ending and the Age of Modern History progressed. The Popes lost control of administrative matters of the church within each country; with the king claiming the power to appoint bishops and approve any directives from Rome. Across "Catholic Europe", the various kings could and did confiscate church property and the soldiers closed down and physically destroyed, in many situations, church institutions Hence, the Popes would rather give up administrative control of the Catholic churches in various countries rather than see part or the entire native church separated; as happened in England under Henry VIII who became king in 1509. Some of these "Separation of Powers" (spiritual v/s administrative) was formalized in arrangements, which were given special names. With Portugal, the power of the king over church affairs was called the Padrado. The same existed in Spain, France etc. There was incessant wars (paid-for by taxes on poor farmers), pestilence, famines and fall of many kings, including Constantinople in 1453. The nobility, clergy and city-states declined with resulting upheaval. Portugal and Spain were on the verge of economic breakthrough; as Italy saw its economic fortunes decline with loss of its monopoly on trade from Asia to Europe. The transition period was dominated by major figures in various fields. In exploration we had Columbus, Da Gama, Vespucci, Cabot etc.. In science there was Copernicus. In art there was Raphael, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and others. In philosophy there was Erasmus, Rabelais, Sir Thomas Moore, etc.. In literature there was Cervantes, Chaucer. In medicine Paracelsus. And in religion there were Martin Luther, Calvin, Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, and other religious reformers and counter-reformers, having been preceded by the likes of Savonarola. Paraphrased from "The Reformation - Time Life series by Edith Simon". The dawn of the new world caused disintegration of the feudal system. It increased opportunities for some peasants. But for others, it was freedom to starve under higher taxes and rent. From time to time, this would burst into the open as in "the Bloody Peasants' War" of 1524 where 100,000 rebels were killed and 50,000 were left homeless, their villages and homes destroyed. There was famine and disease leading to beggars filling the cities and bandits prowling the villages. In the "Modern World", there was an economic revolution changing the lives of people. Due to expanding trade, the old system of barter and land-based wealth gave way to money economy and use of capital to create more capital. There was a merchant class starting to form. They in the pursuit of profit nourished a great boom by developing more businesses and institutions like banking, credit and the stock market. Thomas Moore, the English statesman declared, "Gold and silver had become the blood of the whole body-social." The 16th century business-boom brought prosperity to many and problems to all. The vast imported treasure from the colonies from Asia and the Americas entered Europe through a variety of bewildering mints and currencies; controlled by small and large kingdoms, free cities and duchies ruled by noblemen and clerics. All this led to inflation and bands of merchants in quest of profit. Inevitably, the new money economy fostered deplorable practices. The prospect of easy gain excited ruinous speculation, lotteries and other forms of gambling. Catholics were exploited by the sale of indulgences for a price which gave "rake-offs" to bankers who handled these revenues for the church. Money-lending (usury) for profit was officially banned prior to the modern world - being considered "earnings without work". However, with trade, money lending, to fund ships and voyages etc., was grudgingly accepted. And it led to exploitation with annual interest rates often as high as 20 percent. Scholar and philosopher, Erasmus, railed in anguish, "When did avarice reign more largely and less punished?" END Regards, GL