Download Middle Ages - Montville.net

MIDDLE AGES
Middle Ages
■ The Medieval Period is characterized by the disappearance of Roman city life and the
development of localized economy on vast manorial estates.
– Some historians say that the Middle Ages began in 476 when the last Roman
Emperor of the West lost power. Others say 529 when St. Benedict’s monastery
opened.
■ In the same respect, it can be argued when exactly the Middle Ages ended.
– Most commonly accepted date is 1453 (Islamic Turks conquered Constantinople,
the capital of the eastern Roman Empire)
– Many historians claim that the transition can not be pinned to a certain date or
event.
■ The level of literacy and educational achievements dropped.
– The church preserved literacy, especially in monastic communities.
Middle Ages
Europe declined
during the early
Middle Ages for
several reasons…
■ 1) unifying force of the Roman empire was
gone.
■ 2) the region was invaded repeatedly
■ 3) trade and classical learning decreased.
Middle Ages
■ The period between ancient times and
modern times is considered the Middle Ages
(500-1500).
■ After winning a battle in 496, King Clovis (in
charge of the Franks) established a Christian
Kingdom in Western Europe.
■ The Franks often fought vicious feuds that
would weaken their kingdom, however, it was
strengthened by their conversion to
Christiantiy.
Germanic Tribes Conquer
After converting to
Christianity, Clovis
earned the
support of his
subjects in Gaul
and the Pope in
Rome.
At the same time,
Muslims were
creating a new
civilization and
empire in the
Mediterranean
region.
Battle of Tours
■ Muslim armies overran
Christian lands and
crossed into France.
■ Charles Martel led
Frankish warriors in the
Battle of Tours to push
them back.
■ Victory is considered a
turning point in history.
■ Idea of “What If?”
Charlemagne, Martel’s grandson, briefly
united Western Europe.
■ He fought Muslims, aided the poor in Rome, and
was crowned Emperor of the Romans.
■ Charlemagne was a skilled leader who revived Latin
learning and brought scholars to his court.
When Pope
Leo crowned
Charlemagne
Emperor of
the Romans,
the idea
of a united
Christian
empire was
revived.
Charlemagne
spread
Christianity to
conquered
people
throughout his
kingdom and set
up a strong,
efficient
government.
Treaty of Verdun
■ After Charlemagne died in 814, his
son Louis I took the throne.
■ Later, Louis’ sons would battle for
power and would eventually split the
empire into three sections.
After Charlemagne died, his empire was
split up. His heirs faced waves of invasions.
Charlemagne’s
empire broke
apart even more
when the Vikings
began attacking
European coastal
and river towns.
• These
Scandinavian
people were
expert sailors.
• They
opened
trade routes
linking northern
Europe to the
Mediterranean.
Feudalism Develops
■ In the face of invasions by Vikings,
Muslims, and Magyars, kings and emperors
were too weak to maintain law and order.
■ People needed protection.
■ In response to the basic need for
protection, a decentralized political and
economic structure evolved, known as
feudalism.
■ Feudalism was a loosely organized system
of rule in which powerful local lords divided
their landholdings among lesser lords.
■ In exchange, these lesser lords, or vassals,
pledged service and loyalty to the greater
lord.
How to Become a Knight
■ Page – 6 or 7 years old
– Noble boy would report to the local lord’s manor to begin his training.
■ Learn the fundamentals of court life such as table manners, care and
maintenance of armor and weapons, and how to care for a horse.
■ Learn how to read and how to appreciate music or even play the lute.
■ His training would begin in hand-to-hand combat and early medieval
weapon training.
■ Squire – 13 years old
–
Assigned as the personal assistant to a knight (Grunt work).
■ He would get intensive training in weapons, armor, tactics and mounted
combat.
■ Often times he was allowed to carry a small sword and shield with him as
a symbol of his status as a “knight in training” (5-6 years).
■ Knight – ceremony after proving bravery and skill in battle.
Knights and Warfare
■ Knights usually fought on horseback using swords,
axes, and lances, which were long poles.
■ They wore armor and carried shields for protection.
■ Other soldiers fought on foot using daggers, spears,
crossbows, and longbows.
■ In addition to actual warfare, knights engaged in
mock battles called tournaments.
– Jousting
–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jamZyBva_LE
■ In the later Middle Ages, knights adopted a code of conduct
called chivalry.
■ Chivalry required knights to be brave, loyal, and true to their
word.
Manors Support Feudalism
■ The heart of the feudal economy was the manor, or lord’s
estate.
■ Most manors included one or more villages and the
surrounding lands.
■ Peasants, who made up the majority of the population in
medieval society, lived and worked on the manor.
■ Most peasants on a manor were serfs, bound to the land.
■ Serfs were not slaves (who could be bought and sold).
– Still, they were not free.
– They could not leave the manor without the lord’s
permission.
– If the manor was granted to a new lord, the serfs
went along with it.
Constructing the Pyramid of Feudal
Power
KING
LOYALTY AND
SERVICE
LAND
POWERFUL
NOBLES
LAND AND
PROTECTION
LOYALTY AND
MILITARY SERVICE
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN
17
The Medieval Catholic Church
 filled the power vacuum left from the
collapse of the classical world.
 CHURCH IS CENTER OF EVERY TOWN
 monasticism:
 St. Benedict – Benedictine Rule of
poverty, chastity, and obedience.
 provided schools for the children of
the upper class.
 inns, hospitals, refuge in times of war.
 libraries & scriptoria to copy books
and illuminate manuscripts.
 monks  missionaries to the
barbarians. [St. Patrick, St. Boniface]
The Power of Medieval Church
 the church controlled about 1/3 of the
land in Western Europe.
 tried to curb feudal warfare  only 40
days a year for combat.
 curb heresies  crusades; Inquisition
 tithe  1/10 tax on your assets given to
the church.
Medieval Population
■ How many people do you think
lived in all of Europe in the year
1200?
■ A) 5 million
■ B) 10 million – the size of
NYC today
■ C) 75 million
■ D) 100 million
■ E) 300 million – the size of
the USA today
Medieval Towns
■ Population in all of Europe was
about 75 million
■ What enabled people to move
into towns?
■ What were conditions in towns?
The decline of Feudalism and the rise
of democratic thought
■ 3 major events happened during this time period that changed Europe forever
– The Crusades
– The Black Death
– 100 years war