Transcript Europe and Christendom - McKinney ISD Staff Sites

EUROPE AND CHRISTENDOM
500-1300 CE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PszVWZNWVA
&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
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The eastern half of the old Roman Empire =
Byzantine Empire.
 Continued
tradition of the RE until they will be
conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453
 Constantinople
 Form of Christianity known as Eastern Orthodox
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The western half of the old RE simply became
Western Europe (Latin Christendom)
 Falling
apart – roads, cities decayed
 Fragmented, decentralized
 Far more rural
Eastern Empire
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Greece
The Balkans
Anatolia
Syria Palestine
Egypt
Northeast Africa
Constantinople
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Emperor Constantine
Ottoman Turks
In 1453 a Turkish sultan brought a powerful army, equipped
with artillery purchased from the West, against the city, which
fell after two months. By 1461, the Turks had conquered most
of the Balkans, bringing Islamic power further into eastern
Europe than ever before. Constantinople was responsible for
the Balkan peninsula, the northern Middle East, the
Mediterranean coast, and north Africa.
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Istanbul
Inherited Roman Infrastructure
Roads & Bridges
 Imperial Institutions
 Access to Black Sea
 Stronger army, navy
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Eastern Christendom
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Byzantium Empire has no clear starting point –
simply a continuation of the RE
 330
CE Constantine established capital
 Far wealthier than West
 Sought to preserve the classical legacy of the RE
Justinian
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527-565
The Sleepless Emperor
Intelligent & Strong Willed
Excellent Education
Ambitious Builder
The BE reached its greatest extent under Justinian
Although for several centuries Latin was the court
language, Greek was the common tongue, and after
Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, it became the
official language.
The Work of Justinian
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Law
 The Justinian Code-systematizing the
Roman legal code.-Helped to
provide order and unite the empire.
 Conquest- With the aid of a brilliant general,
Belisarius, new gains were made in north Africa and
Italy. The Byzantines hoped to restore north Africa to its
role as grain producer for the Mediterranean world. His
ambitions had weakened the empire in its own sphere.
Persian forces attacked in the northern Middle East,
while new Slavic groups, moving into the Balkans,
pressed on another front. All of this caused health
problems which contributed to his death in 565 C.E.
Church & State
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
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The Role of the Emperor
 Often
intervened in Church Disputes
 Often called church conferences
 Appointed the Patriarchs
 Caesaropapism
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The Authority of the Emperor
 Political,
Military, Judicial
 Financial, Religious
The Emperor
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The Appearance of the Emperor
 Heavily
jeweled Crowns
 Magnificant Silk Robes
 Dark
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Purple
The Approach of the Emperor
 Prostration
 Ceremonial
Kisses
Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas
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The end came in 1453 when the Turkic Ottoman
Empire – “sword of Islam” finally took
Constantinople.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
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Theological issues about the Trinity and the
relationship of God and Jesus engaged all people
– especially ordinary.
Division – Latin (Western) Christianity v. Orthodox
(Eastern) Christianity
 Teaching
of Jesus
 Bible
 Sacraments
 Patriarchs
– bishops and priests
 Intolerance toward other religions
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Replaced by awareness of difference, competition,
and outright hostility that even a common fear of
Islam couldn’t overcome.
Illustrates the political separation and rivalry
between emerging kingdoms in Europe and BE
Difference in Theology
Rift grew – 7th century on…
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Nature of Trinity
Source of Holy Spirit
Original sin
Relative importance of faith and reason
Western priests shaved and after 1050 to remain
celibate.
Eastern priests beards grow long and marry
1054 – both churches mutually excommunicated
each other = not true Christians.
The 11th Century: Differences Between The Roman
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox (The Correct Belief)
Services are conducted in Greek or in the
vernacular
Did not use Icons in their daily worship
The patriarch and other bishops head the
church as a group
The 11th Century: Differences Between The Roman
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church
The emperor claims authority over the patriarch and
other bishops of the empire
Priests are allowed to be married
Divorce is allowed under certain conditions
Maintained supremacy of the Father in the Trinity
The 11th Century: Differences Between The Roman
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church
Roman Catholic (Universal Belief)
Services are conducted in Latin
The pope has authority over all other bishops
(Petrine Doctrine)
The pope claims authority over all rulers
The 11th Century: Differences Between The Roman
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church
Priests may not marry
Divorce is not permitted
Believed in Icons
Veneration of the Saints
Accepted the view that the Holy Spirit combines
both the Father and The Son
Byzantium and the World
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Close proximity with Persia – conflict weakened both of
them which allowed Arab armies a foothold.
Greek fire
BE power delayed for many centuries the Islamic
advance into southeastern Europe.
Trade – gold coin (bezant), jewelry, gemstones, silver
silk
Scientists, philosophers, theologians
Spread religious culture into Balkans and Russia
Silk Road Revival
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Revived Trade with China
 Silk
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and Porcelain
Trade with India: Spices
Persia: Carpets: “Persian Rugs”
Western Europe: wool
Russia: timber, furs, honey, amber
slaves
Western Christendom
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Removed from trade routes
Europe’s geography made political unity difficult –
5 major peninsulas and 2 large islands.
Moderate climate, rainfall, fertile soils
Agriculture could support growing population
Western Europe 500-1000
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RE collapse in 476 CE – German general Odoacer
 Symbolized
weakness, decline, no centralized rule
 Disease, warfare
 Urban and rural life diminished
 (at its height Rome = 1 million pop, by 10th century =
10,000)
 Literacy lost ground
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Germanic peoples (barbarians) emerged as the
dominant peoples. However, still influenced by
Roman culture and style
 Goths
 Visigoths
- Spain
 Franks - France
 Lombards - Italy
 Angles - England
 Saxons - England
Charlemagne
768-814
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Wanted to re-create unity of the RE
Occupied France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and
parts of Germany and Italy began to act like an
imperial ruler
Christmas Day 800 CE crowned as a new Roman
emperor by the pope
Otto I of Saxony – became known as HRE
Indicate the appeal of the classical age…
Feudalism
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg&
safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
Fragmented, decentralized society
Thousands of independent, self sufficient landed
estates
Landowning lords, knights
Slavery gave way to serfdom
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Dark Ages = European Early Middle Ages
 the
concept of a period of intellectual darkness and
economic regression that supposedly occurred in Europe
following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire
 476-1000 CE
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZrE1mVcB2k&safe
ty_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
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Filling the vacuum left by the collapse of the RE, the
Church (Roman Catholic)
 Wealthy
 Conversion
of Europe’s pagan population
 Missionaries
 Churches built
 Christian holy day = Dec. 25 Jesus Bday and Winter
Solstice
 Blend of many elements
Change = 1000-1300
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The West had been plagued with invasion after
invasion:
 Muslim
armies into Spain
 Magyar armies from the East
 Viking conquest from the North
 By
1000, invasions had be halted
 **High Middle Ages***
High Middle Ages
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Expansion and growth
Europe’s population grew from 35 to 80 million by
1340.
 London
– 40,000
 Paris – 80,000
 Venice – 150,000
 (Constantinople – 400,000, Song Dynasty – 1 million,
Tenochtitlan – 200,000)
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Between 1000 and 1300 women’s role in society
expanded = new opportunities
 Weaving,
brewing, mid wifery, small scale retailing,
spinning and, you guessed it, prostitution…
 By
the 1400s such opportunities were declining.
 Many turned to religious roles
“Medieval Expansion” of Western
Christendom
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Byzantine world was under pressure from three
areas – west, Arab invasion, and Turkish conquest
Now the west was on the rise and the east in
decline.
As trade networks grew, western economies grew –
merchants, travelers, diplomats, and missionaries
had more contact with the distant world of Asia.
By 13th and 14th centuries, western Europe had
contact with India, China, and Mongolia
Expansiveness through CRUSADES
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A series of “holy wars” that captures the imagination of
Western Christendom for more than 4 centuries. Began
in 1095
Undertaken as God’s command and authorized by the
pope. Required participants to swear a vow and in
return offered an indulgence, which removed the
penalties for any confessed sins, as well as various
material benefits.
The core of the Crusades is centered in religion –
providing securities against mortal enemies threatening
the spiritual health of all Christendom and all Christians.
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Drew upon Christian piety and warrior values of the
elite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zniTeTY7pw&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mo
de=1
Most famous Crusades were aimed at taking
Jerusalem back from Islamic control and returning
them to Christendom.
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1095, wave after wave of Crusaders from all walks
of life and many countries flocked to the East
Demonstrated capacity for organization, finance,
and transportation.
Also demonstrated considerable cruelty.
Jerusalem – 1099
 Slaughter
of Muslim and Jews as the Crusaders made
their way through the streets littered with corpses and
ankle deep in blood.
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Little lasting impact religiously
However, interaction with the Islamic world has very
significant long term consequences –
Constantinople was weakened by crusades which left them
vulnerable to the Turks in the coming years.
 Stimulation for Asian goods
 Opened channels of trade, technology transfer, and
intellectual exchange
 The rift between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism
deepened further and remains to this day a fundamental
divide in Christianity.
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Make sure to read pages 445-453…
 Catching
up
 Pluralism
 Reason
and faith