What Was The Role Of Women In Medieval European Society Essay

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The bubonic plague drastically changed medieval European society. It weakened the economy and affected the role women play in society. The black death sparked religious movements and shaped beliefs. The Mongols occupied an area extending from Russia to China. Therefore, there were many trade roads in the empire, and Mongol rule kept Eurasian trade avenues in check. Society thrived due to the increased amount of trade. However, rats with fleas reached Europe along the trade routes. These rats lead to the Black Death, one of the greatest epidemics in European history. Another catastrophe in fourteenth century Europe was “the little ice age”. The weather started changing at the end of the thirteenth century and temperature decreases lead to rain and storms. From 1315 through 1317 , rain wrecked harvests and resulted in food being scarce. This lead to a famine, which killed off a …show more content…

Ideas from Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle had men become dominant over passive women. When more educated people entered society, these ideas became universally accepted. Legally, women were considered weak and unable to accomplish tasks done by males. This unfairness between the two genders lasted up to the Industrial Revolution. When women’s roles were limited, they could not contribute to society.

The Black Death and “the little ice age” lead to improvement in European society. The economy was in stronger shape than it is before those crises and trade thrived again. Peasants began to have more rights and could speak up, while women were still restricted. Problems that came from the Black Death were addressed with new governmental methods and regulations. Out of societal troubles, new practices and ideas popped up. Thinkers were on the edge of an era of new principles and a reintroduction of past civilizations. This let people talk about a Renaissance and the emergence of a new and improved