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Chapter 16
The Two Worlds of Christendom
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Medieval Christendom

Two halves




Byzantine empire
Germanic states
Inherited Christianity from Roman empire
After eighth century, tensions between two halves
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2
Successor States to the Roman Empire,
ca. 600 C.E.
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3
The Early Byzantine Empire


Capital: Byzantium
On the Bosporus

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
Commercial, strategic value of location
Byzantion designated new imperial capital,
renamed Constantinople (“city of Constantine”)


Golden Horn
Site of imperial government after 330 C.E.
City’s fall to Turks, 1453 C.E., renamed Istanbul
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4
Caesaropapism


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Power centralized in figure of emperor
Christian leader cannot claim divinity; rather,
divine authority
Political rule; involved in religious rule as well
Authority absolute
Etiquette reinforced authority of emperor

Royal purple; prostration; mechanical devices designed
to inspire awe
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5
Justinian and Theodora


Justinian, r. 527–565 C.E., the “sleepless
emperor”
Wife Theodora as advisor


Ambitious construction programs


Background: circus performer
Church of Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s code: codification of Roman law
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6
Byzantine Conquests



Effort to reconquer much of western Roman
empire from Germanic people
Unable to consolidate control of territories
Rome abandoned

Ravenna
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7
Muslim Conquests



Seventh century, Arab Muslim expansion
Besieged Byzantium 674–678 C.E., 717–718 C.E.
Defense made possible through use of “Greek
fire”
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8
The Theme System


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
Themes (provinces) under control of generals
Military administration
Control from central imperial government
Soldiers from peasant class, rewarded with land
grants
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9
The Rise of the Franks



Last Roman emperor deposed by Germanic
Odoacer, 476 C.E.
Administrative apparatus still in place, but cities
lost population
Germanic successor states:




Visigoths
Ostrogoths
Lombards
Franks
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10
The Franks




Heavy influence on European development, fifth
to ninth centuries
Conversion to Christianity gained popular support
Firm alliance with western Christian church
Carolingian dynasty begun by Charles Martel
(“Charles the Hammer”)


Defeat of Spanish Muslims at Battle of Tours (732
C.E.)
Halted Islamic advance into western Europe
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11
Charlemagne (r. 768–814 C.E.)


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
Grandson of Charles Martel
Centralized imperial rule
Barely literate, but sponsored extensive
scholarship
Major military achievements
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12
Charlemagne’s Administration



Capital at Aachen, Germany
Constant travel throughout empire
Imperial officials: missi dominici (“envoys of the
lord ruler”)

Continued yearly circuit travel
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13
Charlemagne as Emperor

Had hesitated to challenge Byzantine emperors by
taking title “emperor”


Yet ruled in fact
Crowned emperor in 800 C.E. by Pope Leo III


Surprise?
Challenge to Byzantium
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14
The Carolingian Empire, 814 C.E.
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15
The End of the Carolingian Empire

Louis the Pious (r. 814–840 C.E.), son of
Charlemagne



Lost control of courts, local authorities
Civil war among three sons
Empire divided in 843 C.E.
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16
The Age of the Vikings

External pressures on Carolingian empire

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
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From the south: Muslims
From the east: Magyars
From the north: Vikings
Norse expansion driven by population pressure,
quest for wealth
Superior seafaring technology
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17
Vikings



From village of Vik, Norway (hence “Viking”)
Boats with shallow drafts, capable of river travel
as well as on open seas
Attacked villages, cities, monasteries from ninth
century


Constantinople sacked three times
Carolingians had no navy, dependent on local
defenses
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18
The Dissolution of the Carolingian Empire
(843 C.E.)
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19
The Two Economies of Early
Medieval Europe

Byzantium—economic powerhouse



Agricultural surplus
Long-distance trade
Western Christendom


Repeated invasions contributed to agricultural decline
Tenth century, increased political stability led to
economic recovery
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20
Byzantine Peasantry

Free peasantry kept Byzantium strong


Supported by the theme system
Decline after eleventh century

Wealthy accumulated large estates
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21
Byzantine Trade and Manufacturing

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Trade routes brought key technologies,
e.g. silk industry
Advantage of location led to expansion in crafts
and industry after sixth century
Bezant became standard currency
Tax revenues from revived Silk Roads
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22
Manufacturing and Trade in
Western Europe
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
Invasions and political turmoil disrupted
commercial activities
Agricultural innovations


Heavy plow; water mills; special horse collar
Small-scale exchange; maritime trade in
Mediterranean
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23
Norse Merchant-Mariners


Commerce or plunder as convenient
Link with Islamic world for trade
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24
Byzantium: An Urban Society
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Aristocrats: palaces
Artisans: apartments
Working poor: communal living spaces
Attractions
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Baths
Taverns, restaurants, theaters
Hippodrome

Chariot races, athletic matches, circuses
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25
Western Europe: A Rural Society



Agricultural surplus sufficient for local elites
Not enough to sustain large urban population
Towns served as economic hubs of surrounding
regions
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26
The Question of Feudalism

Concept of feudalism


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Lords and vassals
Increasingly inadequate model for describing complex
society
Loosely based arrangements in absence of strong
central authorities
Local notables or lords took over administration
from weak central government

Nominal allegiances, especially to Carolingian kings
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27
Lords and Peasants

Lords formed small private armies

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Incentives: land grants, income from mills, cash
Formation of hereditary class of military retainers
Peasants obligated to provide labor, payments in
kind to lord


Unable to move from land
Fees charged for marrying serfs of another lord
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28
Population


During fifth and sixth century, population
fluctuations
By eighth century, demographic recovery


Political stability
Productive agriculture
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29
Population Growth of Europe, 200–1000 C.E.
40
35
30
25
20
Millions
15
10
5
0
200
400
600
800
900
1000
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30
The Evolution of Christian Societies



Christianity main source of religious, moral, and
cultural authority
Two halves disagreed on doctrine, ritual, and
church authority
By mid-eleventh century, two rival communities


Eastern Orthodox
Roman Catholic
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31
Pope Gregory I (590–604 C.E.)



“Gregory the Great”
Asserted papal primacy
Prominent theologian

Sacrament of penance
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32
The Byzantine Church


Church and state closely aligned
Byzantine emperors appointed patriarchs


Treated as department of state
Caesaropapism created dissent
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33
Iconoclasm




Emperor Leo III (r. 717–741 C.E.)
Destruction of icons after 726 C.E.
Popular protest, rioting
Policy abandoned 843 C.E.
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34
Asceticism




Hermit-like existence
Celibacy
Fasting
Prayer
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35
St. Basil (329–379 C.E.) and
St. Benedict (480–547 C.E.)

Both established consistent rule for monasteries
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Poverty
Chastity
Obedience
St. Scholastica (482–543 C.E.)


Sister of St. Benedict
Adapted Benedictine rule for convents
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36
Monasticism and Society

Social welfare projects
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
Inns, orphanages, hospitals
Agents in spread of Christianity



Missionaries—Christian cultural zone in western part
of Eurasian continent
England
Northern Germany; Scandinavia
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37
Influence on Slavic Cultures

Saints Cyril and Methodius


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Missions in Bulgaria and Moravia
Creation of Cyrillic alphabet
Slavic lands developed orientation to Byzantium
Conversion of Prince Vladimir of Kiev
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38
Two Halves


Tensions between eastern and western
Christianity
Ritual disputes



Beards on clergy
Leavened bread for Mass
Theological disputes


Iconoclasm
Nature of the Trinity
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39
Schism



Arguments over hierarchy, jurisdiction
Autonomy of patriarchs, or primacy of Rome?
Mutual excommunication of patriarch of
Constantinople and pope of Rome, 1054 C.E.


East: Eastern Orthodox church
West: Roman Catholic church
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40