Life in Europe after the Romans

Preview and Processing

1. What did the Roman Empire provide?

2. How did nations develop after the fall of the empire?

3. What were some of the obstacles to nation building?

4. What system was developed to combat the lack of government structure and barbarian invasions?

Ostrogoth Helmet

Vandals

Visigoths

Who were the barbarians?

• Angles, Visigoths, Franks, Saxons, Jutes, Ostrogoths

– People fled to the country

– Illiterate; priests kept records

– Barbarian lang. blended w/ Latin wh/ = Romance Lang. wh/ = lang. barrier

What role did the Roman Catholic Church play in offering stability and protection to the people?

• Gave the people hope and structure

• As a result, the church gained tremendous power and wealth

• St. Patrick

• Benedict– Monasteries

• Scholastica– Convents

• twins; died in the same year & are buried in same grave

St. Patrick

Making the Connection Homework

1. What is St. Patrick credited for doing in Ireland?

2. What is at least one of the legends that has evolved from St. Patrick’s work in Ireland?

Making the Connection

• How is Benedict referenced today by the RCC?

Pope Benedict XVI

Justinian

• Gregory I: became Pope 540 and made the office both political and religious

• This affected the leadership of European nations because leaders needed to please the people and the Pope (God)

Who was the first European leader who created an unified nation w/ the approval of the Pope?

• Charlemagne

How did Charlemagne come to power?

• Franks: Merovingian dynasty (300 yrs)

– Major domo (MD): commanded armies & made policies in king’s name

– Charles Martel (Hammer) =MD

• Extended Frank power

• Defeated Muslims as they entered FR

• Passed power to his son

• Pepin the Short

– Pope had the power to make a person king=BIG DEAL

– Wanted to be king so made deal w/ Pope=fight Lombards on behalf of RCC & Pope would make him king

Charlemagne: 6’4; 46 yrs=Carolingian dynasty– Built empire through conquest=convert or die

policy

1. Limited noble power

2. Supervised kingdom

3. Supervised estates

4. Ordered monasteries to open schools– Charl. Surrounded himself w/ learning– Invited Jew to live in kingdom– 800 put down riot in R & Pope Leo III made him

Holy Roman Emperor wh/ = BIG DEAL• Combined Germanic tribes, RCC & Roman Empire

Charlemagne and Pope Leo III

• Louis the Pious

• Treaty of Verdun divided land among Louis’ sons

–Charles the Bald: France

–Louis the German: Germany

–Lothair: territory betw.

Charlemagne’s grandsons and the Treaty of Verdun

What was the immediate affect of the division of Charlemagne’s empire?

• Europe under attack

• Vikings

– From Scandinavia

– Wealth so they could find new places to settle

– Pagan god; Eric Bloodaxe

– 200 yr. threat (800-1000)

– Prayer: official ch. Prayer issued

– Surprise attacks

– Farmers/ traders: Christianity, warming climate

Viking Warriors

What system of protection developed as a direct result of barbarian and Viking attacks?

• Feudalism :military, political & economic system based on the holding of land–Lord (land owning nobles): manor–Vassal (received land fr. Lord=fief)–Private army: vassal divided the land–Knights: land to small to divide–Peasants: owned no land but did the labor–Serfs: bound to land

Feudal Obligations

1. Lord gave vassal land

2. Vassal gave lord military service, money and loyalty

3. Lord gave serf protection; rt. to live on manor & grow food

4. Serf gave lord 3 day’s labor per wk on =lord’s land; part of crop & livestock; taxes on grain mill, baking oven, workshops; tax on marriage

5. Village priest gave serf baptism, marriage, other services funeral

6. Serf gave village priest 1/10 of income

How did farming change during the Middle Ages?

• Horsepower over oxen

– harness w/ collar=heavier plow

• 3 field system: Fallow

• More food=more people

– 1000 to 1150: 30 mil to 42 mil

– People moved to towns

• Middle class (burgher=bourgeoisie)

• Jews

• trade

Three field system

How does the RCC fit into the feudal system?

• They controlled much of the land and money

What did the reformers of the RCC want to reform and why?

• Wanted to free the RCC fr. The control of lords & kings

1. Cardinals not Italian nobles selected the Pope

2. End marriages of priest: abandon wives & children

3. Stop simony: buying & selling of ch. Offices

4. Lay Investiture: layman issued ch. offices

• How did the RCC demonstrate its power over governments?

• A prime example• Pope Gregory VII v. King Henry IV of

Germany (not of all of Germany)–Banned lay investiture–w/ support of his Ger. Bishop, H VI wrote

a letter demanding GVII step down–Pope took away H IV’s power &

excommunicated him–H IV begged forgiveness

After the event w/ HIV, Popes truly had more power than the kings.

• Interdict: no ch. ceremonies

• Canon Law; law of the ch.

• Use ¼ of all tithes for sick & poor

• Heresy: beliefs different fr. the ch. (heretics)

• Inquisition (1225)- search for heretics

The Remains of Heretics

How did people encourage trade during the Middle Ages?

• Fairs: ( i.e.: Chartres) weekly shopping

• Great Fairs: 4x a yr during religious festivals

• Guilds– Merchant & craft

– Enforce standards, prices, dues

Medieval Fair

How did guilds get qualified tradesmen?

• Training program

–Apprentice: 3 to 12 yrs

–Journeyman

–Master

• “Town air makes you free”

–A yr and a day

The RCC begins to sponsor building programs.

Two distinct building styles

1. Romanesque: heavy roof, little light, thick walls, painted bright colors

2. Gothic: Suger (SOO-ZHAY): abbot• Pointed, ribbed vaults,• Flying buttresses: braces• Pointed arches

• Notre Dame, Chartres,• “Bible for the poor”

Romanesque Architecture

Chartres Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral

Royal governments develop and unify nations.

• England: the Battle of Hastings 1066– Edward the Confessor dies w/o an hier– William of Normandy (of Fr.)=Edward’s 2nd

cousin & claimed the throne– Harold Godwinson (of England): named

king by council of English lords– October 14, 1066 the battle begins

• Bayeux Tapestry

– Wm. Wins= William the Conqueror, • William I--1066-1087• Domesday Book

The Battle of Hastings 1066

Harold GodwinsonWilliam of

Normandy

How does governmental stability help to promote education?

• Medieval university=people more than buildings

• 3 to 5 yrs for a degree; one book=$700

–What class of people do you think attended the university?

• Greek revival

Scholars and Concepts• Thomas Aquinas:

blended faith and reason–Summa

Theologica: attempt to answer 631 philosophical questions about God and the universe

–Song of Roland: earliest and most famous heroic poem

–About a band of French soldiers lead by Roland during the time of Charlemagne

Chivalry

Now that you have an example, what do you think is a good definition for chivalry?

• Code to live by

• A knight was to serve his:

1. Earthy feudal lord,

2. his heavenly Lord

3. his chosen lady.

• Also should aid the poor and defend the weak

• Few achieved all of this but the concept helped to raise European civilization to a new level

A knight’s education• Began @ age 7; sent to live with

another lord=page• @ 14=squire• @21=knightIdea of romantic love• Troubadour• Eleanor Aquitaine

– (married Henry II)

• Mother of Richard I (lionhearted)– Hero of the crusades

The Crusades (1097-1291)

• Purpose: To rescue Jerusalem and the holy Land from the Muslims

• 1st ordered by Pope Urban II– Commanded all

Christendom to join in the fight

– “God wills it!”

It is not as simple as it seems.

• Hidden Agenda

1. Pope’s goals:

– Demonstration of power over all of Europe

– Reunite Byzantine (who did not recognize the pope) and Roman Christians

2. Knights’ goals– Death in battle=forgiveness of

sins– In glory battle– Earthly wealth

3. Merchants goals– Transportation fees (used

merchants ships)– Win control of trade routes– wealth

The First Crusade• Took 2 yrs to get

to Holy Land• Won Jerusalem• Muslim men and

women killed• Jews rounded up,

placed in a temple then the building was set on fire

Eye witness report:

“Piles of heads, hands and feet were to be seen the streets of the city… But these were small matters compared to what happened at the Temple of Solomon where men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins.”

Crusades became a long series of costly battles

• Common place: almost an expected act in a lifetime

• Ultimately, a treaty allowed Jerusalem to be under Christian rule but the rest of the Holy Land was under Muslim control=Pope not happy

Making the Connection

1. Who was Saladin?

2. How are Saladin and Richard I connected?

3. Why is Saladin an

important crusade

figure?

What were the consequences of the Crusades?

1. Decline of papal prestige: less respect for Pope

2. Decline in noble power: money lost, lives lost, royal power increased

3. Decrease in Byzantine power: never regained original power or prestige

4. Increase in religious tolerance

5. Increase in trade: spices, rugs, fruit

IN CONCLUSION

The Middle Ages end with the end of the Crusades. People began to question feudal ideals and look for new leadership.