The Rise of Medieval Europe

Medieval Europe

Collapse of the Roman Empire • In 476 AD when the Roman Empire fell

in the West:• Political system.• Economic system

• Trade

• Legal System• Infrastructure• Education• Urban areas

Frankish rulers• Merovingian Rulers (400-700 AD)

• Clovis• 1st Germanic ruler to accept Christianity

• Charles Martel (AKA “The Hammer”)• Stopped spread of Islam in 732 at Battle of

Tours in France

• Pepin the Short• Anointed by the Pope and supported the

Christian Church• Took lands from the Byzantine Empire

Charlemagne• Charles the Great• Doubled his

kingdom-became known as the Frankish Empire

• Established schools for his people

• Used bureaucracy (Counts) to help run the empire• Missi dominici –

inspections

Frankish Empire

Death of Charlemagne• Empire divided up when Charlemagne

died in 814 AD

• Empire passed to his son, Louis the Pious• Louis’ three sons fight over the land and

the empire is divided up into three kingdoms

• The sons got land that would later become France, Germany, and parts of Italy

Invasion from the North

The Vikings or Norsemen

Invasions from the North• Norsemen from Scandinavia began in

the 800’s AD• Going a-viking

• Fierce fighters known for their surprise attacks• Originally left in search of new lands to

populate

• Vikings were important because they conducted long distance trade throughout Europe and the Mediterranean

• Eventually, the Norsemen began to settle down and establish territories. Normandy and England.

A New Europe• Cities became isolated

• Constant invasion by foreign armies

• Trade declined

• Education stopped

• Economies collapsed

• No real central control of government

Medieval Life• A new political system developed in

Europe from 900-1100 – Feudalism

• Feudalism was based on alliances between the kings and nobles• Land was given to the nobles in exchange

for:• Loyalty• Military aid• Land also came with peasants to work the

land.

Feudal Relationships• Kings gave fiefs (land) to nobles

• The nobles would then provide the king with knights and soldiers when necessary

• These nobles were called vassals• Vassals could pledge alliance to more than

one noble• This could pose a problem if the vassal

had more than one alliance and the nobles fought against each other

Feudal Obligations• Vassals performed homage to the lord.

• These were ceremonies and services

• The most important was military service.

• In addition, the vassal would agree to host the lord when he came visiting and would pay for the lord’s son to become a knight or contribute to the lord’s eldest daughter when she married.

Castes for Defense• A lack of a strong

central government meant that wars occurred frequently.

• The lords often built castles to protect their subjects.

Life of Nobility• Lord and Lady of the Manor

• Unlimited power on the manor

• Most nobles were also knights.

• Process of becoming a knight• Page (age 7)• Squire (age 15)• Knight

• Code of Chivalry

Knighthood

Manorial System

Life on the Manor• Work on the manor

was done by the serfs

• Serfs were tied to the land and could not leave without permission from the lord of the manor.

Increased Production• Three field system

• Fallow field

• Mouldboard plow

• Horse collar

The Medieval Church• During the Middle Ages, the Catholic

Church was the center of most people’s lives.

• The Church became an important institution after the fall of the Roman Empire.• The Pope had become an important

political leader.

Religious Role• The Church taught that all people were

sinners and needs God’s grace.• The only way to win this grace was

through the Sacraments• Baptism• Penance• Eucharist• Confirmation• Matrimony• Anointing of the sick• Holy orders

Religious Role (Con’t)• During the Middle Ages, people had a

limited understanding of church rituals.

• Services were conducted in Latin

• Many priests were poorly educated• Most of the people were illiterate

• The average person learned about the church through the church itself.

The Cathedal

Church Organization• Church hierarchy

• Pope, Bishops, and Priests lived in saeculo or in the world

• Other clergy lived regula or by rules. These were monks and nuns that lived away from society.

Monastic Life• Benedict

• Monte Cassino• Monks took a vow of

poverty, chastity, and follow the rules f the abbot or head of the monastery.

• Monks led simple lives.• Wore robes made of

course material tied with a rope

• Ate one or two meals a day

• Some took vows of silence

Monastic Life (Con’t)• Women could join

religious orders under the direction of an abbess.• Called nuns• Wore simple clothes• Worked by spinning,

weaving, and embroidering material

Influence of Monastics• Monks copies books

by hand• Monasteries and

convents provide• Schools• Hospitals• Food for poor• Lodging for travelers

• Some monks and nuns spread the religion to non-Christians.

Power of the Church• Political power

• Church could prevent rulers from leading• Church had its own laws (Canon Law)

• Financial Power• Tax exempt• Received tithes

• Simony

• High Church officials were knights

Church Reforms• By 900, Christians began to call for

reforms• Move away from feudal control of the

Church

• 1059, Cardinals would now elect the Pope• Church, not nobles appointed Church

officials

• 1073-Investiture Controversy• Gregory VII and Henry IV fight over who

could appoint bishops• Papal Bull of Church Infallibility

Fighting Heresy• 1215, Pope

Innocent III attempted to stop abuses by church officials

• Heresy – denial of basic church teachings

• Excommunication = expulsion from the Church

Inquisition

Friars Inspire Reforms• 1200 Friars (wandering preachers)

restored the public faith in the Church• Friars lived simply• Worked out among the people• Preached Christianity to the people

• Francis of Assisi• Franciscan Order

• Dominic• Dominican Order

The Jews• Early Middle Ages-Christians and Jews lived

together in peace.• By 1000, Jews became the target of blame

for plagues, famines, and other social ills.• Church leaders began to blame the Jews for

the death of Jesus • Jews became persecuted throughout Europe

• In the late 1200’s the Jews began to move into areas that protected them (Eastern Europe)

Rise of European Monarchy• England

• After the fall of Rome, Angles, Jutes, and Saxons invaded England

• By 886, King Alfred the Great had defeated the Danes and established an Anglo-Saxon kingdom known as “Angleland”

• Alfred was much like Charlemagne. He was interested in learning and built schools throughout his kingdom

• The last Anglo-Saxon king was Edward the Confessor who died in 1066

Norman Conquest• One of the people that claimed the

throne after Edward’s death was William of Normandy

• In October 1066, William invaded England with 6,000 soldiers

• He met Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings

• William’s armies won the battle and he became known as William the Conqueror

Battle of Hastings 1066

William the Conqueror

William’s Reign• William replaced Anglo-Saxon

landowners with Norman vassals

• Set up a system to collect taxes through sheriffs

• He conducted the first census in western Europe to see what could be taxed in his new kingdom. This census was recorded in the Domesday Book

• Over the next 300 years Norman and Anglo-Saxon culture blended

Royal Power• Henry II, William’s Grandson set up a

system of common laws for all• Circuit Judges

• Grand jury• Petit jury

• Henry tired to bring the church under his royal laws. The brought him in conflict with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a Becket

Murder of Becket 1170

Royal Power• Henry ruled parts of France with his

wife Eleanor of Aquitaine.

• Henry had two sons, Richard I and John

• While Richard was off fighting in the 3rd Crusade, John was left to rule England

• During John’s reign as king, England lost lands in France.

• He increased taxes and began to throw nobles in prison for treason.

1215 Magna Carta• Great Charter• Set clear limits on

the power of the king

• Prevented the king from raising taxes without the consent of the nobles

• Assured freemen of their right to trial by jury

• Great Council-Parliament

France• Carolinginian Dynasty

• Capetian Dynasty 987• Hugh Capet• Established self-rule of towns,

freeing them from feudal obligations

• Philip II (Philip Augustus) 1180-1223• Doubled the size of the kingdom• Appointed local officials loyal to him• Formed a royal army• Reduced the power of feudal lords

France• Louis IX (1226)

• Made royal courts dominant over feudal courts• Took power to coin money away from feudal lords• Banned private wars and the right to bear arms• Considered very religious

• Philip IV (Philip the Fair)• Louis’ grandson• Fought both England and Flanders for trade and

land• Summoned the Estates-General and attempted to

use it to raise taxes on a national level• Raised taxes on all including the church

Holy Roman Empire• Present day Germany

• Never really powerful due to numerous German nobles that controlled their lands

• Henry IV and Gregory VII – Investiture Controversy