Download Middle Ages

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“Dark Ages” = anarchy; Barbarian invasions &
Fall of the Roman Empire.
(Goths, Vandals, Saxons, Franks)
1. Ancient Roman (“Classical”) Civilization
2. The beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
3. The customs of various Germanic tribes
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During this period of anarchy, people looked
to the Church based in Rome.
Pope Gregory I (590-604)
Expanded power of papacy to include
both spiritual and secular (worldly)
authority.
The Church exercised great
political power over all of Europe during
the Middle Ages.
Germanic Influence
 Germanic invaders overrun & destroy declining
western Roman Empire
 Constant warfare causes: Loss of trade, a decline in
cities, loss of learning, no central government, loss of
common language.
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Education & learning decline
Loss of common language
Germanic warriors pledge loyalty to their chief, not
some
unseen king = period of local power &
authority
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Many of these chiefs & their
warriors
convert to
st
Clovis – 1 king of the Franks (France)
Christianity
(481-511AD);
Becomes a Christian by
500’s AD
The FRANKS establish the dominant kingdom of
Europe
in what was called Gaul (France)
 Charles Martel ( Charles the Hammer )
 Frank warlord who halted the Muslim advance into
Europe at the Battle of Tours (732).
Charles “the Hammer”
leads the Franks to
victory at Tours.
Charlemagne ( Charles the Great )
Crowned “Roman Emperor” by Pope Leo III
 New invasions
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(Vikings, Moslems)
Charlemagne’s empire which was later
divided by his fighting grandsons in 843.
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Seafaring people from
Scandinavia
“vik” = fjords or
narrow bays/inlets
Northmen or Norsemen
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Ruthless warriors;
“berserk”
 “Longboats”
Rugged & sturdy but
also quick & maneuverable
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Raid or trade?
Adventurers & colonizers
Answer the following questions in your notebook:
(1) What were the 3 groups in feudal society of the
Middle Ages?
(clergy, nobles, peasants)
(2) What was power in the Middle Ages based upon?
(land)
(3) Who was Charles Martel & what impact did he
have?
(gave land/fiefs to his most loyal warriors)
(4) What important roles did nobles play ?
(military service to the weak kings;
law, order & protection for peasants)
(5) In the feudal relationship, what duties / obligations
did a lord have? A vassal?
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a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
3. Feudalism = Political and military system
based on the ownership of land. Results from
custom &
weak kings (Political basis of Middle Ages)
TERMS:
Lord - a person who controlled land
Vassal - received land from a lord in exchange
of loyalty and services
Fief – land granted to a vassal
Knights – armored warrior on horseback
Serfs – peasant legally bound to live on a lord’s
estate
Earl
Geoffrey
(Vassal)
Sir
Tancred
(Vassal)
•Provide knights
• Provide
infantry
•Provide $ for a
bridge project
•Serve on lord’s
court
•Attend
wedding of
princess Victoria
w/ a gift
•Attend
wedding of
princess Victoria
w/ a gift
Count
Conrad
(Vassal)
•Entertain lord
& his
entourage for
a week in July
•Provide $ to
help ransom
my son
•Attend
wedding of
princess
Victoria w/ a
gift
Imagine you are a Medieval feudal lord. Using
the names of classmates / friends, construct a
Lord/Vassal chart of your own.
 Assign titles of nobility to everyone on the
chart
 Identify who is a lord & who are the vassals
 Indicate your obligations / responsibilities as a
lord & 3 examples of responsibilities of your
Titles of nobility:
King-queen
vassals
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Duke-duchess
Count-countess
Baron-baronette
Lord-lady
Earl or sir – lady
Prince-princess
Read source and refer to text book ...
 create two lists:
 One list of words and/or statements that
describe peasants & peasant life
 One list that describes nobles & noble life.
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Life in the Middle Ages revolved around
the manor = a self-sufficient estate.
(Lord’s Domain & commons)
Manorial System = Economic basis of the Middle
Ages
Peasant Life = harsh & short (under 40)
 Serfs or freemen
 Worked long hard hours
 Poor diet & shelter
 Little to no education
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Privileged, land owning class.
Governed (feudal justice), fought & partied!
NOBLES
Monarch
The hierarchy of
Medieval
society.
Nobles
Lesser Nobles & Knights
“COMMONERS”
- Freemen
- Serfs
Peasants
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Lived in manor houses = castles from which
they managed their lands & administered
justice. (power)
Built for defense not comfort.
Stone w/ few windows = damp, dark &
smokey.
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Frequent warfare = problem
(destructive/suffering, esp. among peasants!)
Church – Peace & Truce of God
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Knights = warriors on horseback
Chivalry – Rules & behavior of a Knight. From
the French “chevalier” meaning “horseman”;
was a code of conduct that developed
combining Christian values with the virtue of
being a noble warrior.
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Training as a page & squire (“sword bearer”)
Armor, “coat of arms” & tournaments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
List the THREE (3) roots of Medieval society/culture .
Who was the Frankish leader that spread Christianity,
reunited large portions of Europe and was crowned
emperor by the pope in 800AD?
Seafaring invaders that raided Europe from
Scandinavia?
Identify the THREE (3) classes in feudal society.
Peasants who were “bound to the soil” of a noble lord
and who could not legally leave were called?
The land granted by a lord to his vassal was called a?
The church tax paid to a village priest was called?
The noble lord’s self sufficient estate was called a?
The code of conduct for Medieval knights was called?
What was the most important religion in Europe during
the Middle Ages?