Corporate Identity In The Middle Ages

Corporate identity was a very important part of society during the Middle Ages. People’s corporate identity granted them rights and a ranking within whatever government they were a part of. The most common system of ranking at the time was the Feudal System where nobles were the leaders and peasants and serfs were the main group serving them. However, this type of government was often tested and ultimately destroyed during the many disruptions that occurred throughout the end of this period. One of these disruptions, The Black Death, was a horrible disease which caused the most drastic changes in Europe by affecting The Church and the Feudal system negatively.
Another disturbance at the time, The Hundred Years’ War, also affected the government

As the Middle Ages progressed foreign invasions declined and Europeans felt more safe. They started traveling more often and brought back exotic goods from the Middle East. Furthermore, during the winter the merchants would have to wait out the cold months near a castle or in a small settlement before they could travel again. According the the World History textbook, this attracted artisans who made more crafts for the merchants to sell. These small communities grew and became the first medieval cities. Merchants began to gain rights by asking the local leader to make a charter which set out their privileges and eventually made guilds to pass laws and taxes. Although this new way of living seems like a big improvement to medieval society really it was not a long-lasting change. Once the Black Death began it had killed one third of the European population which ruined the newly formed towns and Town System consisting of merchants and their apprentices. Firstly, many people fled their cities in hopes of escaping the sick people. According to Giovanni Boccaccio “one citizen fled after another, and one neighbor had no care of another” which left towns filled with only the dying and ill. Additionally, if some towns did not become abandoned the high inflation had ruined merchant life as well. Workers died and

Besides for the fact that many priests and monks died during the Black Death, their inexperienced replacements had many pressing and hard questions to answer. Christians wanted to know how G-d could kill so many people, why did G-d kill some people over others, and what could retain their beliefs in G-d? According to the World History textbook, the Church also had trouble maintaining power and leadership and was breaking apart. At the time, reformers elected their own pope from Rome so French cardinals chose a new pope too to rival him. During some years of the split there was even 3 popes at a time who all claimed to be the true leader. People were not reliant on the Church anymore because of their new lack of belief in G-d and because they didn't know which pope to trust. Additionally, John Wycliff, an oxford professor, declared corruption in the Church. He used the bible as a source of Christian truth in place of The Church. Jan Hus also called for reforms and was supported by his followers called the Hussites. The Church persecuted Wycliffe and the Hussites in response and was angered with heresy (ideas contrary to Church teaching). This shows how people were no longer in full agreement with all of the Church’s ideas. The Black Plague had immediate effects on people’s trust in Christianity but also caused a long lasting spilt and lack of power in the