Dani Brown
Pd 4
AP World History
Change over time Essay
During 1000-1500 C.E the political organization of Europe changed from feudal governance to centralized states thanks to the collapse of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. Local kings and rulers ruled loosely centralized cities until tightly centralized states began to appear, thanks to ambitious rulers like King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. However, the city states in Italy never transformed into one powerful state, but remained independent. This stayed constant, as well as the pope having great influence in government during the time of the Holy Roman Empire.
Politics changed in medieval Europe with government becoming strong tightly centralized states instead of decentralized regions. In the beginning the theme system was used for local government. The theme system is the system of vassals and knights were Lords would give peasants land as payment for their allegiance to them.
English: Map of the Holy Roman Empire in the 10th ...
English: Map of the Holy Roman Empire, 1789, trans...
The Holy Roman Empire from 1273 to 1378. ---- Habs...This gave great power to local lords and nobles. There was no one ruler or authority figure, but a series of different lords and nobilities. This changed after the bubonic plague, when there was a recovery from the mast devastation. Ambitious rulers sought to build power and make centralized governments where they would rule. An example is with the state of France, where King Louis the sixth built a centralized government and a standing army. He wielded absolute power among his subjects, like taxing specific items like sales, hearth, and salt. He also had power over the nobilities in his state. The Russians states were similar in this way too. Ivan the great created a tightly centralized authority that governed from the city of Muscovy in Moscow. He did this after he opposed the Mongol rule and took over He demanded total control and power. King William, the reigning monarch...