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The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages: By Period
Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000 (‘The Dark Ages’)
-Rise of the Franks [Merovingians/Clovis I/Charlemagne]
-Monks/Monasteries preserve knowledge
High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250 (‘The Crusades’)
-Increased Catholic Church Power
-Ongoing battles against Muslims in Spain (began in 8th century)
Late Middle Ages: 1250 – 1450 (‘The Plague & Recovery’)
-Resurgence of learning and inventions lead to Renaissance
-Increased Catholic Church power leads to Reformation
-Regional Kingdoms gain power leading to increased trade routes and
Exploration
Major Events:
The Middle Ages
476ce - Destruction of Western Roman Empire
500-1000 Creation of Feudal Kingdoms
700-800s Rise of powerful Kings (Clovis, Charles
Martel, Charlemagne)
800s - Viking Invasions of Europe
11th Century - Christian Crusades
1054 - Great Schism of Christianity
Mid-14th Century The Bubonic Plague “Black
Death” strikes western Europe
13th-15th Centuries Rise of Nation-States of
Europe
The Middle Ages
After the fall of Rome, Europe was in a state of
chaos with no government
Also known as the Medieval Period or the Dark Ages
because of the lack of development (trade,
education, gov’t reform).
Life expectancy goes up while life becomes
harder/harsher/more dangerous…why?
Lasted from about 500 to 1000CE in Europe
Trade slowed, towns emptied, learning slowed
The Middle Ages
Three Main Groups:
Those Who Work Feudalism
Those Who Pray - Catholic
Church
Those Who Fight - Kings,
Knights, The Crusades
Those Who Work:
Feudalism
 Gov’t organized to protect
territories from invaders
Kings & Nobles
Merchants & Soldiers
Peasants/Serfs
Feudalism/Manorialism
 People left cities to live on manors (the lord’s estate) in
order to grow food to live
 Self-sufficient communities where people produced
everything they needed
 Feudalism: social/economic/political system
 Manorialism: Self-sufficient manors [3-field system]
-Peasants paid taxes on milling grains, marriages, rents
-Serfs: could not leave without permission; treated like
slaves; children born into serfdom
Feudalism
People left
cities to live on
manors (the
lord’s estate) in
order to grow
food to live
Self-sufficient
communities
where people
produced
everything they
needed
Feudalism
Peasants paid taxes on milling
grains, marriages, rents
Serfs: could not leave without
permission; treated like slaves;
children born into serfdom
Those Who Pray - The
Catholic Church
The Church provided
charity: food, shelter,
clothing to poor,
orphans
Monasteries - become
centers for learning;
Monks know how to
read and write
Illuminated Manuscripts
- handwritten copies of
religious documents
Catholic Church organization
Cardinals
Archbishops
Bishops
Priests
The Catholic Church
Forced people to pay tithes to the Church
Could excommunicate members or kick them out
of the church
Sold indulgences, simony
Kings and Nobles could appoint church officials
Indulgenceforgiveness for
sins
Simony- buy
church job
Mostly religious based
Dark
Overly ornate
Gothic - Late Middle Ages
Medieval Art
Gothic Architecture
The High Middle Ages - Those
Who Fight
Lasted from 1100 to 1300 CE; during this
period, Europe developed nation-states with
populations and a national unity:
Nations led by kings, princes as rulers
Made war against others to obtain territory
Trade rose and towns developed
Catholic Church led wars for Christian
domination
Rise of Nation-States
England
France
Holy Roman Empire
Spain
The Crusades
Holy wars to regain Jerusalem from the
Muslims; first called by Pope Urban II who
promised:
Forgiveness for sins
Cancellation of debts
Protection for families
and property
Cancellation of
criminal charges
Land and wealth
(from the Turks)
1st Crusade: 3 groups
marched to Holy Land
Most successful;
Crusaders captured
Jerusalem & Antioch;
massacred thousands of
Muslims
Problems: heat, supplies,
disunity
The Crusades
The Crusades
2nd Crusade: Muslims retake
Jerusalem; group sent to take the
city was defeated
3rd Crusade (King’s Crusade): led
by a few famouskings; Muslims
kept lands
The Crusades
4th: excommunicated
after they conquered
Christian Constantinople;
never reconquered Holy
Land
Children’s Crusade Army made up of
children hoped Turks
would give up Holy land;
children enslaved
Results of the Crusades
Discovery of new ideas, inventions,
weapons from interactions with Muslims
Kings gained power
Status of women increased
Increased trade throughout Europe
The Plague
Black Death
Spread by rats, ticks
from trading ships in
the early 14th century
Killed half the
population of Europe
Came back in waves
The Disease Cycle
Flea drinks rat blood
that carries the
bacteria.
Bacteria
multiply in
flea’s gut.
Human is infected!
Flea bites human and
regurgitates blood
into human wound.
Flea’s gut clogged
with bacteria.
Attempts to Stop the Plague
“Leeching”
A Doctor’s
Robe
Also, tried containment and
quarantine but often too late or
not enough places participate
Attempts to Stop the Plague
Flagellanti:
Self-inflicted “penance” for our sins!
Attempts to Stop the Plague
Blame the Jews
“Jew” hat
“Golden Circle”
obligatory badge
Post-classical Europe Questions: 600-1450ce
 1). What are Indulgences and Simony?
 2). Describe life in the Dark Ages? When do the Dark Ages begin?
 3). What is the difference between the beginning of the Middle
Ages and the High Middle Ages?
 4). What special defensive structure helped people survive the
Dark Ages?
 5). What is the major unifying force during the Dark Ages?
 6). Explain the Feudal system that existed in Europe during the
Middle Ages. Write in sentences for this one please.
 7). How did the Plague spread and what are some reasons
Europeans believe it happened?
 8). Why did European men choose to join the Crusades?
 9). How successful were the crusades? What are the major
outcomes of the Crusades on Europe and on Dar-Al-Islam?
 10). Why did the plague spread globally during the Post Classical
era instead of an earlier era? Why couldn’t it spread globally during
the Foundations period (8000-600bce)?