Download In Latin, the term for Middle Ages is called Medieval

The Middle Ages
Unit 8
What exactly is
the Middle Ages?
The term Middle
Ages covers the
time between the
fall of Rome and
the beginning of
what is known as
modern history.
In Latin, the
term for
Middle
Ages is
called
Medieval
German Successors to Rome
The Fall of the Western Roman Empire
476 A.D.
Do you remember what happened?
Visigoths move in… etc.
Let’s refresh our memory with the map.
Notice the Ostrogoths
They are both divisions of the
same people
The Byzantine Empire
Justinian’s Reign (527-565)
Three major contributions
1. Had restored the Roman Empire in the
Mediterranean temporarily (Italy, Carthage)
2. Codification of Roman Law (The Body of Civil
Law)
• The basis of modern law
3. Hagia Sophia (Church-Mosque)
•Though Justinian’s accomplishments are viewed as
excellent achievements, it could also be said that his
mistakes actually create the foundation of history.
(Spreading-thin theory)
The Hagia Sophia
The current building was originally constructed as a church between A.D. 532 and 537
on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian
• Roman and Germans began
to intermarry
• This created a new set of
customs and laws
• Wergeld - A payment for
wrongdoing
A New Way
of Life
Germanic
Law
Germanic Law
• Compurgation- swearing of
an oath by the accused
person~as well as others
who acknowledged the
accuser was telling the truth.
• The Ordeal- the means of
determining a person’s guilt
based on the idea of divine
intervention.
• Some sort of trial to
overcome- a joust perhaps,
walking over red-hot coals,
etc.
Trial by red - hot iron
The Christian Church
• According to the Christian
Church tradition, Jesus gave the
keys of the kingdom of Heaven
to Peter
• Considered to be first bishop of
Rome.
• Each city was headed by a
bishop
• The bishops of four major cities,
Jerusalem, Rome, Antioch, and
Alexandria held positions of
special power.
• Each area was referred to as a
diocese or bishopric
One of the first Christian Churches in England
• Later bishops of Rome were
viewed as Peter’s successors.
• They came to be known as
popes (from Latin word,
papa, meaning father) of the
Catholic Church.
• Though every Christian
believed the pope should be
the head of the church, they
did not agree on how much
power the pope should
have.
• Gregory I strengthened the
power of the papacy.
• Christianity spread further
through the monastic
movement.
Gregory I
The Monastic Movement
• Monk - one who sought to live a life cut off from ordinary
human society in order to pursue total dedication to God.
• Saint Benedict- established the basic form of monastic life:
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~Benedictine rule~
Prayer and manual labor
Monks gathered seven times a day to pray together
Monks were the social workers for communities.
Provided schools for the young, hospitality for travelers, and
hospitals for the sick.
• Women would also join the movement (Nuns)
• The head of the nuns was called the abbess
• The most important part of the monastic movement however, is
the spreading of Christianity to the entire European world
Whitby
Abbey
Saint Hilda
The Empire of the Franks
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Sorry Wrong Franks

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Franks (France and Western Germany)
1st leader is Clovis
Clovis was asked by his wife to convert to
Christianity.
He says no, but will convert to Christianity after a
key battle in which he calls upon Jesus like???
This helped unite the Europeans
After Clovis came the Merovingian Kings.
Da Vinci Code note, some believe these kings
were descendants of Jesus Christ.
Charles Martel was the leader of the Franks at
the Battle of Tours 732 A.D.
Battle helped preserve Western Europe from
Muslim super-expansion.
New leader emerges, Carolus Magnus, or
Charles the Great, or best known as
Charlemagne.
Charles Martel
At the battle of
Tours 732 AD
Islamic Caliphate
Remember?
Charlemagne
• Charlemagne ~ leader of the
Carolingian Empire
• Largest empire covering much of
western and central Europe since the
Romans.
• As Charlemagne’s power grew, so did
his popularity.
• In 800 AD, Charlemagne acquired a
new title, Holy Roman Emperor.
• This demonstrated the strength of the
idea of an enduring Roman Empire.
• However, this Empire combined
Roman, Christian, and Germanic
elements.
• Moreover, the papacy now had a
defender of great stature.
• Charlemagne had other impacts as well.
Next Page…
Little
“Horse Nuggets”
• A statue in the park of a
person on a horse has both
front legs in the air, the
person died in battle.
• If the horse has one front
leg in the air the person
died as a result of wounds
received in battle.
• If the horse has all four legs
on the ground, the person
died of natural causes.
• Charlemagne had a
strong desire to revive
learning in his kingdom
• Revival of classical
Greek and Roman
works
• Preserve all classical
works by establishing
scriptoria, or writing
rooms.
• Monks spent months
copying!
• If they made a mistake,
they had to start from
scratch! AGAIN &
AGAIN!
An Intellectual Renewal
“The Renaissance, before
the Renaissance”
• The Carolingian Empire
began to fall apart soon
after Charlemagne’s death
in 814 AD
• Many forces invade
Europe... Muslims,
Magyars, and The Vikings
(the Norsemen).
• These groups disintegrated
the central authority in
Europe.
• It became important to
establish local authority
and protection.
• Therefore, people sought
a powerful lord who could
offer protection in return
for service.
• This led to a new system
called Feudalism
Movement to
Feudalism
How Feudalism Works
The King
The King was in complete control under the Feudal System. He owned all the land in the
country and decided who he would lease land to. However, before they were given any
land they had to swear an oath to remain faithful to the King at all times. The men who
leased land from the King were known as Barons.
The Barons
Barons leased land from the King which was known as a manor. They were known as
the Lord of the Manor. They established their own system of justice, minted their own
money and set their own taxes. In return for the land they had been given by the King,
the Barons had to serve on the royal council, pay rent and provide the King with Knights
for military service when he demanded it. They also had to provide lodging and food for
the King and his court when they traveled around the country. The Barons divided the
rest of their land among their Knights. Later this land became known as a fief.
The Knights
Knights were given land by a Baron in return for military service when demanded by the
King. They also had to protect the Baron and his family from attack. The Knights kept as
much of the land as they wished for their own personal use and distributed the rest to
serfs. Although not as rich as the Barons, Knights were quite wealthy.
Peasants and Serfs
Peasants were given land by Knights. They had to provide the Knight with free labor,
food and service whenever it was demanded. Serfs had no rights. They were not
allowed to leave the Manor and had to ask their Lord's permission before they could
marry. Serfs were poor.
Life of the Knight in the
Middle Ages
•Vassalage
•Subinfeudation
•Feudal Contracts
•Duty
•The Code of Chivalry
•Process of Knighthood
•Armor
•Tournaments and Jousting
•See Handout
FEUDALISM
Feudalism & Manorialism
• Feudalism - political ties
between lords and other
lords
• Manorialism - economic
ties between lords and
peasants
• The Manor was the
principal dwelling on the
Lord's property or estate.
Serfs working on the manor
The Magna Carta
(The Great “Charter” = Paper)
• Magna Carta was the most
significant early influence
of constitutional law today.
• Magna Carta influenced the
development of:
• The United States
Constitution
• The United States Bill of
Rights
• And… is considered one of
the most important legal
documents in the history of
democracy.
• Why?
• It proposed that a
monarch’s power was
limited, not absolute
• It will create the idea
behind Parliament,
Congress, and the American
Revolution.
814 AD