Transcript The Early Middle Ages: The Feudal Spirit

The Early Middle Ages: The
Feudal Spirit
The Age of Charlemagne
Descended from Franks: valued war and
destruction
Blend of two cultures during reign of
Charlemagne
Kingdom: Large European kingdom, from
the Rhine to Spain
Renewed interest in learning and arts
The Carolingian Renaissance
His interest in culture assembled group of
scholars and artists. Favorite book: The
City of God
Imperial ideal from Rome and Byzantium
Monks copied manuscripts and painted,
learned chants, and interpreted the Bible.
Alcuin of York, teacher: revival of learning
and literacy. Attempted universal
education
The Culture of the Book
Books were expensive
Illustrated manuscripts: Hellenistic and
Byzantine style, incorporating AngloSaxon art.
Sculpture disappeared. Reliquaries.
The “Cult of Saints”
Charlemagne’s Court
Pilgrimage to Rome in 800. Crowned
emperor. First monarch since Roman
times
Aachen, Aix-la-Chapelle. Modeled after
Byzantine churches
Charlemagne’s kingdom only lasted one
generation after his death
New wave of invasions: Muslims,
Hungarians, Vikings
Feudal Europe
France and England took brunt of Viking
invasions
Decentralized system: feudal estates
Feudalism: system based on vows of
military service and ownership of land.
Based on grant of lands by lords to
vassals in return for service
Castle/manor: residence of lord’s family
Refuge for the feudal estate during war
Crusaders came back and improved
them
Fortresses to defend against siege
Decoration of castles simple tapestries
to protect from cold
Pagan rituals and celebrations:
mumming
Origin of masquerades and masked
dances
The Song of Roland
Oral literature of military exploits such as
epics.
Battle from Charlemagne’s campaigns in
Spain. Hero: Roland who battles Muslim
knights
Celebrated knights’ bravery in battle and
loyalty to his lord
No women
Tale of feudal courage, violence and
treachery
Blows his horn to summon Charlemagne,
but dies before king appears
Feudal and Christian values are
highlighted
Chivalry
Emerged as a way to enforce loyalty.
Loyal to lord, not sleep with his wife, or
surrender his castle as well as religious
devotion and service to ladies
Tournaments: feasting, pageantry and
dance
Professional warriors emerged
The Bayeux Tapestry
Inspired by the Battle of Hastings in 1066
and William the Conqueror’s victory over
the English
Embroidered wall hanging recounting the
chain of events. 231 feet long made of
linen and embroidered by English women,
so it’s not really a “tapestry” (fig. 11.9)
Influenced by Trajan’s column
Muslim Spain
Cultivated society where Muslims, Jews
and Christians coexisted.
Influence of architecture, poetry and
philosophy
711 Muslims from North Africa conquer
Spain. Power declined after 1000
Sephardic Jews had centers of learning
Spaniards pushed back Muslims until
1492 they expelled the last from Granada
Muslims and Jews forced to convert
Monasticism
Rules of chastity, poverty, and obedience
Refuge from the barbarians
Centers of learning
Evangelizing monks and cloistered monks
Guardians of arts and artifacts of Western
civilization
The Romanesque Style
Descendants of Otto the Great created
Romanesque style of architecture
Rounded Roman arches and barrel vaults
Massive vaults, piers, and decoration
Sainte-Madeleine, Vézelay, France (fig.
11.13)
The Pilgrimage Churches
Medieval tourist centers; stopping points
during pilgrimages to Santiago de
Compostela
Saint-Sernin has a “Latin Cross” floorplan
(fig. 11.11)
chapels off the apse
transept
portals
ambulatories
Romanesque Sculpture
Relief sculpture: Bibles in stone
Portal sculpture on the tympanum
At Autun, Gislibertus’ lintel sculpture has a
warning of wages of evil (fig. 11.17): “let
this terror appall all those bound by earthly
sin.”
Vézelay held the relics of Mary Magdalene
Early Medieval Music and
Drama
Musical notation, initially, chants were
taught by oral tradition
Guido d’Arezzo: six note scale and
solmization: ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti
Guidonian Hand
Staff: tone; Clef set the tone F or C
Invited to Vatican to teach
Sacred music passed down
Hildegard of Bingen
German abbess (1098-1179)
Composed mystical poetry and music
Morality play set to music
Women should use Mary as role model
and reject Eve the sinner
Drama in the Medieval Church
Medieval theater: representations of
Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection
The Three Wise Men, Herod’s Slaughter of
the Innocents, and the Raising of Lazarus.
Written in Latin, brief
Churchgoers followed the scenes
throughout the church
Moved outside the church in the 13th cent.
Medieval Philosophy
Christian problems: existence of God,
relationship between faith and reason
Cathedral schools fostered learning;
translation of Aristotle’s works
Peter Abelard (1079-1142) – tragic love of
Heloise.
Sic et Non: exposed inconsistencies in
Church teachings