Download 10 Medieval Europe - Northside Middle School

POST CLASSICAL
WESTERN EUROPE
FROM 476 TO 1250
C.E.
Post Classical Era characterized:
DID…
But did NOT




Separate hemispheres
(E and W)
Belief systems were the
primary unifying force
Civilization continued
to spread
Trade and
communication
increased
interdependence




Tech expanded, but
innovation slowed
No polt form
dominates
Envi changes did not
have great impact
Most societies remain
patriarchs w/clear
social distinctions
Periodization in Europe

Civilization suspended, then grows:

Early Middle Ages: 600 – 1000


Few read/write, small villages, little long
distance trade: isolation/self-sufficiency
Late/High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1450

Signs of recovery, towns and trade grow,
establishment of a new middle class
QUEST FOR POLITICAL
ORDER AFTER 476 CE
Germanic kingdoms





Roman concept of rule by law replaced by family
ties/personal loyalty



Visigoths—Spain (470's to early 8th cen)
Ostrogoths/Lombards—Italy (5th cen to mid-8th cen)
Franks, Burgundians—Germany, Netherlands
Angles, Saxons—Kingdoms in Britain
Individual kingdoms = no centralized govt
Towns declined, only non-German structure was the
church
EUROPE c. 526 – 600 C.E.
RISE OF THE FRANKS

The Franks




Belgium, Northern France, Western Germany
Developed group identity during the 3rd cen
Politically inexperienced, little exposure to Roman
society
Clovis




Eliminated last vestiges of Roman authority
Built the most powerful and dynamic state in western
Europe
Converts to Christianity
Descendants lose control
CAROLINGIANS

Need to resist Viking invasions



Carolingians asserted authority, the early 8th century
Charles Martel
 Charles the Hammer
 Stops Muslim invasion of Europe, 732 at Battle of Tours
Pepin becomes king, 751
 Pope appointed Pepin as King of the Franks
 Pope allows Franks to reign as King of Italy
 Pepin grants the area in Italy
around Rome to Pope
CHARLEMAGNE

Charlemagne (reigned 768-814 C.E.)
 Charles Martel's grandson,
 Control extended to northeast Spain, Bavaria, north Italy
 Relied on aristocratic deputies, known as counts
 Used missi dominici to oversee local authorities
 Pope Leo III proclaimed Charlemagne emperor, 800
THE RISE OF THE FRANKISH
EMPIRE
BREAKUP OF THE FRANKISH
EMPIRE

Louis the Pious (re. 814-840)



Charlemagne's only surviving son, lost control of the counts
His three sons divided the empire into three kingdoms, Treaty of
Verdun 843
The Vikings






Scandinavian homelands
Raided regions from Russia to Spain
Established colonies in Iceland, Greenland, Canada
Conquered parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, France
Outstanding seafarers—fleets could go to interior regions via
rivers
Attacked towns and villages; favorite targets were Christian
VIKINGS, MAGYARS, AND
ARABS
NEW REGIONAL STATES
England



Small Celtic, German
kingdoms merged into
larger realm
1066—William of
Normandy invaded and
brought Anglo-Saxon rule
to and end
Germany and Italy





local lords took control
Imposed authority in
Central Europe—ruled
Germany, Netherlands,
Burgundy, Austria,
Switzerland
Led armies to support the
papacy in Italy
France




Spain and Southern Italy


Counts and other local
authorities became local lords
Vikings settled in northern
France
Nobles elect Counts of Paris
as King to replace
Carolingians
Spanish Christian states in
North warred against Muslim
caliphs
Northern Europe

Vikings establish three
kingdoms: Denmark, Norway,
Sweden
EUROPE c. 1000 C.E.
Feudalism
FEUDAL SYSTEM

Lords and vassals

Lord owned land, needs soldiers


Trades land for service
Grants of land called fiefs



Vassals owed lord:




Called sub-division of fief
Lowest, service owning noble was a knight
Church often made vassals of soldiers for defense



Loyalty, obedience, respect, counsel
Military service when called into service
Lords often made smaller grant to others


Vassal provided defense, military equipment
Received livelihood from land
Church could hold land as a vassal to a lord
Church often held land in own right
Feudal politics



Multi-layered network of lord-vassal relationships
Political stability depended on discipline, control
Lords, knights often had conflicting loyalties
The Road to Knighthood
KNIGHT:
Ideals – Loyal, Brave, Courteous
 SQUIRE: Around the age of 14; Took care
of knight’s armor, weapons, and warhorse
 PAGE: Sent by parents to another lord;
Waited on their guests; Played chess; Practiced
sword fighting
Medieval Castle
Interior of Castle
MANORALISM: ECONOMIC
FEUDALISM

Serfs' obligations
 Could not move without permission
 had right to work on land, pass job to heirs, did not OWN
land
 often drafted as foot soldiers in feudal armies
 Free peasants gave up land ownership to become serfs for
protection

Manors
 Principal form of agricultural organization; large estate
controlled by lord; Lord could execute serfs for misconduct
 Responsibility to protect serfs to maintain “community”
 Manors were largely self-sufficient communities
 Trade: luxuries, manufactured products, finished goods
 Serfs had to work lord’s land first, before their own plots
ECONOMY



Agriculture
 Agricultural production
suffered from repeated invasions
 Small wooden plows of Med.
farmers did not work well in the N
Heavy plows could turn soils
 Common from 8th century, production increased
 Cultivation of new lands, watermills, and three field
system = rotating crops
A rural society
 Agricultural surplus not enough to support large cities
 Towns were few and sparsely populated
POPULATION

Population
 200 C.E.=36 million
 400 C.E.=31 million
 600 C.E.=26 million
 800 C.E.=edged up to 29 million
 900 C.E.=30 million
 1000 C.E= back to 36 mil
The Medieval Manor
Life on the Medieval Manor
Late Medeival Town Dwellings