History Major Literary, Scientific and Social or Political Developments from About 1200 to about 1400

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History: Major Literary, Scientific and Social or Political Developments from About 1200 to about 1400

Introduction

From a historical point of view, the period from about 1200 to about 1400 falls within the middle to late medieval era. Notably, this was characterized by various social, economic, literary, political and scientific developments and achievements. Various historical writers ascertain that different developments were accomplished at this time before the onset of the Dark Age period that brought the respective developments to a halt. The inherent accomplishments had diverse impacts on the holistic welfare of the populations as they underwent various changes. It is against this background that this paper provides an intrinsic analysis of three major literary, scientific and social and/or political achievements that occurred during this period. In detail, it analyzes the causes and or impacts that the respective developments had on the then population and their way of life.

The emergence of traditional vernacular, the development of prose and the development of religious literature are the major literary developments that occurred during this period. The emergence of traditional vernacular literature during the 13th century was indeed a major achievement. This was mainly influenced by French forms although the Latin dialect was also common. One main characteristic of this literature was the fact that it was not uniform and could not be easily identified by a particular ethnic group during the later years. Although most of it was mainly poetry, other forms like songs, terror accounts, stories and narratives were also identified. Arguably, this could have been greatly influenced by the traditional custom of the Latin who stayed at the road side to listen to the Jongleur’s songs.

The development of prose occurred during the thirteenth century and specifically around 1231. This assumed the form of very short notices as well as expenses. By 1250, this had undergone significant changes and the first book was published in Latin. The subsequent writers then explored different fields and disciplines including romance, science and history. This was then followed by translations in other languages such as French, vernacular and English. Perhaps the most popular literary development during this time pertained to religious literature. In this regard, historical evidence ascertains that this was perpetuated by the rise of religious movements in different parts of Europe. Besides preserving sermons that were employed in religious worship, the clergy also wrote poetry and composed songs that were equally instrumental. One major weakness of the then poetry has been identified as lack of credibility or authenticity.

The major scientific inventions during this period constituted the invention of silk, the clock and the compass. The invention of silk was a major advancement in fashion and it greatly changed the mode of clothing that was assumed by the populations. The invention of the clock on the other hand impacted positively on the structure of life of the populations. Emphasis was placed on organization of activities and the entire life became structured. Of great importance however was the invention of the compass. This was useful to sailors and explorers during the renaissance. In particular, they employed the instrument in finding their bearing during foggy conditions.

The main political and or social achievements during this period were the rapid increase in population, improvement of political organization and a rise of modern nation-states. The rapid increase in population during this period can be attributed to the social and political changes that characterized the early medieval period. Research indicates that the inherent demographic changes and population growth during this period were particularly historical because of the fact that they were not experienced again until the 19th century. The political organization of Europe has also been cited to have improved significantly during this period. This was contributed to by the significant reduction of invasions and incursions from the Barbarians.

Consequently, migrations and frequent movements ceased considerably and populations had a chance to live a more settled life. The political organization was also exemplified by the control of all the armies across Europe by the Catholic Church. One major event related to this organization was the spirited organization of crusades that sought to fight the Selj Turks who reportedly inhabited the holy land. Finally, Western Europe experienced a rise in modern states that were characterized by magnificent cities. This led to an improvement in the quality of life of the then populations.

Conclusion

At this point, it can not be disputed that the period between 1200 and 1400 was characterized by various achievements and inventions in the social, political, literary and scientific domains. Besides being politically organized, developing modern nation states and developing vernacular literature and prose, conventional populations during this era invented the compass that was useful in providing bearing especially during foggy conditions, invented the clock that led to the structuring of the lives and invented silk that impacted on their mode of clothing. Also important was the development of religious literature in form of songs, poems and sermons. This was imperatively important in enhancing worship and enabling populations to appreciate their spirituality.