Download Early Middle Ages AD 500

Early Middle Ages In Europe
500-1000 CE
Early Middle Ages
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Learning and Civilization
Declined, but it was a
great time for Germanic
Kings and Warriors
New society had three
roots:
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Classical heritage from
Rome
Beliefs of the Roman
Catholic Church
Customs of German
tribes
More Middle Ages
 By 600, Priests were almost the only
literate Europeans
 Changes in citizenship:
 German tribes took over Roman
lands
 Family ties and personal loyalty
bound society together
(beginnings of Feudalism) – a
contract between serfs (produce
food), nobility (protection)
 People belonged to a family and
followed one leader (like a TRIBE
or CLAN)

They felt no obligation to obey a
king who was a stranger
Even more Middle Ages
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Christianity won new
followers
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Roman Catholic Church was
the strongest civilizing force in
W. Europe
In the 300s and 400s Christian
missionaries spread beliefs to
German & Celtic groups
Clovis, leader of N. Gaul,
converted to Christianity – won
more German tribes over
Monastic Life
 Benedictine rule
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Monasteries – communities of Christian men or women
Lived according to rules of: poverty, chastity, obedience
 Benedict was a monk who wrote a book of rules for monastic life
 Monasteries operated schools, maintained libraries, and copied
books (manuscripts)
leading scholarly centers of the day
 Also Dominicans, Franciscans, etc…

Christianity Rules
 Pope Gregory the Great
 Made the papacy an
office of political &
spiritual power
 Foresaw a churchly
kingdom, ruled by a pope
– this idea became a
central part of the Middle
Ages
 Charles Martel – “The
Hammer”

Led the Franks and
defeated a Muslim army
in Spain at Battle of Tours
in 732
Charlemagne
 King of the Franks (768-
814)
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Forced people to become
Christian
Conquered with his armies:
by 800, had lands in Italy,
France, Germany, and N.
Spain (larger than
Byzantine Empire)
First to unite W. Europe
since the Romans
His court became a center
of learning – the Carolingian
revival
Crowned emperor by Pope
– Holy Roman Empire
The Vikings:
 Culture
From Scandinavia
 pagans, worshiped warlike gods (Thor,
etc.)
 names like “Eric Bloodaxe”
 Were traders, farmers, and explorers
 Last great raiders of W. Europe
 Raided European settlements from Ireland
to Russia, 800-1000 CE
 Had kingdoms in Ireland and much of
England – stopped there by Alfred the
Great in 886
 Settled down in many areas; such as
French Normandy (Northmen or
Norsemen = Normans)
 Settled Iceland; explored Greenland (Eric
the Red) and Newfoundland in N. America
(Leif Ericson)
 Adopted Christianity, decline after AD 1000
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Feudalism:
 A highly decentralized form of
government that stressed mutual
protection between monarchs &
nobles.
 Fief (land) for oath of fealty (loyalty)
& military service

Oath of fealty makes one a vassal
 Serfs grow food for protection
 Most of Europe was using this
system
Manorialism:
 Fief-estates with peasants,
became manors
 Manors were self sufficient
 Three field system of
crop rotation
 Moldboard plow
 Lords took oath of loyalty in
exchange for power over
Manor
 Knights provided protection
for Manor & King
Knights:
 Code of Chivalry:
 be brave in battle
 fight fairly
 keep promises
 defend the church
 treat women of noble
birth in a courteous
manner
Knight swearing Fealty