What Is The Desire To Have Power In The Middle Ages

European history was influenced by four key desires, the desire to create, the desire to know, the desire to exist, and the desire to have power. I believe that through serious analysis of European history from The Middle Ages to the seventeenth century (476-1700’s) (lecture notes, The Middle Ages) that the want to have power has had much significance. The want to have power has dealt with three social classes, two religions, and many other countries along with, conquerors and explorers that have contributed to Europe’s past.
The Middle ages had started off with the fall of the Roman Empire in the year 476; where they fell to many Germanic tribes (Class Notes, The Middle Ages). Right from the start of this era of European history, we already
It began with the leaders of the Christian religion desiring to regain the holy land of Jerusalem from the Muslim people, who were the first to control the holy city. The major reasoning the Christians made to make this war justified was because they wanted riches, wanted adventure, and the soldiers wanted glory. The riches and glory aspects had been their want for more power but after 200 years of fighting the Muslims still continued to keep control of the holy city and warded off the attempts by the Christians. During the time of the Crusades the medieval landowners, warriors, and peasants played a key role in the want to have power. The landowners who were Priests had the desire for more power by obtaining more land; because the more land they controlled the more power they gained. The Priest also had control over the peasants and warriors when they were in need for land or for protection. The warriors had fought for the Priests in exchange for land and the peasants had worked on the land owned by farmers for protection but wouldn’t get paid for their contributions. This displays great desires for power because the Priests used their land for power and control over warriors and peasants. But a great outcome of the Crusades dealt with the trading that went on during that time; which led to Italy becoming a rich country and led to what we know as the
It had begun in Italy because of corruption, due to rich and powerful families who had wealth and control over that time. One of the families that were controlling things during that period was the Medici family. This family had a major wish for power; they used their wealth and corruption to support artists to create works that would later define history. The families that had the most wealth and corruption made the biggest contributions to art because they were sponsors to any artist who had potential and this led to the great artworks of the Renaissance. Such artworks were realistic, precise, and used oil based paints and shading to enhance the picture. Other than artwork the Renaissance were also a tough time for women who dealt with oppression during this time. Such aspects of their lives focused on making their husband happy even if the wives weren’t, “It was considered good for domestic peace and harmony if a wife kept her husbands love with total diligence” (DWC 10.7, On Wifely Duties) this text provides examples of how women did not have a choice but to just do what the husband said so they are happy because that was better for the community. The Renaissance was a time for gaining more power but another time period for the want to gain power was the time of the Protestant