the middle ages and renaissance

The best way to understand people is to know where they are coming from. It gives you an insight as to who they really are, why they are the way they are, why they do the things they do, and helps you to be more accepting and tolerant of them. Whether you want to take up residence in Marseille, visit or just want to add to your history knowledge base, this article is for you and promises to be a comprehensive information about the history of the ancient city of Marseille.

Marseille wasn’t always part of the French Kingdom. In fact, it only became a French Kingdom in 1428. Legends have it that Marseille was founded around 600BC when a Greek seafarer gifted it to his daughter, Gyptic and his Phocean Son-in-law., with its first settlers being from Phocaea, modern-day Turkey. There is evidence of human habitation and activity around Marseilles as far back as 30,000 years ago. Marseille witnessed a number of setbacks and was a victim of military invasions and different times, most notable being the Roman siege of Marseille where it was taken over by the Julius Ceaser led Roman Empire because of its support for Pompey, an enemy to Rome at that time.

The city-state was ushered into the middle ages and renaissance period with the decline of the Roman Empire. The once vibrant and bubbling City experienced some decline in the 8th century but as is characteristic of them, they were able to bounce back quickly in the 10th century. The counts of Provence played a major role in the revival of Marseille. Provence helped revive their trading and commerce while allowing them to maintain their own autonomy. In a bid to maintain their own cultural identity, Marseille became a very rebellious city over time, occasioning a series of revolts, attacks and surrenders..

1n 1348, Marseille suffered greatly from the bubonic plague, a plague that ravaged the city, killing about 57% of the city’s population and threatening it’s very existence. The plague was also known as the Black Death or the great plague. As a port city, the pestilence spread very fast because the causal bacterium, Yersinia pest is was transmitted by fleas which lived in black rats that were in every merchant ship. The pandemic announced itself in its victims by a cluster of tumors around their groin or armpit region and then started to spread to different parts of their bodies before they eventually die. This was a very trying time for Marseille, but as always, they were able to bounce back after a period of time.

By 1437, Marseille had bounced back fully and regained its position as a formidable Center of trade in commerce in Europe. It regained its population too. Still being governed by Provence, Rene of Anjou, a certain count of Provence began massive restructuring and repositioning of Marseille. Under Rene’s rulership, Marseille grew from a town to a city and became one of France’s most fortified cities. Marseille grew in military prowess so much that it was able to lead the Duke of Anjou’s reconquer of the kingdom of Sicily. Rene of Anjou developed almost every aspect of Marseille, establishing the Corporation of Fisherman and restoring the lost glory of the city.

In 1481, Marseille became a part of France alongside Provence and again rebelled against the government of France at different periods and had to be put under siege by the Army of the Holy Roman Empire. Towards the 16th century, another pandemic spread around Marseille, occasioning the need to focus on medical research and establish healing centers. It was during this period that the famous hospital of the Hotel-Dieu was founded.

The forts of Saint-Jean and St. Nicholas were erected following more political unrests and attempts at insubordination. Major attempts at fortifying the ports defenses were made during this period and Marseille became one of France’s major military port and naval base. The end of middle age and renaissance period was signified by the French Revolution of 1792 and the industrial development of Marseille in later centuries. The Suez Canal was opened in 1869, and many renowned museums, monuments and edifices were erected during this period.

Marseille has ever since been a resilient city known for its accommodating nature, serving as an entrance port for most of France’s immigrants and can be described as a blend of city and rural life, having major features of a city and yet still being a major base for rural activities like fishing. Marseille is described by some persons as the “European Capital of Culture” because of its general acceptability of people from different ethnicities and its popularity for hosting multiple festivals and cultural events every year. Marseille is a thriving and bubbling city, peaceful, homely, hospitable, and vibrant and is definitely worth visiting and experiencing.