Download WORLD HISTORY EUROPEAN MIDDLE AGES (500 to 1400)

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WORLD HISTORY
EUROPEAN MIDDLE AGES (500 to 1400)
HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR EUROPEAN MIDDLE AGES
What is meant by the “Middle Ages” and “Dark Ages”?
1.
2.
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Western European history divided into 3 periods:
a. Ancient Classical Civilizations (5000 BC to 500 AD)
b. Middle Ages (500 to 1400)
c. Modern Era (1400 onwards)
The Middle Ages broken down into 3 periods:
a. Early Middle Ages (500 to 1000)
b. High Middle Ages (1000 to 1300)
c. Later Middle Ages (1300 to 1400)
What are the “Dark
a.
b.
Ages”?
Some historians have referred to the Middle Ages as the “Dark Ages,” claiming learning “went
dark” (stopped) during this period relative to Ancient Greece and Rome
Not really dark:
i. Significant learning did actually occur in Western Europe at this time
ii. Significant advancements occurred in other parts of the world at this time
1. Byzantine Empire (example: Justinian Code, Hagia Sophia)
2. Islamic world (example: House of Wisdom, translation of ancient works, advancements in medicine, math and
sciences)
3. East Africa (example: Great Zimbabwe, cities and mosques built on east coast of Africa)
4. India and China continued to advance
a.
Caution against ethnocentric view of history: looking at history from only 1 perspective
(example: to say whole world in “dark ages” from 500 to 1000 just because relatively less learning in
Western Europe during this time)
Recall Distinction between Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire
1.
2.
Western Roman Empire: fell to German tribes in 476, making Western Europe break up into many small kingdoms.
Eastern Roman Empire: remained intact becoming the Byzantine Empire that survived until taken over by Ottoman Turks in 1453.
EARLY MIDDLE AGES: 500 TO 1000
ROME FALLS: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CHANGES AND THE RISE OF THE CHARLEMAGNE
Social Changes Resulting from Fall of Rome
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2.
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Trade collapsed
Cities abandoned: people move to the country
Large migration of foreigners: example - Germans
Learning declines:
a. Germanic invaders were illiterate
b. Literacy limited to priests and church officials
c. Knowledge of Greek -- language of scholarly and cultured -- almost lost entirely
Loss of common language of Latin : By 800 AD: French, Spanish, and other Roman based languages evolve from Latin (the “Romance
languages”)
Political Changes Resulting from Fall of Rome
1.
2.
No strong central government like under Romans: small Germanic kingdoms instead
Concept of government changes
a. Roman society: loyalty to government and written law unified society
b. Germanic society in Western Europe after fall of Rome:
i. Loyalty based upon family ties or personal relationship
ii. Felt no obligation to obey king or his officials sent to collect taxes or administer justice
Will Somebody Please Take Control . . . Okay, Here Comes the Franks!
2.
Franks: German group
By 511: Frank leader Clovis unites Franks to form the largest kingdom in Western Europe
3.
4.
5.
Clovis also converts to Christianity
Start of powerful partnership btwn Franks and the Church
By 600: Franks had caused many German tribes to convert to Christianity
1.
It’s Hammer Time. . . Charles Martel and the Battle of Tours in 732
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2.
3.
Charles Martel: Important leader of the Franks referred to as “the Hammer”
732: Lead defeat of Muslim armies at Battle of Tours less than 100 miles outside of Paris
Defeat alters history of Western Europe!
a. After loss, Muslims armies cease further invasions of Europe and instead focus on Africa and
Eastern Europe
b. Had Muslims won, would have kept conquering Western Europe, making it part of Islamic
Empire (would mean very different Western Europe today)
2
The Frankish Kingdom Under Its Most Famous Leader
1.
Frankish Kingdom dominates and King Charlemagne emerges as its most successful ruler.
2.
Known as “Charles the
a.
b.
c.
d.
3.
Great” or “The King Father of Europe” .
Highly successful ruler
Brought stability to Western Europe for first time since fall of Rome
Built the greatest empire in Western Europe since the Roman Empire
Spreads Christianity throughout Western Europe
800: Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne emperor in very significant act
i.
ii.
Pope, a church leader, claiming right to crown a political leader
Represents union of Germanic power, Church, and heritage of Roman Empire
4. Carolingian Renaissance:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Charlemagne promotes a rebirth (renaissance) in learning ancient Greek and Latin works
Invites scholars from all over Europe to discuss religious and scientific matters in his court
Ordered monasteries to open schools to train future monks and priests and to preserve books in libraries
Promote Gregorian chant music
Limited in scope: surge in learning limited to Charlemagne’s court and monasteries
Charlemagne Dies and Chaos Erupts Again
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2.
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Upon death of Charlemagne, no capable rulers to replace him
800-1000: invasions of Western Europe on every side by Muslims, Magyars, and Vikings
No central authority like Charlemagne emerged to keep the peace
New governing system eventually emerges in efforts to create order: new system is feudalism
THE EMERGENCE OF FEUDALISM
What is Feudalism? What is the Manor System?
1.
Feudal system: King, Lord and Vassal
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.
Social system based upon mutual rights and obligations involving land holding and protective alliances among king, lord and
vassal
Social rights and obligations:
i. King  owned land but gave some significant portions of land (called a “fief”) to lord in exchange for military protection
from lord
ii. Lord  ran land but permitted vassal to live on land with lord in exchange for military protection from vassal
iii. Vassal  right to live on lord’s land if provide military protection to lord
Who are lords and vassals?
i. Lords: usually noble or bishop
ii. Vassals: various classes of vassals
1. Higher group: Landowning vassals
2. Lower group: Knights (mounted horsemen who were landless)
Europe was not birthplace of feudal system: began in China in 1100 BC
Manor system: Lord and Peasant or Serfs
a.
Economic system that supported feudalism involving land use and duties between lord and peasant or serfs
b.
Economic rights and obligations:
i. Lord  provides peasant with housing, use of farmland and military protection
ii. Peasant or Serf  Farm land and give portion of crops and pay various taxes to lord
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3.
Defined social classes and hierarchy emerge within feudal society:
King
Lord
Vassal: landowing or knights
Peasants and Serfs
4. Class determined prestige and power
5.
6.
a.
Those who fought (nobles and knights)
b. Those who prayed (men and women of the Church)
c.
Those who worked (peasants) (majority of people)
Feudal world was a self-contained world: peasants’ work produced almost everything lord, knights and peasants needed
And you thought you had it bad. . . peasant life was horrible!
a.
Life of pure work
b. Taxes to lord and Church
c.
Illness and malnutrition widespread
d. Religious beliefs help support feudalism: peasants believed God determined person’s place in society and that they could have no expectation of
moving up social rung
The Code of Chivalry . . . Knight in Shining Armor Where Art Thou?
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Because feudal lords were constantly fighting each other, they each raised private armies of knights for protection
2.
Knights obligated to adhere to the “code
3.
4.
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of chivalry”:
a.
Glorified both combat and romantic love
b.
Demanded that knight fight bravely in defense of 3
masters:
i. Earthly feudal lord
ii. Heavenly lord
iii. Chosen lady
c. Also supposed to protect the poor and weak
i. Note: most failed to meet this standard (treated lower classes poorly)
Training for knight began at age 7; full knight at age 21
Literature, poetry, and songs of chivalry
a. Played down brutality of knighthood
b. Idealized glory of battle and romance
c. Songs and poems sung by traveling musicians called troubadours
While knight often romanticized in literature, had to engage in truly brutal warfare
a.
Example: Use of trebuchets: high flying missiles of fire, captured soliders, severed human heads, diseased cows, or dead
horses
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SIGNIFICANTLY RISES IN POWER AND COMPETES FOR IT
Power of the Church
1. Amid weak central governments, Church emerges as unifying force and powerful
institution during Early Middle Ages
2. Church message helped people respond to harsh conditions of the day:
3.
4.
a. Happiness come in afterlife
b. In the meantime, follow path to salvation through sacraments
How Church affected daily life:
a. Marriage and religious practices
b. Religious festivals
c. Sacraments
Most regular contact with people: parish priest
Religious Communities Called Monasteries Emerge
1.
Church adapts to rural conditions by building religious communities called monasteries
a.
b.
Persons living here give up private possessions and devote lives to serving God
Became the first monks and nuns
2. Monasteries become Europe’s best educated communities
a. Monks open schools, maintain libraries, and copy Greek and Roman works
b.
Made beautiful copies of religious writings decorated with ornate letters and brilliant pictures
(preserving at least a part of Rome’s intellectual heritage)
3. Benedictine Rule
a.
b.
c.
d.
Rules to govern life in monasteries
Helped to make monasteries centers of stability and learning
Created by a monk named Benedict who ultimately became a saint and ultimately regarded as founder of Benedictine order
Sister was Scholastica who also became first nun of the Benedictine order
Role of the Pope
1.
2.
Head of Church
Popes broadened authority beyond spiritual role by becoming involved in political matters:
a. Use Church revenues to raise armies, repair roads, help poor
b. Negotiate peace treaties with invaders
c. Crown emperors
d. Owned considerable land
The Church as a Kingdom
1. Church promote idea of Europe as one large church state called Christendom that was ruled by pope
2. Constant power struggle between pope and emperors over extent of power
3.
Land controlled by Church
a. Church said it had control over Italy to England and Spain to Germany
i.
Included the “Holy
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2.
3.
Roman Empire”
Named by German emperor not Church
Modern day Germany and Italy (see map)
Constant power struggle over who really controlled it
a.
Voltaire’s comment: not holy, Roman or an empire!
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b.
b.
Actual land controlled by Church:
a.
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a.
b.
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“papal states” – small states in modern day Italy (see map)
b. Land donated to the church by wealthy Christians (was considerable in amount)
2 punishments Church used to get rulers to conform:
Excommunication: banish ruler from Church, denied salvation
Interdict: shut off ruler’s town from sacraments (people fear losing salvation so pressure ruler to cede to pope)
Lay investiture crisis
a.
Pope rejects practice of “lay
investiture”
b.
Dramatic clash between Pope Gregory VII and German Emperor Henry IV over investiture
i. Pope bans investiture!  Henry rejects the ban!  Pope excommunicates Henry!  Henry fears rejection of people! 
Henry publicly seeks pope’s forgiveness waiting in the snow for hours!  Pope cancels Gregory’s excommunication!
-- kings and nobles (lay people) were appointing (investing with power) bishops
ii. Concordat of Worms :
1.
2.
Attempt to resolve investiture crisis
Final arrangement: Pope may appoint the bishops BUT emperor still has power to veto!!
Need for Church Reform!
1.
As the Church grew in power, problems begin to emerge:
a. Too worldly: wealthy, own too much land, too involved in politics
b. Priests and bishops not follow canon law regarding celibacy (had been marrying, having
children contrary to law)
c.
2.
Simony:
Some bishops selling positions in Church
d. Popes and clergy of questionable morals
Call for reforms to fix problems!
Reform Comes with the “Age of Faith”
1.
New spirit in Church leads to reform in 900s called the “Age of Faith”
2.
Reform starts in monasteries
a. Emphasize spirituality versus worldliness
b. Renew vows of poverty, chastity, obedience
End practice of simony
3.
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4.
New religious orders of friars emerge to help spread the faith:
a.
Different than monks because friars not live in monasteries; went about countryside to preach; some own
nothing; live by begging
b. Franciscans Friars:
i.
ii.
Founded by Italian St. Francis of Assisi
Treat all creatures including animals as if spiritual brothers and sisters
c. Dominicans Friars:
5.
i. Taught official Christian beliefs to combat heresies (religious doctrines that differed from Church teachings)
Church reorganized to resemble kingdom with pope as head
Zeal for Faith Reflected in Cathedrals
1. Cathedral: viewed as representing City of God that should be decorated with all riches Christians could offer
2.
800-1000:
a.
b.
c.
Romanesque style
Rounded arches
Heavy roof held by thick walls and pillars
Tiny windows that led in little light
HIGH MIDDLE AGES (1000- 1300): CHANGES IN THE MEDIEVAL ERA
Age of Faith Inspires New Church Architecture
Gothic style
1.
New spirit in Church fuels
2.
Characteristics:
a.
Thrust upward as if reaching heaven
b. Pointed arches
c.
Stained glass
Meant to inspire magnificence of God
1170-1270: over 500 Gothic cathedrals built!!!!
Show of faith: Took decades to build with little tools and paid for by members of Church
with money and labor.
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