Download Middle ages part I - Thomas County Schools

I. Rise of the Middle
Ages, Part One
432 to 1500 AD
FACT TO KNOW
Europe is the continent having a Dark
Age!
Everyone else is not
Things really going good in Africa,
Middle East, Asia
MIDDLE AGES, MEDIEVAL AGES ,
DARK AGES ?
Middle (Medieval is “middle” in Latin)
Time between the end of the Roman
Empire and the rebirth of
progress/growth in Europe
Dark because it was not a great time in
Europe:
-little progress
-Fall of Rome left vacuum
filled by brutal warlords and
barbarian bands
-Much knowledge lost when
Rome fell
AFTER CENTURIES OF WAR, FAMINE, CHAOS AND
A GENERALLY BAD TIME--
Europe
begins to
come
together
again
CLOVIS THE FRANK
Franks originally were from a
Germanic tribe that
settled in Belgium and the
Netherlands
Today called the French
France gets name
from the Franks
Clovis-Cruel, merciless
United Franks by war
First King of Franks
Excellent military leader
Converted to Christianity
Ordered his people
to do so also
CHARLEMAGNE- 768 AD
Outstanding ruler with minimal formal education
Religious, practical, and intelligent
Good military skills- controlled Western Europe
Drove Moors (Muslims) back across the Pyrenees
and out of Northern Europe
• Renewal of the Roman Empire and its order
• Pope crowned him too. Increasing mixture of
secular and profane (church and society in
government)
•
•
•
•
Frankish weapons
CHARLEMAGNE’S RULE
Government of checks
and balances
No direct taxes because his
holdings supported the State
Built monastic schools for nobles and intelligent
lower classes
Built libraries
Produced one standardized Bible
Encouraged people to convert
Frankish costume
3. THE FRANKISH EMPIRE DECLINES
Charlemagne’s son, Louis the Pious , was
no Charlemagne
Charlemagne’s descendents fought each other
Kingdom broke up and splintered
Four groups of invaders
Viking (Scandinavia)
Slav (eastern Russia)
Magyar (Hungarians)
Muslim (Arabia and North Africa)
MAGYARS
800’S AD
Resembled Attila the Hun because they were
nomads and fierce so Franks called them
“the Hun”
In WWII the Allies called Germany “the Hun”
Invaded the Frankish Empire from the East
Later settled down and eventually came to be
the Kingdom of Hungary
THE VIKINGS
WHY DID THE VIKINGS GO A-VIKING AND
WHY DID THEY STOP?
The warmer Medieval age
increased population and
resources and Viking Age
begins
The Little Ice Age comes
and resources start to
dwindle/decrease and
harder more expensive to
go out raiding
Eventual conversion to
Christianity stops Viking
raids
Viking Weapons
THE VARANGIAN
GUARD
Vikings made it as far
as Russia (Rus and
Rurik) and then to
Constantinople where
they became the
Emperor’s personal
bodyguards. Fought
Muslims for the
Emperor
SOCIETY IN THE
MIDDLE AGES:
FEUDALISM,
THE MANOR, THE
CASTLE, THE
KNIGHT, THE
CHURCH
GOVERNMENT OF SOCIETY
OR FEUDALISM
King- “the Man”
Lord- “the Boss Man”
Vassal- “the Boss Man’s hands and eyes”-nobles who get land
for supporting the Lord or a king
Fief or land grant-what the lord gives vassals in exchange for
military support
Primogeniture- eldest son always inherits the Fief.
Freeman and artisans –few in the Middle Ages
The Church- could be a vassal
Serfs-most of us (not “the man”)
FEUDALISM AND THE MANORIAL
SYSTEM
Feudalism was the system of loyalties and
protections during the Middle Ages.
As the Roman Empire crumbled, emperors granted land to nobles
in exchange for their loyalty.
These lands eventually developed into manors.
• A manor is the land owned by a noble and everything on it
-A typical manor consisted of a castle, small village, and farmland.
-Landowners exchanged freedom for safety and became serfs.
-They were “Owned” by the Lord of the Manor
MANORS- OR LARGE FARMS
CONTROLLING THE LAND AROUND THEM
AND PROTECTING IT IN TURN
Self sufficient -an economic unit onto itself
A third to a half of all produced goes to the Lord and
King. Rest to the Manor's serfs
Subsistence existence or barely sustainable life for
serfs
Serfs had a short, hard , sickly life
SERFS
Serfs would often have to work four days a
week for the lord as rent. They would
spend the rest of their week growing crops
to feed their families.
Other serfs worked as sharecroppers. A
sharecropper would be required to turn
over Most of what he grew in order to be
able to live on the land
DEFENSE
Castles are Wood/Stone
Built to resist attack
Moats
Drawbridge
Keep
Window slits
Cold, dark, drafty, damp
CHIVALRY
Years of training as page and
squire
Knighthood ceremony
Coat of arms
Heavy armor-hoisted on to
horse
Chivalry- A knight is pious,
religious, fair, just, brave,
loyal, gallant, and
respectful to women of his
class
Tournaments/jousts are war
training
KNIGHTS
The Church
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MEDIEVAL
WESTERN OR ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH
A. Hierarchy:
Pope
Curia or cabinet of
cardinals-counselors
Archbishop
Bishop-Cathedra
Parish priest
B. Sacraments:
Baptism
Holy Eucharist
Confirmation
Penance
Holy orders
Matrimony
Extreme unction
MONASTICISM
Lived by rules
Withdrawal from world
Prayer, fasting, self-denial and work
Saint Benedict and the Benedictine Rule
Religious communities with an abbot as head
Monasteries and convents preserved learning, copied
books, maintained schools, encouraged art,
reminded people that there was more than warfare,
preserved the memory of Rome, were the only
means of social welfare or help
MONKS THEN
AND NOW
THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH
Missionaries: St Patrick, St Augustine
Canterbury – priests established cities and
centers of learning
Had political and social power
Canon/church Law
Excommunication
Interdict or “The Big Whammy”
Tithe
Power of life or Death eternally
Economic power-trade, hospitals, agriculture.
WHY DID THE CHURCH HAVE SUCH POWER?
Faith and Belief
Power to forgive or condemn all that occurs on
Earth
Lack of literacy: minimal bibles. People
believed the Bible said what the priest said.
Offered best security available at the time,
eternal life and sanctuary
Short brutal lives look forward to eternity and
do not want to mess that up
PROBLEMS THE CHURCH FACED
Corruption- with power and money comes
temptation
InquisitionTorture and Death
Reform: St Francis