Download European Medieval Society

European Medieval
Society
Role of the Church
Charlemagne
Manorial System
Feudalism
Popes & Kings
Background


Middle Ages: A.D.500 – A.D.1500
Around A.D.500


Western Roman Empire crumbles
Germanic Tribes Invade Western Empire

Caused three major changes in society:
1.
2.
3.
Disruption of Trade
Downfall of Cities (people moved to countryside)
Decline of Learning

Invaders were illiterate

Greek and Latin learning almost totally lost

Priests and Church officials were literate
Latin Evolves

Invaders Languages combined with Latin


Different dialects emerge
Romance (Roman-based) languages evolve
French
 Spanish
 Italian


Just as Latin broke up and
emerged as different
languages, the Western
Roman Empire broke up and
emerged as different empires
SIX DIFFERENT EMPIRES


See page 350 in your textbook
Which 6 major empires emerged from the
Western Roman empire?
Germanic Kingdoms vs Roman
Empire

Roman Empire




Citizens loyal to Rome (the Empire)
Soldiers obedient to Caesar (ruler)
One government/set of laws rules all people
Germanic Kingdoms


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Citizens loyal to family and lord/tribal chief
Soldiers follow lord, not the king
No unified set of laws to govern all
The Franks
 Modern-day
France & Switzerland
 Clovis (Ruler of the Franks)
Fought against other Germanic tribes
 Converted to Christianity
 Formed partnership with Rome & the
Catholic Church

The Church and Germanic Society


Many Germanic people convert to
Christianity
Monasteries and Convents built

Become centers for education
 Benedict
 Wrote
rules for monasteries
 Scholastica
 Adopted Benedict’s rules for convents
 Venerable Bede
 Wrote early history of England
Pope Gregory I

Becomes Pope in 590 A.D.

GREATLY expands the power of the Papal
office in Rome
Increased Political Power
 Raised Armies
 Negotiated peace treaties


Began to envision a large
kingdom ruled by the church,
and the Pope.
Charles the Hammer &
Pepin the Short

Major Domo – “Mayor of the Palace”


Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer)



Official office (the most powerful person in the
Frankish Kingdom)
Major Domo in 719 A.D. (held more power than the
Frankish King
Defeated Muslims at Battle of Tours
Pepin the Short


Negotiated with Pope to fight Lombards
Pope named Pepin “King by the Grace of God”

Beginning of Carolingian Dynasty (would rule Frankish
Kingdom for 200 years)
CHARLEMAGNE

Pepin the Short has 2 sons



Carloman and Charles
Carloman dies – Charles inherits Frankish
Kingdom
Charles known as Charlemagne


“Charles the Great”
Doubles the size of the Frankish Empire


Largest empire since unified Roman Empire
Charlemagne’s Conquests


Spread Christianity
Unified Western Europe
Charlemagne becomes
Emperor

Charlemagne travels to Rome

Crushes an uprising against the Pope
Legend/Myth – Mobs attacking Pope Leo III in
streets, trying to blind him and cut out his tongue
 Charlemagne saves the Pope/crushes rebellion


Pope Leo III names Charlemagne emperor
(on Christmas Day)
Pope takes authority to name emperors
 Franks tied to Catholic church and legacy of
Roman Empire

Charlemagne’s Legacy
Unified Western/Central Europe
 Spread Christianity


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Legend: beheaded 4500 people who
wouldn’t convert to death (in one day!)
Encouraged education
Charlemagne dies – 817 A.D.

Sons divide up the kingdom
Kings lose power
 Feudalism begins in Europe

FEUDALISM & MANORIALISM

Setting the stage


Carolingian Kings lose power
Invaders attack Europe
Muslims from south (Northern Africa)
 Magyars from east (Hungary – E. Europe)
 Vikings from north (Scandinavia)


Invasions create disorder and fear in Europe
Kings could not guarantee protection
 People turned to local lords for protection

Feudalism

Important terms:

Lords
Landowners
 Kings, nobles, church officials, knights


Fief


Piece of land
Vassal
Person receiving the land (fief)
 Nobles, church officials, knights, peasants


SEE PYRAMID ON PAGE 361
Feudalism Pyramid
Feudalism

Kings needed military power

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Promised land (fief) to nobles in exchange for
military loyalty
Nobles gave land to knights in exchange
for loyalty and service
Peasants needed protection from invaders

Peasants worked land in exchange for
protection (Serfs – not allowed to leave)
Manorialism

Formed economic basis of Feudal System

Serfs/Peasants worked lord’s land


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Fruits of serf labor belonged to lord
Lords provide housing and protection to serfs
“Manor” – Lord’s estate

Completely self-sufficient
Manor house
 Peasant cottages
 Church
 Fields
 Water

Effects of Manorialism & Feudalism

Provided social structure

Created social classes

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Nobles, peasants, etc.
Provided some Stability in Europe
Harsh life for peasants/serfs

Average life expectancy – 35 years
KNIGHTS & CHIVALRY

Chivalry

Code of beliefs/ideals followed by knights

Followed



Earthly lord
Heavenly Lord
Protected


Lady
Weak/poor
Loyalty (to lord and Lord)
 Bravery

CHIVALRY & KNIGHTS

Knights

“Hired” soldiers
Served wishes of lord
 Fief – Vassals

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Literature

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Camelot/King Arthur
The Song of Roland (famous epic poem)
Troubadours
Travelling poet-musicians
 Often sang of love

ROLE OF WOMEN

Church Views

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Noble Women


Had some power (when husband was away)
Peasant Women


Church was very influential
Viewed women as inferior
Limited to raising children & household chores
Eleanor of Aquitaine


Queen of England in late 1100’s
Mother to Richard the Lion-Hearted
POWER OF THE CHURCH

Pope Gelasius I

Two swords created by God

Religious

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Political
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Wielded by the Pope
Grants Pope authority over religious matters
Emperor should yield to the Pope on religious
issues
Wielded by the Emperor
Grants Emperor authority over political matters
Pope should yield to the Emperor on political
issues
Two leaders could rule in harmony
CHURCH HIERARCHY - CLERGY
POPE
BISHOPS
PRIESTS
INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH

Unifying Force



Common beliefs – Stability for people
Social Center – Common Holidays
Canon Law (Church Law)

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Marriage & Religious practices
Church Courts

Excommunication

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
Interdict


No salvation for exommunicant
Vassals freed of duties
No sacraments
 All people doomed to hell
TREMENDOUS POWER TO CHURCH
HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE

Otto I



Formed close alliance with church
Pope crowns Otto Emperor
Lay Investiture

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Power to name clergy
Kings can control church
Gregory VII

Bans lay investiture
EMPERORS & POPES CLASH

Emperor Henry IV & Pope Gregory VII


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Gregory bans lay investiture
Henry demands Gregory step down
Gregory excommunicates Henry
Canossa, Italy
Henry begs for forgiveness
 Gregory ends excommunication

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Concordat of Worms
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Compromise
Only the church can appoint bishops
Emperor can veto appointments
FREDERICK I



Barbarosa (Red Beard)
Named King to unite empire (1152 A.D.)
Repeatedly invades Italy

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Italian merchants and Pope unite against him
Battle of Legnano
Merchants and Pope victorious (crossbows)
 First time in history foot soldiers defeat knights


GERMAN STATES REMAIN
SEPARATE (No unification
since Charlemagne)
THE CHURCH & THE CRUSADES

Spiritual Age

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Monastery at Cluny


Unified the people of Middle Ages
Spiritual revival
“Beginning” of church reorganization
Church Problems

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Priests marrying (against the rules)
Simony – selling church offices
Lay Investiture
CHURCH RESTRUCTURING

Monastery at Cluny


Began the restructuring
Pope Leo IX & Pope Gregory VII


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Reorganized church hierarchy
Pope – Bishops – Priests
Curia
Group of advisors to Pope
 Formed Canon Law


Tithe (taxes)
THE FRIARS

Friar – preached to the poor


Travelling monks
Dominic & Francis of Assisi

Dominic


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Francis of Assisi

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Spanish priest
Founded the Dominican order of Friars
Emphasized education
Italian priest
Founded the Franciscan order of Friars
Respect for all God’s creatures
Clare & Hildegard

Founded orders for women
CATHEDRALS

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Many worshiped in small churches
Cathedrals
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Romanesque Architecture
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Huge, ornately decorated churches
Representation of a “City of God”
Small windows
Dark
Gothic Architecture

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Enduring legacy of the church!
Soaring
GOTHIC vs. ROMANESQUE
Romanesque
Gothic
Round Arches
Pointed Arches
Thick Walls
Exterior buttresses
Small windows
Modest Height
Large, stained-glass
windows
Vertical, Tall
Dark, gloomy
Tall, light-filled
Romanesque
Romanesque
Gothic
Gothic
THE CRUSADES


Series of wars/battles over 300 years
Call for all Christians to capture Jerusalem
from the Muslims

Muslim Turks also attacked Constantinople


Constantinople – Christian city
Pope Urban II – called for Crusades to
retake the Holy Land
THE CRUSADES

Goals of the Crusades:
1. Retake Jerusalem and
Constantinople
2. Reunite Eastern and
Western church
3. Money/Profit
THE 1ST & 2ND CRUSADES

First Crusade


1097 A.D.
12,000 Crusaders
Attempted to retake Jerusalem
 Captured the city on July 15, 1099


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Crusader states established
Second Crusade

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Edessa (Crusader state) taken by Muslims
Crusaders lose (Edessa not retaken)
THE 3RD CRUSADE


Jerusalem captured by Saladin
Philip II (France), Frederick I
(Germany), Richard the Lion-Hearted
(England)


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Led 3rd Crusade to retake Jerusalem
Phillip goes home
Frederick drowns
Richard battles Saladin
TRUCE (1192)

Jerusalem remains Muslim; Christians
(unarmed) could freely visit
MORE CRUSADES

4th Crusade



5th – 8th Crusades

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Another failed attempt to capture Jerusalem
Crusaders loot Constantinople instead - $$$
Profit-driven
Failed to capture Jerusalem
9th & 10th Crusades

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Crusaders invade Egypt
Attempt to weaken Muslims
Unsuccessful
CHILDREN’S CRUSADES??

Stephen of Cloyes (French)
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Nicholas of Cologne (German)
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12 years old
Led 30,000 unarmed kids (<18)
Many died (cold, starvation, drowned)
Rest sold into slavery
Led 20,000 young adults to Rome
Only ~ 2,000 survive
Some sail towards Holy Land, but are never
heard from again
Power of the Church?
SPANISH CRUSADE



Called the Reconquista
Spanish drive the Muslims out of Spain
Followed by the Spanish Inquisition

Infamous trials held by the Church



Heretics
Guilty were burned at stake
Muslims chased from Spain
LEGACY OF THE CRUSADES
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Demonstrated the Power of the Church
Expanded trade between Europe &
Southwest Asia
Weakened power of Pope
Increased power of Kings
Distrust between Muslims and
Christians
CHANGES – Other than the Church

1000 A.D. – 1300 A.D.
 Europe’s
population grows
 Cultural changes
 Muslim
& Byzantine influence
 Changes
in agriculture
 Changes in business
 trade
& finance
Agricultural Changes

Need for FOOD


More people = Need for more food!
Europeans able to increase farm production

Warmer climate

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New agricultural methods


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New farmland available (too cold previously)
Horses take the plow
 Oxen previously used – Horses could plow 3x faster
Three field system
 Farmers use 3 fields instead of two = MORE FOOD
EFFECTS

More food = Healthier population = Longer Life


Resulted in rapid population growth
Death Rate decreases, Life span increases = Population increases
Changes in Business

GUILDS

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Organization of individuals in the same trade
Merchant Guilds
1st guilds
 Could keep prices high


Craft Guilds

Standards for their crafts


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Working conditions
Wages
Quality of Work (breadmakers)
Craft Guilds

Apprentice



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Journeyman


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Trained by & lived with Master (2-7 years)
Parents paid Master for training
When trained, became . . .
Worked for Master (paid salary)
Had to produce masterpiece and apply to
guild to become . . .
Master


Owned his own shop
Worked with other Masters
More Changes in Business

Commercial Revolution


Expansion of Trade & Business
Fairs
Allowed trade of goods from distant lands
 Expanded “banking” ---- Credit between merchants


MORE GOODS = MORE WORKERS NEEDED

Serfs move to towns – work

Free after living in a town for 1 year

Towns’ populations grow
Towns become Cities

Towns/Cities dangerous and dirty


More on this later
Changes in Culture

Renewed Interest in Learning

Muslim & Byzantine Libraries



Volumes of works by Greek Philosophers
Crusaders bring back Muslim, Greek, & Byzantine knowledge
The University


Group of students meeting to study a subject
France, Italy, & England


Proper Universities appear – give Degrees
New ideas and works of literature



Dante – The Divine Comedy
Chaucer – The Canterbury Tales
Thomas Aquinas – Summa Theologicae
 Combined Biblical teachings and logic (Aristotle)
 Influenced future governments of W. Europe
ENGLAND & FRANCE

England & France


First countries in Europe to have strong,
centralized governments – “Country”
800’s – 900’s A.D.

Britain made up of feudal states


Not unified
Angles & Saxons

Early peoples in Britain

Anglo-Saxon Culture
ENGLAND

Important early rulers

Alfred the Great (Anglo-Saxon)


United feudal states – named it “England”
Canute (Danish – Viking)
Conquered England
 Introduced elements of Viking culture


Edward the Confessor (Anglo-Saxon)
King – died without naming a successor
 Struggle for power ensued

ENGLAND

William the Conqueror

From Normandy


Edward the Confessor’s cousin


Coastal region in Northern France
Hereditary claim to throne of England
Invades England
ENGLAND

BATTLE OF HASTINGS




1066 A.D.
William the Conqueror vs. Harold
Godwinson
Harold takes an arrow to the eye
William is victorious
ENGLAND

Importance of William & Battle of
Hastings



William claims all of England as his own
Kicks out English lords – supported
Harold
Gives land to Norman lords in exchange
for loyalty
UNIFIED ENGLAND
 ESTABLISHED FOUNDATION FOR
UNIFIED GOVERNMENT

ENGLAND

Important advances in Government

Courts & Jury Trials (Henry II)


Jury of 12 neighbors
Common Law
Collection of jury rulings
 Basis for many modern laws in Englishspeaking countries


The Magna Carta (John Softsword)
Ineffective Ruler (John) - taxes
 Nobles revolt – force John to sign Magna Carta
 Guarantees certain basic rights


Jury trial, no taxation without representation,
protection of the law
ENGLAND

More important advances in gov’t

Parliament (Edward I)
Edward needed money for a war against the
French, Welsh, and Scots
 Summoned two people from every burough
and county to serve as Parliament


November, 1295 – Model Parliament
Knights, citizens, bishops, & nobles meet
 Model for future Parliaments
 Knights & Citizens – House of Commons
 Bishops & Nobles – House of Lords

Parliament Building in London
FRANCE

New dynasty (after Carolingian)

Hugh Capet
Ruled small territory that included Paris
 Capetian Dynasty (~340 years)


Phillip II (Capetian King)



Seized Normandy from England
Tripled the size of French territory
Established the Estates-General
Basis for French Government
 1ST Estate – Church leaders
 2nd Estate – Lords
 3rd Estate – Landowners & Merchants

ENGLAND & FRANCE

Importance of English & French
advancements in Government:



Centralized Government
Created court systems
INCLUDED COMMONERS IN
THE GOVERNMENT
PROCESS
100 YEARS WAR & THE PLAGUE

Watch for the following:
 Division of the Church (again)
 A Deadly epidemic
 Popes and Kings don’t get along
 Wars in England & France
 Joan of Arc
THE BUBONIC PLAGUE




Also called Black Death
Disease, carried by fleas (on rats)
Spread throughout the entire world
Wiped out 1/3 of Europe’s population
BLACK DEATH

Most PEOPLE had fleas


Very few bathed
Towns and Cities filthy
Garbage and human waste thrown in streets
 Large rat population



Fleas travelled via rats from person to
person
Symptoms


Black spots on skin
Death – quickly (lifeless ships)
EFFECTS OF THE PLAGUE

Population decreased dramatically


1/3 of Europe – Dead
Medieval Society disrupted



Manoralism/Feudalism crumbles
Jews blamed for plague (why?)
Church suffers

Prayers don’t end plague
THE GREAT SCHISM


Another split in the church
Began with Pope-King conflict


Pope Boniface VIII declares all kings
must obey Popes
King Philip IV (France) imprisons
Boniface VIII
THE GREAT SCHISM

Avignon, France




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Urban VI (Italian)

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

Pope Clement V moves to Avignon
Popes live in Avignon for ~70 years
Badly weakens Catholic church
Popes move back to Rome
Bishops pressured to name Italian Pope
Arrogant
Bishops elect 2nd Pope!!
Clement VII (French)
THE GREAT SCHISM

TWO POPES!


Urban VI & Clement VII
Excommunicate each other - church splits
French Pope (Clement VII) – Avignon
 Italian Pope (Urban VI) – Rome


THREE POPES!




Council of Constance (1414)
Force all 3 Popes to resign
Elect new Pope – Martin V
CHUCH BADLY WEAKENED AGAIN
SCHOLARS CHALLENGE


Due to perceived weakness of Papacy
John Wycliffe


Jesus is true head of church – not Pope
Jan Hus



Biblical law authority over Pope law
Excommunicated
Burned at stake!
100 YEARS’ WAR

Series of wars between England & France

England once occupied part of France


Capetian King dies – no successor


William the Conqueror – Normandy
Edward III (England) claims French throne
1337 A.D. – 1453 A.D.
100 YEARS’ WAR

Important effects

Ended importance of knights & chivalry

Longbow & foot soldiers slaughter knights


Battles of Crecy, Poitiers, Agincourt
Showed strength of Joan of Arc
Heard voices (God telling her to rescue France)
 Battle of Orleans






French begin to retreat
Joan of Arc turns around and charges the English
French soldiers follow
French army victorious
Helped Charles VII become King of France
JOAN OF ARC BURNS


Joan captured and turned over to English
Church condemns Joan of Arc as witch



Because of her claim to hear voices
Church burns Joan of Arc at the stake
Charles VII does nothing!

She had helped him become King
DEATH OF THE MIDDLE AGES

Characteristics of Middle Ages

The Church
The Great Schism
 “Battles” between Popes & Kings
 Bubonic Plague


Chivalry & Knights
Longbow & Foot soldiers
 Battles of Crecy, Poitiers, & Agincourt


Feudalism
Kings regain central authority
 National Pride – England & France
