Transforming Discoveries^31

Theodore Galle’s Nova reperta (“New discoveries”) celebrates the discovery of the

New World and forms of the new technology (gunpowder, the compass, the clock,

the saddle with stirrups).

invest bishops with spiritual authority, and the pope recognized the

emperor s right to give fiefs to the bishops once they had been consecrated,

which left them with the status of vassals recognizing the lay authority of the

emperor.) The clergy generally taught obedience to secular as well as ecclesi­

astical rulers. Furthermore, in the late medieval period, kings were able to

further consolidate their power when popes granted the rulers of France,

Spain, and some German towns certain rights over the clergy, including that

of naming bishops.

Transforming Discoveries

In the late Middle Ages, stunning developments in warfare and exploration

transformed Europe and its relationship with the rest of the world. More­

over, the invention of printing created a culture of books, facilitating the

spread of knowledge, ideas, and debate, at a time when exploration led to

developing trade networks across the oceans, conquest, and empires.