Download The Middle Ages

The Middle
Ages
P.Trejo
The years between the fall of Rome and
A.D. 1500 are now called the Middle Ages.
P.Trejo
THE Middle Ages


Also Known As Medieval ( Latin for Middle)
because in the middle of ancient and modern
times- or Dark Ages- b/c light of civ. had gone
out
End of Western Roman Empire ( 500 AD)
P.Trejo
Geography of Europe



Smallest continent on it’s own- BUT
combined with Asia- known as Eurasiacreates world’s largest landmass
Shaped like a big peninsula, has many
peninsulas and islands
Surrounded by Atlantic Ocean,
Mediterranean Sea, North Sea and Baltic
Sea
P.Trejo


CLIMATE- temperate- but there are extreme
temps along Asia border and Alps
Many mines have helped sustain Europe’s
economy over time: coal, iron, oil, bauxite,
copper, lead ,zinc, gold and silver
P.Trejo





2000 years ago Europe was heavily forested
Deforested the area and set up farms
N. European Plain- most fertile area
Fishing very important (close to so many
seas)
Rivers very useful to get around Europe
P.Trejo
FEUDALISM



A new form of governing and organization
Definition- a society based on land ownership
AND service
Manor-large estate owned by wealthy nobles
P.Trejo
The feudalism was a kind of
government. It was also a way of life.
P.Trejo
King: gave land to the nobles under
him.
P.Trejo
Nobles: promised to help fight the king’s
enemies.
P.Trejo
Nobles were called vassals of the king. The vassals
(nobles) who fought for their king or for other
nobles were called knights.
P.Trejo
Lady (women)



Lady: Lord’s wife was in charge of castle,
especially when the lord was away on a Crusade
or fighting a war for the king.
Women had fewer rights
Eleanor of Aquitaine -c.1200 AD- ran an area in
S. France as a vassal, because queen of France,
married Louis VII, divorced him became Queen of
England by marrying King Henry II, had many
kids- 2 sons became Kings of England
P.Trejo
Knights


Knight- warrior on horseback
Different Stages:



Page (7)-left home (son of a noble)
 Lived with a knight
 Learned ettiquite
 Cared for horses
Squire (15-20)
 Rode into battle with a knight
 Blessed by a preist
 Given a sword and a belt
Knight- protected lord and manor
 Must have 3 horses, armor, and a squire
 Got extra $ by jousting!
P.Trejo
Serf: someone who farmed the land. Serfs had to pay
rent and taxes to the nobles.
P.Trejo
What’s up SERF-er Dude?

Serfs







Given land to farm
Had to work lord’s land too
Pay rent/taxes
Ask permission on lord to get married
One room house with family and animals
Usually died young
Church bells signaled breaks in day
P.Trejo
Craftworkers



Craftworkers- free people
 Made/built saddles, shoes, etc.
 Family owned business
 Father was expert/master
Levels:
 Age 14- apprentice- live with a master
 17-28 journeyman- could join a guild
 Master- makes a “master piece” to show capability
GUILD- groups of workers, set prices and rules about quality
P.Trejo
Most people
in the early
Middle ages
lived on a
manor.
P.Trejo
-Christianity in Middle AgesMajority of people were Christian but there
were also Muslims and Jews
Christian belief grew so strong Middle Ages
became known as the Age of Faith
P.Trejo
A small
church was
an important
part of each
manor.
P.Trejo
The church saved education from
completely disappearing after the fall of
Rome.
P.Trejo
Christian priests learned to read an write.
All books were handwritten.
P.Trejo
The church helped keep the knowledge of
Greece and Rome from being forgotten.
This would be very important during the
Renaissance.
P.Trejo
The power of the church



By the middle/late Middle Ages power fell into
the hands of the spiritual leader (Pope) and
political leader (king).
Pope seen as God’s rep. on Earth- got power
from God and people
If people disagreed with the Pope he would
EXCOMMUNICATE them!
P.Trejo
The Pope steps in


Pope Leo IX believed all religious officials
should answer to the Pope. All officials did
answer to the first pope ( St. Peter) so all
should answer to every Pope
1054 AD Constantinople's bishop refused to
do this so Leo excommunicated him. This
started the Eastern Orthodox Church
P.Trejo
Breaking up is hard to do!
1054: Christian church split –
Constantine’s church: Eastern Orthodox
and Rome: Roman Catholic
P.Trejo
Christians made a long, difficult journey to
visit Jerusalem which was a Holy Land not
only for Christians but Muslins and Jews.
P.Trejo
Around A.D. 1000, Muslims in Jerusalem no longer welcomed
Christians visitors. The Christians went on several journeys to try
to capture Jerusalem. These journeys were called the Crusades.
P.Trejo
Crusades



1045 Pope Urban II called for a Christian
Pilgrimage (1st Crusade) to Jerusalem to
capture it back from Muslim Turks
1291- last crusade
Crusade- Latin for marked with a cross
P.Trejo
#1



1st Crusade 1096- 5000 Crusaders left Europe for
the Holy Land - the peasant crusaders attacked
Jews in Germany- blamed them for Jesus’ deathmost of the peasant crusaders were killed before
they reached Jerusalem
Nobles reached Jerusalem and took it over- set up 4
small towns and traded with Europe
BUT.. Within 50 years Muslims began taking land
back thus the second Crusade began
P.Trejo
#2 and # 3


1147- French and Germans set out to retake
the Holy Land – again
Poor planning and heavy “troop” loss led to a
disaster
P.Trejo
Crusaders who returned brought treasures
home with them.
P.Trejo
#3


1189- Muslims had recaptured all of the HLThe French, German, English, and HRE led
armies in- But the German king died, French
King and HRE left- so that left King Richard I(
the Lionhearted) to battle with Saladin (
Muslim leader)
Both were respected but overall, Saladin kept
Jerusalem for the Muslims
P.Trejo
#4


1201- French Knights set out this time- from
Venice.
Instead of going to Jerusalem- they got
sidetracked and ransacked Constantinople (
another Christian city) and never made it to
Jerusalem
P.Trejo
Many more and then finally


By 1291 the Muslims had recaptured ALL of the holy
land and the Crusades were DONE ( unsuccessful
for Christians)
Why, you may ask?




Had to travel far from home on FOOT- many died
Weren’t prepared to battle in the desert
Outnumbered by well prepared and well led armies
Christians fought amongst themselves and were
unorganized
P.Trejo

Crusades:




Created more tensions between Jews, Christians
and Muslims
increased trade
increased towns
increased disease…..
P.Trejo

As towns in Europe grew- eventually desire for
education did as well.

1st university was in Bologna, Italy. France
(Sorbonne) and England also had universities
P.Trejo
Art/Architecture
Medieval art and architecture was mostly
about religion. The church was one of
the few groups that had money to build
large structures and commission
paintings.
The church built huge churches called
Cathedrals (ex. Notre Dame)
P.Trejo
Notre Dame
P.Trejo
1215 : Kings / Lords in England became irritated with
King John’s “idea’s” Their reaction was to limit his
power with a legal document *called the Magna
Carta.

Created a Parliament- law making body that still
governs England today!
P.Trejo
Hundred Years’ War


1328- the French king died- he had no heirs so
England and France battled for his throne- France
won- but England did not relent- thus began the war!
For 100 years the English fought well- then Joan of
Arc ( French GIRL) rallied the French to stand
against them- the English killed her- but the French
succeeded!
P.Trejo
Effects




England
Parliament's power
grew
King now needed
permission
King lost power



P.Trejo
France
King’s power grew
Nobles supported their
king!
Charlemagne was one of the greatest
kings of the Middle ages.
P.Trejo
BLACK DEATH






1348- Black Plague starts in Sienna, Italy
Infected fleas traveled on infected rats on
ships
Spread disease- wiped out 1/3 of Europe’s
entire population
Spread as far as Africa and Baghdad
Black Flags were flown to warn visitors of
plague in the town
Lasted for 130 years
P.Trejo