Transcript Ch 13 European Middle Ages

Ch 13 European Middle Ages
500-1200
Charlemagne Unites
Germanic Kingdoms
Sec 1
Middle Ages
• The gradual decline of the Roman Empire
ushered in the Middle Ages, or medieval
period that last from about 500 to 1500
• During this time a new society emerged
with roots in the heritage of Rome, the
beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
and the customs of various Germanic
tribes
Invasions of Western Europe
• In the fifth century, Germanic invaders
overran the western half of the Roman
Empire
Effects of Germanic Invasions
• 3 main effects of the Germanic Invasions
– Disruption of trade
– Downfall of cities
– Population shift from cities to the countryside
Other Effects
• Other effects included a decline of
learning and the loss of a common
language
Germanic Kingdoms
• In the years of upheaval between 400 and
600, small Germanic kingdoms replaced
Roman provinces
• While the kingdoms changed frequently
the Church remained to provide order and
security
What was government like
under the Romans?
Change of Government
• Loyalty to the government and written law
was replaced by loyalty to family and
unwritten laws and traditions
• The stress on personal ties made it
impossible to establish orderly government
for large territories
Clovis Rules the Franks
• In the Roman province of Gaul (France), a
Germanic people called the Franks held
power
• Their leader Clovis brought Christianity to
the region and united the Franks into one
kingdom
Germans Adopt Christianity
• With the help of Frankish rulers the
Church converted many Germanic
peoples
• To adapt to the rural lifestyle monasteries
were built
• Monasteries became a center of learning
in the Middle Ages
Church Expands its Power
• Under Pope Gregory I, the Church
broadened its power by becoming involved
in politics
• The Pope used Church revenues to raise
armies, repair roads, and help the poor
An Empire Evolves
• In 751, the Carolingian Dynasty came to
be ruler of the Franks
• In 771, Charlemagne came to rule the
kingdom and extend the empire
• Charlemagne united western Europe for
the first time since the Roman Empire
Holy Roman Emperor
• In 800, Charlemagne traveled to Rome to
crush a mob that had attacked the Pope
• In exchange the Pope crowned
Charlemagne, Roman Emperor
• This event marked the joining of Germanic
power, the Church, and Roman heritage
Death of Charlemagne
• After Charlemagne death in 814, the
empire lost strength under his son and
grandsons
• The lack of central authority led to a new
style of governing and landholdingfeudalism
Feudalism In Europe
Sec 2
Invaders Attack Western Europe
• From about 800-1000, invasions
destroyed the Carolingian Empire
• Vikings from Scandinavia were a warlike
people that raided Europe and explored
the world
• Muslims from North Africa invaded Spain
and Italy
Effects of Raids
• These invasions caused widespread
disorder and suffering
• Kings could not effectively defend their
land from invasion so people no longer
looked to a central ruler for security
• Many people turned to local rulers who
had their own armies
Feudalism Structures Society
• The feudal system is based on rights and
obligations
• In exchange for military protection and
other services, a lord, or landowner,
granted land to a vassal
Knights
• Knights- mounted
horsemen who
pledged to defend
their lord’s land in
exchange for land
Serfs
• In Europe in the Middle Ages, the vast
majority of people were peasants
• Most peasants were serfs, peasants who
could not lawfully leave the land where
they were born
• Annoying Peasant
Social Classes
• In the feudal system, status determined a
person’s power and prestige
Manors
• The manor was the lord’s estate
• The manor system was the basic
economic arrangement of the Middle
Ages
• The lord provided serfs with housing and
protection and the serfs tended the land,
took care of the animals, and maintained
the estate
Self-Contained World
• Peasants rarely traveled more than 25
miles from their homes
• The manor contained the lord’s manor
house, a church, workshops, a village, and
was surrounded by fields
• The manor was largely a self-sufficient
community
• The peasants raised or produced nearly
everything that they needed
Harshness of Manor Life
• Peasants paid a high price for living on the lord’s
land
• The peasants had to pay high taxes to the lord
and to the church
• Peasant cottage often had one or 2 rooms and
dirt floors
• Pigs were brought into the house to warm the
houses
• Families often slept together on a bed of straw
often filled with insects
Harshness of Manor Life
• Life for the peasant was all about work
• Average life expectancy was about 35
years
Chivalry
Sec 3
Warfare
• During the Middle Ages, nobles were
constantly at war
• Mounted knights were the most
important part of the army
• Lords gave knights land in exchange for
loyalty
• The land given to the knights gave them
enough wealth to devote their lives to war
Chivalry
• Chivalry- complex set of ideals that
demanded a knight fight bravely for his
lord, God, and his lady
• The ideal knight was brave, loyal, and
courageous
• Most did not meet these demands
Knight’s Training
• Sons of nobles were sent off to the castle
of another lord at the age of 7 to serve his
host and begin training
• At 14, the boy became a squire, servant to
a knight
• At around the age of 21, a squire became
a knight
Tournaments
• To gain experience some knights took part
in tournaments that were mock battles
• jousting
Brutal Warfare
• By the 1100s, castles dominated the landscape
of western Europe
• Attacking armies used a wide range of weapons
and strategies to force castle residents to
surrender including siege towers and catapults
• Defenders of castles would pour boiling water,
oil, or molten lead on enemy soldiers
• Castle Siege
Power of the Church
Sec 4
The Church
• Amid the weak central governments, the
Church emerged as a powerful institution
• The Church gave people stability during
tough times
Structure of the Church
• Like the feudal system, power was based
on status
• The Church was headed by the Pope
• All clergy, bishops and priests, fell under
his authority
Unity
• The Church gave the people of Europe a
common bond during a time of political
instability and constant warfare
• The Church unified people through beliefs,
rituals, and a system of justice
• Church law provided guidelines for things
such as marriage and religious practices
Holy Roman Empire
• Holy Roman Empire- German-Italian
empire that remained the strongest state
in Europe from 962 to about 1100
Feudalism
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