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Post-Classical Western Europe
Castles, and Knights, and horses, oh
my!
Writing into the Day
• Should there be a separation of Church and
state?
• What reasons do you think this separation exists?
• Can you think of societies that did not have this
separation? How are they different from ones
that do have this separation.
• What are some of the events in this post-classical
period that involve conflict between the church
and the state in some form?
Which of these events are political,
which are social, which are religious?
Is there overlap?
Questions for Discussion
• 1. What major religious events/individuals
shaped history during this period and why are
they significant?
• 2. What major political events/leaders shaped
history during this period and why are they
significant?
• 3. What major Social/Cultural events shaped
history during this period and why are they
significant?
Movement of Barbarian tribes after
the Fall of Rome
• The Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians invaded
the British Isles after the fall of the Roman
Empire.
• The Franks settled in What is now France, while a
group of Vikings from the north, known as North
men or Normans settled in parts of Northern
France, Belgium, and Denmark.
• The Ostrogoths and the Visigoths settled
southern Europe.
I. Stages of Post Classical
Development
A. The Manorial System: Obligations and Allegiances
Tthe political organization associated with Manorialism is feudalism, where manors are exchanged
for the commitment of troops for battle. Ex: A king divides his kingdom of 100 manor homes into 4,
giving them to his 3 most loyal vassels and keeping ¼ for him self.
Manorialism is a system of economic and political relations between landlords and serfs. This
system requires a predominately agrarian society, where most poor are poor famers who work the
land on behalf of a landlord. This is not slavery, as the serf is not owned by the landlord, rather tied
to the land.
Reciprocal obligations-With lawlessness rampant, Serfs needed the protection of military forces
provided by the lords, and the lords needed the labor to produce food, the surplus of which could
be sold to generate income for the lord to purchase equipment or knights.
Serfdom-serfs were agricultural workers who received protection in exchange for working the land
and handing over a surplus to the lord.
A moldboard was a plowing innovation that allowed deeper turning of the soil,m therefore better
planting.
Crop rotation(three field system) an innovation where land is divided into three parts, with one
field lying fallow, the other with one type of cropm, and the third with another. This reduced
degradation of the soil, allowing the land to sustain agriculture year after year.
I. Stages of Post Classical
Development (continued)
B. The Church: Political and Spiritual Power
Popes follow Roman organization in that the Pope was the head of the church , leading from
Rome, while regional churches were headed by bishops, with there seat being in a cathedral.
The archbishops oversee multiple churches, with their seat typically being called a basilica, or
seat of the archdiocese.
The function of a bishop was to supervise local priests, appoint church workers, and oversee
the day to day running of the cathedrals.
The role of Papal missionaries was significant, in that by the end of the 10th century, most of
the old religions of Europe had been replaced by Christianity, even up to the pagan Vikings in
Scandinavia.
Monasticism-Individuals who wanted to give there lives to God and live together in
intentional Christian communities were known as monks, and lived in monasteries.
Identify Benedict of Nursia-A monk who developed a set of Monastic rules.
Benedictine rule is a set of laws governing how a monk is supposed to live. Followers of this
rule are called Benedictines.
The Spiritual functions of a monastery was to act as a spiritual community for its followers,
and often did missionary outreach work.
The Secular functions of a monastery involved the promotion of literacy through education as
well as stewardship of the land.
I. Stages of Post Classical Development
(continued)
C. Charlemagne and His Successors
The significance of Charles Martel, or Charles the Hammer, was with his defeat of
Muslims at the Battle of Tours, he pushed Muslims out of Europe, with the
exception of Muslim occupied Spain.
Tours in 732 was an important battle, though probably one because the Muslim
forces were exhausted because they were a long way from home and had no way
to get reinforcements.
The significance of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) was that not only did he unite
much of Western Europe under one kingdom, he received the Popes Blessing. This
set the precedent that a king needed the blessing of the Church to validate his
rule.
Charlemagne’s empire was broken into 3 pieces, later to become France, Germany,
and Switzerland/Italy.
The Holy Roman emperors were the successors of Charlemagne who ruled an
empire around modern day Germany. Despite the name, these leaders had little
real power, and the regional monarchies of France, Spain, England, and Garmany
rose to become the real powers.
Writing into the day (possible Test
Question)
Based on your reading, answer the following
questions in your notebooks:
• What were the Key economic and social goals
of governments, merchant capitalists, and
artisans regarding the cloth trade, and how
did they seek to achieve these aims?
• What economic and social conflicts emerged
as the cloth trade grew and changed?
I. Stages of Post Classical Development
(continued)
D. New Economic and Urban Vigor
The agricultural improvements of the mid classical period (900s C.E.) include the
development of the moldboard and three field system as well as a new yoke that
allowed horses to drag a plow more effectively. The use of stirrups added to the
military supremacy of armored lords on horseback.
Increased production led to surplus, which leads to increasing trade.
This increased trade causes the expansion of Towns and cities.
literacy expands in this new urban atmosphere, as more and more people move to
cites and have access to education.
Education in most communities centered around the church, as most schools were
associated with cathedrals.
By the 11th century, there was a demand for higher training in medicine and law, and
development of universities began in order to meet this demand. Philosophy and
religion were to be the next subjects included in this new type of education. At
this time, however, education was an option only for the elites and those in the
church, who typically had to be from a at least a moderately wealthy family
themselves.
I. Stages of Post Classical Development
(continued)
E. Feudal Monarchies and Political Advances
The feudal system was the exchange of land for taxes and a promise of fighting
men.
feudal systems develop bureaucracies due to the fact that the lord must have a
system of land management. While the king technically owns everything,
there must be a system of accountability. This starts with dukes and earls
controlling large pieces of the kingdom, then leads to lesser nobles under
the dukes and earls, and then small regional leadership such as sheriffs. This
system developed more complicated Bureaucracies as time went on.
William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, bringing military and building
techniques from his home in France to the British isles, ushering in a new
era of large castles and soaring cathedrals. The Feudal system came to its
height in England in the centuries following this Norman Conquest.
A New Era ushered in by
an Invasion
William of Normandy (On the
right) became an extremely
influential British monarch after
invading the British isles, which
at the time were controlled by
the Saxon King Harold. This
ushered in a new Era in the
British Isles, where the
barbarian Saxon huts were
replaced with Norman French
architecture in the form of
Beautiful cathedrals and well
fortified castles. Lets consider
the story as told through the
primary source entitled the
Bayeux tapestry:
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/bay
eux.htm
The Lion In Winter
• Consider how the next clip reflects the
importance of:
1.primogeniture
2. The Feudal System
3. the Importance of strategic marriage
I. Stages of Post Classical Development
(continued)
F. Limited Government
monarchs were limited in the post-classical period in several ways. The two most
forces of this limitation were the church and the feudal aristocrats under the king.
The significance of the Magna Carta, 1215 was in its limiting of the king’s power. It
was the aristocrats, meaning the feudal dukes, earls, and other lords under the
king that compelled king John, a particularly disliked king, to sign the Magna Carta.
This document confirmed the Feudal rights of dukes, earls and other
lords(aristocrats) against monarchical claims. In short, the entire Kingdom was no
longer the sole property of the king, not in theory or practice.
The development of Representative bodies was significant, even though this was still a
far cry from democracy. Powerful lords were able to convene in institutions known
as parliaments, and could advise the king on taxation and other policy issues. The
House of Commons in England was significant in that non-nobles had a claim on
some of this policy making. The Commons was made up of church leaders and
powerful merchants.
Despite this, however, Monarchs continue to increase in power, wielding large armies
and waging massive conflicts, such as the Hundred Years War(14th century)
between England and France.
I. Stages of Post Classical Development
(continued)
G. The West's Expansionist Impulse
Germanic knights settled in eastern Germany and Poland, bringing their catholic
religion and feudal system with them.
The reconquista in the Iberian Peninsula(Spain) was the result of a push by Christian
kingdoms to expel Islam from western Europe completely. While certain cities
such as Toledo will hold on until around 1492, the majority of the Muslim
kingdoms in Spain will be taken over by the Christians in the 11th and 12th
centuries.
The Vikings explore the north Atlantic, founding settlements as far as Iceland and even
into the Hudson bay, those the American settlements were short lived.
Pope Urban II initiated the Crusades as a means to expel this upstart Islamic religion
not only from Europe, but from the “Holy Land” as well. This was an opportunity
for solders to claim spoils of war, and were great career opportunities for the 2nd
and 3rd children, who received little in the feudal system.
The Crusades led to an increase in east west trade and boosted the economy of
Western Europe considerably.
I. Stages of Post Classical Development
(continued)
H. Religious Reform and Evolution
Gregorian reform, 11th century was about the purification of the church and a
freedom from Feudal interference. Celibacy of priests was a major aspect of
this reform. Not only did this make the priests more spiritually pure, but it
eliminated nepotism.
Investiture was the state appointment of Bishops, and Gregory stopped this by
excommunicating the Holy Roman Emperor. He got his point across.
Gregory’s Actions led to the notion of the separation of Church and State by
allowing all church bureaucracy to exist separately of the
Feudal/governmental system.
I. The High Middle Ages
The High middle Ages a period of contradictions in that, while there is an
increasingly intellectual movement, the church held complete control over
the cultural norms of the time, meaning that not even the most learned of
scholars would dare question the Church.
Writing into the Day
• How do you know something?
• How do you verify that you know this thing?
• If a baby was born without the sense of sight,
smell, touch, taste, or hearing, would it have a
thought? What would it think?
• What is the conflict between the
scientific/empirical way to know something
and the Rational/logical way to know
something?
Reading Quiz
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What decision did the Ming Dynasty make in 1433?
What event, starting in Asia and moving west into Europe, occurs in the 1300s and
eliminates one third of the population?
What political movement started in Italy in the late 1300s and means a rebirth of
the classical tradition?
What term is used to mean “non-religious” in reference to art or literature?
This movement focuses on humankind as center of intellectual and artistic
endeavor.
This was the attempt to take Muslim Spain back from the moors.
This prince of Portugal sponsored a third of the Portuguese voyages of exploration
before his death I 1460.
What caused the power shift in the middle east by the 1300s?
What empire was moving towards world dominance after the Mongols declined,
but then shifted away from global trade.
Describe the imbalance of trade between the east and the west in the postclassical period.
The Murder of Thomas Becket
•Becket was born in 1118, in Normandy
the son of an English merchant.
• His family was well off, his father a
former Sheriff of London..
•The archbishop Theobald of Canterbury
sent him to Paris to study law and upon
his return to England made him
Archdeacon of Canterbury.
•Beckett could not move any higher
without being ordained as a priest.
•Becket's big break came in 1154, when
Theobold introduced him to the newly crowned
King, Henry II. The two hit it off immediately.
Henry named Becket his Chancellor.
• Archbishop Theobold died in 1161, and Henry
immediately saw the opportunity to increase his
influence over the Church by naming his loyal
advisor to the highest ecclesiastical post in the
land. Henry petitioned the Pope who agreed.
• There was only one slight hindrance. Becket,
busy at court, had never been ordained. No
problem, Becket was first invested as a priest.
The next day he was ordained a Bishop, and
that afternoon, June 2, 1162, made Archbishop
of Canterbury.
•If King Henry believed that by having "his man" in the top
post of the Church, he could easily impose his will upon this
powerful religious institution, he was sadly mistaken.
•Becket's allegiance shifted from the court to the Church
inspiring him to take a stand against his king. In those days, the
Church reserved the right to try priests accused of crimes in
their own religious courts of justice and not those of the crown.
Henry was determined to increase control of his realm by
eliminating this custom.
•In 1163, a Canon accused of murder was acquitted by a church
court. The public outcry demanded justice and the Canon was
brought before a court of the king.
•Becket's protest halted this attempt but the action spurred
King Henry to change the laws to extend his courts' jurisdiction
over the clergy. Becket stopped his support of the king, finally
refusing to agree to changes in the law.
• Seeing the writing on the wall, Becket fled to France where he
remained in exile for six years.
• The two former friends appeared to resolve their dispute in
1170 when King Henry and Becket met in Normandy.
• On November 30, Becket crossed the Channel returning to his
post at Canterbury. Earlier, while in France, Becket had
excommunicated the Bishops of London and Salisbury for their
support of the king.
•Now, Becket remained steadfast in his refusal to absolve the
bishops. This news threw King Henry (still in France) into a
rage in which he was purported to shout: "What sluggards,
what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing
for their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this
meddlesome priest."
Using your Primary source on Becket,
answer the Following questions as a class
Primary Source Discussion:
•
What does the phrase “‘restore to communion those whom you
have excommunicated” mean?
•
What does “you owe me fealty and subjection” mean?
•
What is meant by “wounded this lamb who was sacrificed to
God?'”
•
Why do you think that Becket refused to absolve the bishops?
•
The person who wrote this first hand account was a monk. Do
you think that this telling of the story was biased in any way?
Why?
•
What things might the writer have added to make Becket look
better? What sorts of things do you think he might have
omitted?
II. Western Culture in the Postclassical
Era
A. Theology: Assimilating Faith and Reason
Aristotle was significant to the thinkers of the Middle Ages because
of the importance of rational thought. His philosophy gelled well
with the monotheistic notions of Christianity. God Gave us a brain,
and the capability of rational thought. This lead to generations of
philosophers trying to rationally prove the existence of God and
explain logically the connections between religion and the natural
world.
The philosophers of the middle ages are concerned with
understanding the natural world through logic, but also using logic
and reasoning to understand aspects of Religion as well.
Peter Abelard was a rational philosopher who delighted in finding
logical contradictions in church doctrine. While he was certainly a
believer, he didn’t mind questioning the authority of the Church.
Bernard of Clairvaux argued against Peter, believing in a mystical
relationship with God over this rational approach, fearing that
rationalism was a potential trap and that God’s Truth could be
received through Faith alone.
II. Western Culture in the
Postclassical Era (Continued)
A. Theology: Assimilating Faith and Reason (continued)
This argument between Peter and Bernard with form the core of the debate in
universities during this time, which is the rational legacy of the classical
period(Greece and Rome) versus the revealed religious faith. This is similar to the
Ulama in the Muslim tradition. It is interesting to contrast these debates in each
culture, especially when the winners in each respective cultures have a huge
impact on how the Christian West and the Muslim East operate even today.
Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Monk who wrote on the supremacy of reason as
being a gift from god with which we can learn much about natural order, moral
law, and the Nature of God. It was in the time of Aquinas that this application of
reason, known as scholasticism, reached its height.
Roger Bacon used scientific inquiry to develop the study of optics, which led to
the invention of eyeglasses. This was the OPPOSITE of the rationalism that was
popular at the time. His methodologies went against the philosophical trends of
the time because they were scientific, or empirical. We will revisit this notion of
Rationalism vs. empiricism MANY times in subsequent units.
II. Western Culture in the Postclassical
Era (Continued)
B. Popular Religion
The Survival of pagan practices is evedent in certain rituals and festivals still
practiced in Europe, such as the May pole dance. Christmas and Easter also owe
their position on the calendar to an alignment with earlier pagan Customs.
C. Religious Themes in Art and Literature
Romanesque architecture is based in the Roman Style utilizing rectangular shapes
and often domes and arches.
Gothic Architecture rises out of the 11th and 12th centuries, using new building
techniques such as pointed arches, soaring spires, and flying buttresses.
When something to be written in the Vernacular, it is written in the language and
slang of the common people. Pretty sick, huh?
The development of secular literature will come out of the vernacular, or spoken
languages, of Europe. Compare to India, when Sanskrit was the language of the
religious scholars, but Hindi and other popular languages were being spoken. The
same is true here with Latin and vernacular languages like French and English.
Writing into the Day (Possible Test
Question)
• Why did the renaissance happen?
III. Changing Economic and Social
Forms in the Postclassical Centuries
A. New Strains in Rural Life
The conflict between Peasants and landlords is beginning at this time, particularly as some
landlords will offer more money to get peasants to come to their land. This gives the peasant class
a sense of higher importance, and this conflict with continue thoughout the Middle Ages, until one
event will conpletely change the Balance of power. That event is the Black Plague in the 1300s.
B. Growth of Trade and Banking
The growth of Commerce at this time is happening as commercial centers(cities) continue to grow,
trade becomes more lucrative, the use of banking will be introduced to the west through Italy, and
this makes long range trade more possible. Banking will replace the traditional barter system
because it is easier to use money to purchase goods than to bring goods long distances to trade.
This leads to a whole new industry, as money lending and investing becomes an important way to
become wealthy.
The Hanseatic League was a commercial trading alliance in Scandinavia.
The status of Merchants- n the Feudal System was the same as any other non aristocrat-they were
commoners, and technically, couldn’t really own land, as all land was owned by the King. However,
land as a basis for wealth was starting to go away as Merchants became more powerful. It is Ironic
that the King of England at one point was to ask a merchant to loan him money, evern though the
merchant should be well below the king in status.
Guilds were a bit like early unions, and attempted to link the various trades and created sets of
guidelines that these trades would follow.
III. Changing Economic and Social Forms in
the Postclassical Centuries (continued)
C. Limited Sphere for Women
-The rights of women probably declined in the
middle ages in turns of their role and voice in the
family unit, though they were allowed to participate
in religious events, unlike their Muslim counterparts.
However, they could not lead religious ceremonies.
-Women could play important roles in commerce,
often members of or even leading craft guilds.
Women could join the church and receive an
education, even rise to important roles in convents.
IV. The Decline if the Medieval
SynthesisFactors such as a loss of labor from the Black plague weaken
feudal order.
A. Signs of Strain
The Aristocracy begin to lose power to the rising merchant class,
and disputes between landowners and serfs further weaken
the upper class’s power.
The Church affect the decline of the Feudal system by losing
much of its political power by the end of th post-classical
period.
B. The Postclassical West and Its Heritage
Question for the class: Is the Middle Ages a lull between the
Classical period and the Renaissance? Why or why not?