Download The Rise of Europe and the Middle Ages

The Rise of Europe and the
Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
Importance
 The Concept of a common
European civilization evolved
during this time which
integrated Christian, GrecoRoman, and Germanic
traditions
 Christianity was at the center
of all institutions, with Rome
as the spiritual capital.
 Latin became the dominant
language among the
intellectual elite.
New Civilizations
 Latin Christendom
 Byzantium
 Islam
The Fall of the Western Roman Empire
By 395 AD, the Roman Empire was
formally divided into two empires: East
and West. With the invasion of Germanic
forces from the north, the Western Roman
Empire was conquered and further
divided. This left the eastern part of the
Roman empire to carry on the GrecoRoman tradition.
Byzantine Empire
 The Byzantine Empire was both Christian and
Greek.
 Greek became the empire’s official language,
but the empire was built on the Eastern
Orthodox Church.
 A great deal of artistic talent went into church
building, church ceremonies, and church
decoration to honor this Christian faith.
Reign of Justinian (527-565)
 Justinian became
emperor of the
Eastern Roman
Empire in 527.
 He wanted to
restore the full
Roman Empire.
The Byzantine Empire Under
Justinian
 map depicts the Empire
at the death of Justinian
I, as sole Emperor,
sometimes in concert,
and sometimes in
conflict, with his
powerful wife Theodora.
Justinian and Theodora
 Justinian ruled as an
autocrat with the help of
Theodora. Created a huge
Christian empire
 Empire reached its greatest
size
 Created Justinian’s Code –
which organized all the
laws of ancient Rome.
Byzantine Empire
 The emperor’s power was absolute
 chosen by God and crowned in sacred ceremonies.
 Byzantines believed that God had commanded their
state to preserve the true Christian faith.
Justinian
 He exercised political control over the
Eastern Orthodox Church by appointing the
head of the Church, the patriarch.
 Justinian’s most important contribution was
his codification of Roman law in The Body of
Civil Law.
 It was the basis of imperial law until the
Eastern Roman Empire
Justinian’s Code of Laws
 Laws were fairer to women. They could own
property and raise their own children after their
husbands died.
 Children allowed to choose their own marriage
partners.
 Slavery was legal and slaves must obey their
masters.
 Punishments were detailed and fit the crime
 His work inspired the modern concept and,
indeed, the very spelling of "justice".
Life in Constantinople
 Justinian rebuilt
Constantinople in 532
after riots had
destroyed much of
the city.
 the largest city in
Europe during the
Middle Ages
Constantinople
 Population estimated
in the hundreds of
thousands.
 Up to the twelfth
century
Constantinople was
Europe’s chief center
for trading goods
The New Rome-Constantinople
The Byzantine Empire was
wealthy and produced:
gold, silk, grain, olives and
wine.
It traded these for spices,
ivory and precious stones
from countries as far away
as China and India along
the Silk Road trade routes.
Constantinople
 Justinian built an immense palace, hundreds of
churches,
 A Hippodrome (horse racing track)
 extensive public works, including immense underground
reservoirs for the city’s water supply.
Hagia Sophia
 His greatest building was the Hagia Sophia—
Church of the Holy Wisdom—completed
 in 537. An enormous dome crowns four large
piers. The dome seems to float in space.
 Forty-two windows ring the base, which
creates an incredible play of light in the church.
The light symbolizes the presence of God in
the world.
Hagia Sophia
Before the attack of the Ottomans in
1453
Hagia Sophia Today
Inside Hagia Sophia
http://www.sacreddestinations.com/turkey/istanbul-hagiasophia
Trouble
 The Byzantine Empire was troubled by a
growing split between the Eastern Orthodox
Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
 The Eastern Church would not accept the pope
as the head of the Christian faith.
 In 1054 Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael
Cerularius excommunicated each other.
 This created a schism, or separation, between
these two branches of Christianity.
 The schism has not completely healed even
today.
Byzantine Empire
 ended in 1453. It also became the basis for much
of the legal system of Europe.
 By the beginning of the eighth century, the
much-reduced Eastern Roman Empire consisted
only of the eastern Balkans and Asia Minor.
 Historians call this smaller Eastern Roman
empire the Byzantine Empire.
 It was its own distinctive civilization and lasted
until 1453.
The End of the Byzantine
Empire
The Byzantine empire
drew to a close in 1453
when forces from the
Muslim Ottoman Empire
surrounded and
conquered Constantinople.
The ancient Christian city
was renamed Istanbul and
became the capital of the
Ottoman Empire.
Islam
 570 AD-Muhammad was
born into a trader’s life.
 Later, he said that Gabriel
asked him to be a profit
from God.
 As Muhammad traveled
across Arabia he gained
more and more followers.
Islam
 The Qur’an,according to
Muslims, is the word of
God as told to Muhammad
 Profession of the Faith.

5 Daily Prayers
 Jihadis the defense of the
faith, while being tolerant
of others.

Paying Zakat (tax)
 Mosques are gathering
places for prayer.

 Fasting during Ramadan
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Spread of Islam
 Islam began to spread into
Asia and N. Africa.
 Around 661 AD, Muslims
split into Sunni and Shi’ah
groups. Sunnis-Group
decisions Shi’ah-Decisions
by leader

Similar divisions still exist
today
Western Europe in
Decline
 The Roman Empire
 Invaders
 Spread of classical ideas,
the Latin language, and
Christianity
 Slowed trade
 Collapse of Rome: Political,
social, and economic
decline
 No new classical learning
 500-1000 A.D.
 Empty towns
The Rise of the Germanic
Kingdoms
 Goths, Vandals, Saxons,
and Franks
 Different culture: Farmers
and herders
 No written laws
 Unwritten customs
 Kings were elected
 Warriors swore loyalty
 Little kingdoms
Germanic Kingdoms
 Germanic people began moving into Rome in the 3rd century
 Visigoths occupied Spain & Italy until the Ostrogoths took
control of Italy in the 5th century
 By 500 Western Roman empire had became # of states ruled by
German kings
 Germanic Angles & Saxons = Anglo-Saxons moved into Britain
in 5th century
 Clovis-Christian convert, established Frankish kingdom -500
The Franks Extend their
Power
 486: Clovis and Gaul
 Frankish custom that
preserved the Roman
legacy
 Converted to Christianity
 Powerful allies are gained
Germanic Kingdoms
 Clovis converted to Christianity after calling for Jesus help
during battle – the enemy fled after the plea
 Clovis gained support of the Roman Catholic Church
 By 510, Clovis established Frankish kingdom from Pyrenees to
present day Germany
 After Clovis death, his sons divided the kingdom
 Germans & Romans intermarried = German customs had an
important role
 Extended family was center of society
Germanic Kingdoms
 Extended families in German society worked together &
defended each other during violent times
 Germanic law was personal, one injuring another led to a
savage blood feuds
 Wergild (money for a man) system was developed to avoid
bloodshed after crimes such as murder/ wrongdoer paid the
injured party’s family a set amount of money which varied by
social status
Role of the Church
 Christianity became main religion of Roman empire by 4th
century
 Roman church developed a system of organization
 Priests was head of parishes – local communities
 Bishop was head of diocese - a group of parishes or bishopric
 Archbishop – head of groups of diocese
 Bishop of Rome became known as Pope – the head of what is
now known as the Roman Catholic Church
Pope
Patriarch
Archdiocese/Archbishop
Bishop/Diocese
Priest/Parish
Roman Catholic Church
 Pope claim was based on the belief that Jesus gave Peter the
keys to Heaven
 Peter was considered to be the chief apostle & the first bishop
of Rome
 Bishops who succeeded Peter were called popes = Latin word
for “papa” – father
 Western Christians accepted the pope as the church’s leader,
but could not agree on the pope’s powers
 Gregory I strengthened power by taking political control of
Rome & surrounding territories
Role of Church
 Gregory – pope from 590-604, extended papal authority over
the Western Church & actively converted non-Christians
 Monk = man who separates himself from the rest of the world
to become closer to God/ Monasticism is the practice of living
like a monk
 Saint Benedict founded an order of Monks & wrote rules for
their practice
 Benedict’s rules divided the day into activities; emphasizing
prayer & physical labor to keep monks busy
Role of Church
 Monks meditated & read privately/ They prayed together
seven times a day
 All aspects of Benedict life was communal
 Abbot (father) ruled each Benedictine monastery
 Monks were to obey the Abbot/ took a vowel of
poverty/monks dedication made then new heroes of Christian
civilization/ were social workers in communities
 Monks spread Christianity throughout Europe/Irish & English
monks were enthusiastic missionaries
A Muslim Empire
Threatens Europe
 The religion of Islam:
600s
 Muslim armies overran
Christian lands
 France
 Charles Martel a.k.a. “The
Hammer”
 Battle of Tours: 732
 Abd-er Rahman & Charles
Martel meet them at the
Loire River
Regional States
 Germanic invaders
toppled Rome’s
authority in the late 5th
Century A.D. but no
clear successor to
centralized authority
emerged
 The Franks
temporarily revived
empire; the high point
of which was the
reign of Charlemagne
from 768-814
Charlemagne
 Charles “the Hammer’s”
grandson
 Pepin the Short’s son
 Impressive king
 Social attributes – loved by
the people
 The Franks were legendary
fighters that combine with
the barbarian tribes
Charlemagne
 600 & 700’s, Frankish kings lost their power to the chief officers
of the king’s household = mayor’s of the palace
 Pepin assumed the kingship
 Pepin’s son became king after his death in 768 = son was
Charles the Great – Charlemagne
 Charlemagne = one of history’s great kings/ curious, driven,
intelligent, strong warrior, devout Christian/ was illiterate, but
strongly supported learning
 Ruled from 768 to 814/ Expanded the Frankish kingdom into
Carolingian empire = covered much of western & central
Europe
New Emperor of the
Romans
 799: Pope Leo III asks for
help
 Christmas Day 800:
Charlemagne is crowned
emperor
 Significance: Revival of a
united Christian
community (Christendom)
& power struggles between
future popes and Germanic
emperors
The real story…
 Pope Leo’s true desire
 Taxes to the church
 Land controlled by the
church
 Church = absolute power
 Pursuing his goals
 799: uprising =
Charlemagne’s help
 Christmas 800 A.D.
Charlemagne
 Charlemagne established missi dominci (messengers of the lord
king) two men who were sent to make for sure the kings wishes
were followed
 800, he was crowned emperor of the Romans/ the coronation
symbolized the coming together of the Roman, Christian, &
Germanic elements that forged European civilization
 Carolingian Renaissance was promoted by Charlemagne desire
to promote learning
 Benedictine monks played important role in revival of learning
Charlemagne’s Empire
Fall of Carolingian empire
 Charlemagne died in 814/ by 844 Carolingian empire divided
into 3 kingdoms by grandsons
 Muslims invaded southern France
 Magyars settled on the plains of Hungary
 Vikings (Norsemen of Scandinavia) attacked the empire
 Vikings were superb warriors & shipbuilders/ famed dragon
ships carrying about 50 men could go shallow rivers to attack
inland
 9th century, Vikings settled in Europe
 911, Frankish king gave Vikings land of Normandy
The Rise of Feudalism
 a political and economic system based on landholding and protective alliances, emerges in Europe.
Invaders Attack Western
Europe
 The Vikings Invade
from the North
 Warlike Vikings raid Europe
from Scandinavia—
Denmark, Norway, Sweden
 Viking long ships sail in
shallow water, allowing
raids inland
 Eventually, many Vikings
adopt Christianity and
become farmers
 Magyars and Muslims
Attack from the East
and South
 Magyars (Hungarian
nomads) invade western
Europe in late 800s
 Muslims strike north from
Africa, attacking through
Italy and Spain
 Viking, Magyar, Muslim
invasions cause widespread
disorder, suffering
A New Social Order: Feudalism
 Feudalism Structures
Society
 850 to 950, feudalism
emerges—political system
based on land control
 A lord (landowner) gives
fiefs (land grants) in
exchange for services
 Vassals—people who
receive fiefs—become
powerful landholders
 The Feudal Pyramid
 Power in feudal system
much like a pyramid, with
king at the top
 Kings served by nobles
who are served by knights;
peasants at bottom
 Knights—horsemen—
defend their lord’s land in
exchange for fiefs
Social Classes Are Well Defined

Medieval feudal system classifies
people into three social groups
those who fight: nobles and
knights

those who pray: monks, nuns,
leaders of the Church, those who
work: peasants

Social class is usually inherited;
majority of people are peasants

Most peasants are serfs—people
lawfully bound to place of birth

Serfs aren’t slaves, but what they
produce belongs to their lord