Wars and epidemics raging across Europe paved the way for an increase in advanced technology, which helped society progress and escape medieval times. The Hundred Years' War gave rise to modern warfare that had a lasting impact on society and changed the way warfare was fought. It moved towards a less barbaric and more strategic approach, “…retaliated with new very simple and inexpensive but very effective weapons: the longbow, the crossbow and the palisade” (527). Progress was also made in the field of ships in order to make them more and more durable, "...began to develop a new type of ship properly designed to operate in rough and open waters: the caravel" (575). The latest modern technology that accompanied the transition from the medieval to the modern era was a new way of navigating using the new magnetic compass. With the compass a new way of navigating at sea appeared: “A maritime code known as the Consulate of the Sea, born in the Catalan regions of the Crown of Aragon in the 14th century, was accepted by the majority. of seafarers as a normative code of maritime conduct…” (576). The rise of new technologies in the late medieval era was not the main reason for the fall of the Middle Ages, as much as it only contributed to a newly structured society. This would impact the feudal system now as it would help create a middle class and make societal roles less defined. The decline of the feudal system was brought about by the Hundred Years' War in conjunction with the Early Crusades, and therefore these advances no longer required feudal methods. Feudal soldiers were no longer needed due to the new weaponry and some explorers would be eliminated as more laymen could help with navigation due to the simplicity of the system.