Fourth Order and The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century

The Fourth Order refers to the new class that emerged in European societies during the 14th century, while The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century refers to a period of change, development, and crisis that began with the Black Death. The Fourth Order was a new group in European towns during the 14th century. They were skilled workers, sellers, and traders. They helped towns and cities grow by boosting the economy. The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century was a time of big changes and problems. Development process occured partly because of the Black Death. This disease spread in this time rapidly when ships from other places arrived at European ports and killed about a third of the people in Europe.

In this article, we are going to discuss Fourth Order and The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century in detail.

Definition Of The Fourth Order

The fourth order refers to skilled workers like craftsmen, merchants, and traders. They appeared in Europe during the 9th century as towns grew and populations increased. These workers included shopkeepers, merchants, bankers, and lawyers.

Each type of worker belonged to a guild. It was like a club that controlled how things were made, how much they cost, and how they were sold. Guilds also protected workers’ rights, set rules, controlled prices, and ensured products were of good quality. Here are some major facts about them as mentioned below.

• The fourth order includes skilled workers like craftsmen, merchants, and traders.
• They appeared in 9th century Europe because towns were growing, and farming was increasing and it lead to a rise in population.
• The fourth order consisted of shopkeepers, merchants, bankers, and lawyers.
• Each craft or industry had a guild, which controlled how things were made, priced, and sold.
• Guilds protected their members’ interests, set rules, controlled prices, and ensured products were good quality.

Fourth Order and Cathedral-towns

Here are the relation between the Fourth Order and Cathedral-towns in ths time as mentioned below.

• Large churches are called cathedrals.
• They began construction in France in the twelfth century.
• Cathedrals were owned by monasteries but were built with help from different groups.
• People contributed labor, materials, or money.
• As cathedrals were built, the nearby areas became more crowded.
• Once a cathedral was finished, it became a popular place for pilgrims to visit.

Crisis of the Fourteenth Century

The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century was also called as the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages. It was a tough time in Europe from the 14th to the 15th century. It was a time of slowdown in growth, major population drops, political problems, and religious troubles.

Three big crises caused these problems like the Great Famine of 1315–1317, the Black Death of 1347 to 1351, and big climate changes. The Black Death and climate changes probably cut down the population by half or more. Here are the major Crisis of the Fourteenth Century as mentioned below.

• Europe experienced its coldest winter at the end of the thirteenth century. It was colder than any in the last 300 years.
• The freezing weather made the land rough and unable to grow crops.
• Silver mines in Serbia and Austria could not produce enough silver for coins.
• The king had to mix silver coins with cheaper metals to keep coins in circulation.
• The Black Death was the most significant event of this period.
• It was a deadly plague carried by merchant ships that arrived at European ports.

Social Unrest – The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century

• The earnings of lords were severely affected.
• They tried to stop using money contracts and bring back labor obligations.
• Peasants, especially those who were wealthier and more educated, strongly opposed this.
• Rebellions broke out among peasants in Flanders in 1323, in France in 1358, and in England in 1381.
• These uprisings were brutally put down.
• However, the protests showed that peasants were determined to keep the progress they had made.
• Despite harsh repression, the old feudal system could not be restored due to intense opposition from peasants.
• The economy had progressed too much to go back to the old ways.

Political Changes – The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century

In the 15th and 16th centuries, European kings like Louis XI, Maximilian, Henry VII, Isabelle, and Ferdinand became very powerful. They were known as ‘the new monarchs’. These kings strengthened their countries by building strong armies, setting up permanent bureaucracies, and collecting taxes.

• Social changes in the 12th and 13th centuries made weak the old feudal system and slowed down economic growth.
• Kings started using trained soldiers with guns and cannons, making them more powerful than the nobles.
• Kings raised taxes to pay for bigger armies. There were some revolts in England and France, but the kings put them down.
• Nobles in France switched sides to support the king, gaining permanent jobs in the government.
• The king became the center of a new system, with a group of loyal followers around him. Money became a key way to gain influence, even for non-nobles.
• Merchants and bankers lent money to kings, giving non-nobles more influence in government.

FAQs – Fourth Order and The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century

What was the crisis of the 14th century?

The crisis of the Middle Ages was a series of events in the 14th and 15th centuries that ended centuries of European stability during the late Middle Ages. Three major crises led to radical changes in all areas of society: demographic collapse, political instability, and religious upheavals.

What was the fourth order in a short note?

Shopkeepers, merchants, bankers and lawyers—skilled labour—emerged and formed what came to be known was the fourth order. Each craft or industry was organised into a guild. A guild was an association which controlled the quality, price and sale of every product.

What was the fourth order of feudalism?

The fourth order was primarily composed of skilled craftsmen, merchants, and traders who engaged in various economic activities. 2. They played a crucial role in the development of towns and cities, as their businesses contributed to economic growth and prosperity.

What is the 14th century known for?

The 14th century can be characterized by these important events or historical changes: The beginning of the 100 years war with France. The peasants revolt and the decline of the feudal system. The Black Death.

How did fourth order came into existence?

The 9th century Europe saw the development of towns. We saw how churches became the centre of worship and population, leading to the development of cathedral towns. The development of towns gave rise to agriculture and population growth, eventually leading to the formation of a new order known as the fourth order.

What were the three major crisis of the 14th century?

A string of occasions in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries known as the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages brought an end to several centuries of peace in Europe. The fall of the population, political unrest, and religious upheavals were three key crises that caused profound transformations in all facets of society.

What are three orders?

The three orders are three social categories: Christian priests, landowning nobles and peasants. The term ‘feudalism’ has been used by historians to describe the economic, legal, political and social relationships that existed in Europe in the medieval era.

What was the third order in history?

Third orders were a 12th-century adaptation of the medieval monastic confraternities. Members of third orders are known as tertiaries (Latin tertiarii, from tertius, “third”). In some cases, they may belong to a religious institute (a “congregation”) that is called a “third order regular”.

Who constituted the fourth order class 11?

The fourth order was primarily composed of skilled craftsmen, merchants, and traders who engaged in various economic activities. 2. They played a crucial role in the development of towns and cities, as their businesses contributed to economic growth and prosperity.

What was the fourth order class 11?

The quote “town air makes free” took the streets of mediaeval Europe, which led to a new class of workers, who were paid for their job and free from their lords’ clutches. This new class was what is today referred to as the fourth order.