Download Dark Ages PPT

Early Middle Ages
- Europe
Do Now
What does the term “Dark Ages” imply?
What connotation does it have? Positive or negative?
Does the term contain bias?
Dark Ages
A historical period
First part of the Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages (Dark Ages): 5th c. – 10th c.
High Middle Ages: 11th c. – 13th c.
Late Middle Ages: 14th c. – 16th c.
Dark Ages
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire (476), Europe
declined culturally and economically
Refers to Western Europe
“Dark” because of bad times
Also “dark” because we don’t have as much information
about this period of time
Characteristics of this time
period
Population declined
Trade declined
Increased immigration
Byzantine flourished as did Islamic caliphates
In 800 Charlemagne brings back the “emperor”
Viking expansion
Refresh on decline of Rome
Weak leaders, invasions, poor economy, etc.
Diocletian splits empire 284-305
Constantine in Eastern Empire (Byzantine)
476 Germanic soldier Odoacer overthrows last
emperor in West (Rome)
But wait!
Before we start down that path, we need to make
sure we understand the spread of Christianity in
Western Europe
Definitions & Church hierarchy
Clergy: body of people ordained for religious duties
Priest: minister who performs most day-to-day Church activities;
priests are usually associated with a specific church or church
organization, has authority to perform rites and administer
sacraments
Bishop: priest in charge of a particular region (diocese) or church
government post
Diocese: a district under the pastoral care of a Christian bishop
Cathedral: The principal church of a diocese with which the bishop is
officially associated
Archbishop: The chief bishop responsible for an
archdiocese
◦ Supervisor of a large region or major city
◦ Archdiocese: the district for which an archbishop is responsible
Patriarch: an ancestral father of Judaism/fathers of
Church
Pope: leader of the Catholic Church; directs Church policy
Missionaries: a person sent on a religions mission,
especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign
country
Cardinal: appointed by the Pope; they both advise the
Pope and select the Pope’s successor when he dies
Catholic Church Hierarchy
The
Pope
Cardinals
Archbishops
Bishops
Priests
Why is the Church so
important?
Church was unifying element after the fall of Rome
Acted as a government (taxed, etc.)
Germanic Groups in
th
6
c.
Visigoths – Spain
Burgundians, Franks – France
Ostrogoths – Southern Germany, Eastern Europe
Lombards – Northern Italy
Anglo-Saxons - Britain
Europe in
th
6
c.
Germanic groups begin to settle, form farming communities
Illiterate farmers
Isolated villages
Agriculture
Farmers grouped together for protection
Warfare was common
Spreading Christianity
Groups of people convert
◦ Anglo-Saxons & Franks
Missionaries
◦ St. Patrick
Theologians (explain differences in religious beliefs)
◦ Augustine, City of God
Monasticism
Anglo-Saxons
Angles & Saxons move from Germany  England, 400s
Est. 7 indep. Kingdoms, called Anglo-Saxon
Augustine of Canterbury begins to spread Christianity. Starts
in Kent, spreads throughout country.
Alfred the Great unifies England
Franks
Another Germanic kingdom that settled in France/Germany
Controlled large territory, aggressive group
Clovis was leader – opposed Christianity for a long time
Finally, after winning a battle he converts
Franks
Helps spread of Christianity
in a big way b/c he
controlled so much land/ppl
Take away point:
Conversion of people like Anglo-Saxons and
Franks helped spread Christianity throughout
Western Europe
Missionaries
St. Patrick
Went from Britain to
Ireland to spread the word
of God
By his death, nearly all of
Ireland was Christian
Theologians
Theology: the study of the nature of God
Theologian: An expert in theology
Augustine City of God
◦ Focus on God, not worldly or materialistic things
Monasticism
Monasticism: form of religious life, usually
conducted in a community under common rule
and includes vows of poverty & obedience
Two major monasteries during this time period
◦ Benedictine
◦ Celtic
Benedictine Monasteries
Life = prayer & labor
Labor included copying manuscripts & farming
Abbot: leader within the monastery
Monasteries helped education
◦ Ran schools
◦ Preserved knowledge (w/ manuscripts)
Often got pulled into local politics
Celtic Monasteries
Developed in Ireland
More severe and ascetic than Benedictine
Fasting & long hours/days of prayer
Believed in isolation
Strengthening the Papacy
At beg. Of Middle Ages the Pope doesn’t have
much power
Until…Gregory the Great
◦ Strengthened Canon Law (or Church Law)
◦ Encouraged missionary work
◦ Monasticism
◦ Gave more power to Pope
Charlemagne
See pg. 374-376
Start at “Charlemagne’s Rise to Power”
Read & discuss the following questions
1. What were Charlemagne’s major contributions to
society?
2. What was Charlemagne’s relationship with the Church
like? His point of view on religion?
Charlemagne
Charles the Great, leader of the Franks
Defeated people, incorporated their land
Expands power & influence & size of
kingdom
Pope Leo III often needed Charlemagne’s
help
Charlemagne
The Pope named him Emperor of the Roman
People (800)
◦ Restored the glory of the Holy Roman Empire
◦ He had backing of God and Church
Charlemagne’s Rule
Politics: unified Europe
Education: built schools (Sacre Charlemagne!)
Religion: Spread Christianity among conquered
people
Law: developed a written legal code
"Sacré Charlemagne" Who had this crazy idea To invent
the school one day? Who had this crazy idea To invent
the school one day? It's... this... sacred Charlemagne
Sacred Charlemagne! Allow us to live On Thursdays as on
Sundays Allow us to live On Thursdays as on Sundays
It's... this... sacred Charlemagne Sacred Charlemagne!
Sacre Charlemagne
The Vikings!!
Europe after
Charlemagne
The Treaty of Verdun divided Charlemagne’s empire
between his feuding grandsons
Political instability divided the land
Meanwhile, to the north…
The Norsemen
Originally from Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, and
Sweden)
Spoke language known as Old Norse
Who were the Vikings?
Norseman raiders who came
by sea or up rivers
Attacked and seized treasures
from monasteries, towns, and
churches
But a-viking was really just a
summer job…
Who were the Vikings?
There was never a single “Viking” culture
Most were farmers, fisherman, traders or skilled
craftsmen
A successful conquest could bring raiders political
power at home
Viking Age began around 750 AD and ended about 300
years later with the Norman conquest of England
What caused the raids?
Increased wealth and trading within Europe
◦ **Especially monasteries and churches
Political unrest and warfare in Europe
Over-population in Scandinavia (food shortages)
Their longships
Relationship with Charlemagne
The Longship
Possibly the best and fastest ships in the world at
the time
Known to be able to:
◦ Navigate shallow water
◦ Make beach landings
◦ Be carried over land
◦ Reverse direction
Relationship with
Charlemagne
Charlemagne forced everyone to Christianize, used terror
As a result, Vikings and other pagans wanted revenge
Pagans:
follows a polytheistic religion, or something other than
monotheistic religion such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam
◦ Used negatively in the past “one who has little or no religion”
Only one theory
See the map of pg. 380
Where did Vikings invade?
Why did target monasteries?
Weapons & Armor
Defensive –
shields, thick
padding, mail
armor, and
helmets
Offensive weapons – sword,
battleaxe and spear
What ended the Viking
Age?
“The end probably came about as a result of tired Vikings who had
become citizens of many places in Europe. They had become
Christians back in their homelands, kings had evolved and were
instituting taxes, and the economy had become such that you
could get along much better as a trader rather than as a raider.
The force of Viking onslaughts had caused European kingdoms to
become centralized and focused. They had basically gotten their
act together, learning how to defend themselves and to gain by
trading and negotiating with the Vikings rather than just trying
to fight them.”
-William Fitzhugh
National Museum of Natural History
Viking Quest!
1.
First, give yourself a Viking name.
◦
“Last name” based on father’s first name + “son” or “dottir”
2.
Old Scandinavians often had nicknames based on
something about the person (ex: Erik the Red, or Olaf
the Quiet). Give yourself a Scandinavian nickname.
3.
Prepare for conquest!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/launch_gms_
viking_quest.shtml
Roles
Two vote counters
Recorder
Narrator(s)
Viking Quest
Highest score???
2015
A block – 815?
B block – 770?
D block –
2016
D block- 196 , 675
A block - 778
B block - 878
Feudalism
Feudalism
Dominant social system in medieval Europe
Exchanging land for service = feudal system
In part, feudalism came about because of the viking
invasions
◦ How so?
Kings couldn’t defend land
Nobles had to figure out how to defend their own land
Built castles on hilltops
Feudalism
Nobles needed soldiers to defend these castles
Knights = best soldiers
◦ Given land for their services
◦ Land given to a knight for his service = fief
◦ Anyone who accepts a fief was called a vassal (gives fief =
lord)
Noble (or Lord) gives fief (or land) to a Knight
(or vassal) for his services (he’s protecting
the noble/lord)
Feudalism
Oath of Fealty – promise of loyalty
◦ For ex. Knight promised to remain loyal to his lord,
provide military service
A knight had to give $ to Lord sometimes
◦ Special occasions, ransom for his release
Lord had to be fair to knights
Feudalism
Sayyyyy whaaatttt?!
Very complex system
1. Sometimes people were a lord & a vassal at the
same time
2. One knight could serve many lords
3. Duties were different – time & place
Manorial System
Manor = large estate
Feudal system linked to manorial system
Knights too busy defending the land to work it
Peasants  provide labor & farming to Knight/lord
 in exchange for protection & own plot of land
Serfs
Most peasants on a manor were serfs
◦Serfs = legally tied to manor
◦Not slaves (could not be sold)
◦However, not free to leave manor
without lord’s position
◦Serfdom was also hereditary
Manorial System
Manors also had some free people
◦ Blacksmiths
◦ Priests
Can you explain it back? Draw it? Act it out?
Refresh
Feudalism
Difference between manorial system/feudalism
Question we are answering today:
How did Popes gain political authority?
How did Church gain power?
Gregory the Great strengthened Papacy 590-604
Rise of feudalism - easier for corruption in church
The Scope of Church Authority
Church’s authority both religious and political
All Christians subject to canon law (law of the Church)
Threat of excommunication was used to hold power over political rulers
Greater threat of interdict (sacraments could not be performed on
ruler’s land)
Weak & Corrupt Popes
For many years before 1000, this powerful position was
held by wealthy nobles, not religious men
Bishops were the real religious leaders
Bishops were appointed by high nobles of their regions
Therefore, bishops owed their authority to those high
nobles, corruption was rampant
Corruption in the Church
Pope Leo IX elected in 1049, attempts to reform the corruptions
he sees in the church
Church Problems included:
◦ Simony (buying & selling of church offices)
◦ Lay investiture (appointment of church officials by feudal lords &
vassals)
◦ Selling Indulgences
◦ Charging to see Relics
◦ Many village priests were married & had families
Reform and Church reorganization began to spread between 1000
– 1300 to restore power, authority, and principles to the Church
Not everyone likes the reform
Remember the Great Schism of 1054?
Emperor Leo III (Eastern Empire) – Orthodox
Pope Leo IX (Western) – Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church
Expands Its Power
The Church becomes more of a
political entity
Struggles with monarchs over lay
investiture
◦ Appointment of bishops,
abbots, and other church
officials by feudal lords and
vassals
◦ Gregory VII and Henry IV
Expanded land ownership
Pope Gregory VII
Henry IV of Germany
Asserting Papal Power 1075
Pope Gregory VII opposed Henry IV’s choice of bishop
Pope Gregory: Get rid of that bishop!
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV: No way, you can’t tell me or
anyone else what to do!
Pope G: You are excommunicated!!! Poof! We will replace you
with someone else.
Henry IV: Oh shoot….(stands out in snow for three days) please
forgive me
Pope G: Ok fine, but never forget the power & influence I have!!
Popes have power to
1. Head communities of churches and courts
2. Rule territories
3. Raise armies
Monasticism also reformed..
Cluny – France, Monks who wished to return to Benedictine
roots, lived strictly according to Benedictine rule
Cistercian – stricter, big estates outside of town, isolated,
undecorated and unheated
Hermits!
Age of Faith
Reforms were largely successful
Collection of tithes – one-tenth (10%) of the income for Christian
families
Church provided social services (care for sick and poor, hospitals)
Wealth and central role of Church evident in the building of cathedrals,
and calling of Crusades
Church Power Stations Activity
With your group, work through the 4 documents
that discuss the power of the Church during the
Middle Ages.
- Read aloud!
- Ask questions!
- Provide detailed answers!