Europe in 1346

This article is intended for non-western readers or western readers that are not familiar with the middle age.

Politics

In 1346, Europe is torn apart by power struggles.

The society is divided in three classes, the ones who work, the ones who fight and rule (the nobles) and the ones who pray (the religious).

Nobles inherit their lands and have a strong dominion over their people. They can edict laws and raise taxes. Their responsibility is to oversee their lands and protect their people from invaders. They organise the police, the army and the economy.

Kingdoms are constituted of lords who follow a King, also chosen by heredity.

Kings have their own lands, but are usually not the wealthiest lords of their realm. They have limited powers over the lords they oversee and power struggles inside a kingdom are constant.

Kings can edict laws, raise taxes and launch wars, but they can only do so with the support of their lords.

Nobles are very careful about their reputation, which will influence greatly their relations with their neighbours, that's why the unwritten law of honour is a defining factor in the medieval society.

Lords will follow their king in combat with their troops not because the law obliges it, but because honour command it.

The main powers in western Europe are France, England, the Holy Roman empire (Germany) and the Pope.

There is in a war between England and France that just started and there is a power struggle between France, the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope.

The Pope is the head of the catholic Church and since all Europeans are firm believers, he uses this influence to take political power from Kings.

The current Pope have been strongly supported by France and he is based in Avignon instead of Rome.

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