Transcript High-Middle-Ages

The High Middle Ages- 10001300
Monarchs, Nobles, & the
Church
Feudal monarchs at this time
enjoyed limited power.
Nobles and Church leaders
interfered with efforts of
monarchs to expand their power.
Power struggle develops….
Monarchs, Nobles, & the
Church
Monarchs’ response to power
struggle:
• Centralize their power by
strengthening armies,
developing system of taxes,
and improving relations with
the middle class.
Battle of Hastings
• 1066- Anglo-Saxon King
Edward dies w/ no heir
• Duke William of Normandy
fights those who try to put
king’s brother-in-law Harold on
throne- Battle of Hastings
• Result: William the Conqueror
now rules England- blending of
French/Anglo-Saxon customs
William the Conqueror:
Battle of Hastings, 1066
(Bayeaux Tapestry)
Norman Conquest
• How does William control his
kingdom?
- Takes complete, exhaustive
census (Domesday Book)
- Creates royal exchequer to
collect taxes
Henry II
• Inherits throne in 1154
• His justice system forms basis
of English common law- applies
to all of England
• jury system develops- earliest
model of today’s jury system
• His extension of royal power
caused tension w/ the Church
Henry II
Magna Carta (Great Charter)
• Developed in 1215 in response
to England’s King John’s abuse
of power/mismanagement of
power
Impact of Magna Carta (Great
Letter)
• Greatly limited king’s rightshe must obey the law!- cannot
issue random taxes!
• Established that nobles had
rights
• Over time, such rights would
be granted to all citizens
Magna Carta, 1215
Beginnings of British Parliament
Great Council-early
lawmaking body eventually
called Parliament

Set up framework for
England’s modern Parliamentchecks, limits power of king,
has some control over tax
laws
The Magna Carta can be
described as a
(1) journal about English feudal
society
(2) list of feudal rights limiting
power of English monarchy
(3) census of all tax-paying
nobility in feudal England
(4) statement of grievances of
middle class in England
Monarchs of France
 Louis IX- rose to power in 1226, became
most admired ruler of the time
-deeply religious, made a saint
-ended serfdom,
strengthened Christianity,
& expanded royal courts
succeeded in making France an efficient,
centralized monarchy
Monarchs of France
Philip VI- grandson of Louis IX- clashed
violently w/ Pope Boniface VIII over
taxation issues
 Estates General set up under Philip’s rule
Lawmaking body of clergy, nobles,
townspeople- never gained same role/power
as English Parliament
Holy Roman Empire
10th century- Charlemagne’s
empire in present-day France and
Germany dissolves after his death
Otto I- (German) crowned emperor; his
successors took title “Holy Roman Emperor”
German monarchs- and emperorsstruggled to control their kingdoms and
vassals- never truly successful
Battles w/ popes and clergy continue, esp
over appt of bishops
Emperors & Popes
Pope Gregory VII- most controversial
medieval pope
Why?
 banned lay investiture- result: only popes
can appoint bishops-
Henry IV- completed opposed to decision,
excommunicated for his views (later
welcomed back to church)
Concordat of Worms
-Conflict over lay investiture (who has right
to appoint popes) drags on for decades
Concordant of Worms- treaty signed in
1122
-Church can elect bishops; emperors can
give bishops fiefs
Popes & The Battle for Power
Pope Innocent III- purest example of papal
power during medieval times
Placed kingdoms under interdict for various
offenses
12th, 13th centuries- tides start to turn in
favor of English & French monarchies….
Spain and the Crusades
Christians had been battling
Muslims in Spain for centuries; the
conflict dated back to the 700s
Reconquista, or ‘reconquest’:
Christian campaign to drive, remove
Muslims from Spain (Moor
population)
Reign of Isabella & Ferdinand
Marriage of Isabella & Ferdinandvery strategic- paved the way for a
more unified Christian state in Spain
Isabella launched brutal assault
against Muslims (Spanish Moors) w/
support of the Inquisition – a Church
court that tried those accused of
heresy
Results of the Reconquista
Religious unity achieved at very high
price.
Policy of religious toleration of all
faiths ended; those who refused to
convert to Christianity were often burnt
at the stake.
Over 100,000 people fled in fear for
their lives.
European Culture Post-Crusades
Crusades inspired interest
in learning and intellectual
development, paving way for
Revival of Learning, or
European Renaissance
beginning in the 1300s in
Italy
European Culture Post-Crusades
Church recognized need for an
educated, more literate clergy
Universities sprung up in cities across
Europe (Salerno, Bologna, Italy among 1st
examples)
Modern-day universities follow this
early model of ‘liberal arts’ learninglearning across various subjects
European Culture Post-Crusades
Women not allowed to attend university
Exception- Christine de Pizan
Cultural diffusion- Europeans absorbed
ideas, achievements of other cultures,
esp Muslim translations of texts, writings
of ancient Greeks
Scholasticism gained popularityphilosophy attempting to bring faith and
reason together
European Culture Post-Crusades
Key primary source from High Middle
Ages- Summa Theologica- St. Thomas
Aquinas’ attempt to combine Christian
faith and logic (scholasticism)
Little scientific advancements made
during Middle Age due to idea that
knowledge must fit w/ Christian teachings
Arabic numerals- modern-day #sadopted by Europeans
Medieval Literature, Art, Architecture
Latin- language of learning & the Church
vernacular (everyday language of people) Italian, German, etc, began to be used in
writing and some universities
Key examples of early medieval literature:
-Chaucer’s epic poem The Canterbury Tales (1st
great English poem actually written in English)
-Dante’s Divine Comedy (Italy)
Medieval Architecture
“In the Middle Ages, men had no great thought
that they did not write down in stone.”
- Victor Hugo
• Roman influences (Romanesque) in High Middle
Ages architecture
• Dark, gloomy, heavy vaulted ceilings
• Gothic architecture grew up in Paris
- Key features: flying buttress (dramatic stone
supports), huge stained glass windows, stone
sculptures
Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris
Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris
Medieval Architecture & Art
Stained glass windows & illuminated manuscripts
(beautifully painted books, much decorative
detail) helped the illiterate (majority of
population) learn about their faith.
Medieval Architecture & Art
Book of Kells- perhaps most famous example of
medieval illuminated manuscript, on permanent
display in Trinity College in Dublin