A New CivilizationA New Civilizationin Western Europein Western Europe

Chapter 10

MedievalDevelopments inWestern Europe

6th to 10th centuriesEurope Breaks Apart

Catholic churchremains strong after

the fall of Rome.Iberia – Arab Muslims

take control

The Middle Ages last fromthe fall of Rome (476 AD)

to the Renaissance!

Scandinavian VikingRaids from 8th to 10th

centuries

Literacy declinesexcept among

Church officials…In Latin.

I. Beginning of the European Middle AgesA. Middle Ages – A period from the fall of Rome to the

beginning of the Renaissance (5th cent.-14th cent.)B. Two time periods

1. Dark AgesDark Ages – 5th through 10th centuries a. Society Declines

-- Trade nearly stops (except for salt and iron)

-- Cities become less important-- People move to rural areas-- Learning becomes less important-- No common language (Latin evolves)

2. Later Middle AgesLater Middle Ages – 11th through 14th century a. Rebirth: learning, cities, and trade grow

Roman road in disrepair

C. Manorialism -- Agricultural estate owned by a lord and run by serfs…economic system of the period

1. Relationship between a lord and serf a. Reciprocal obligations – Lords received portions of

the crops and labor from the serfs who willingly tied themselves to the land…in return the serfs were protected by the lord’s army

b. Paid for use of manor’s mills, pastures, ponds, etc.; worked the lord’s lands 2 – 3 days each week

c. Lord had legal authority over serfsd. Serfs needed lord’s permission to marry e. Grew out of the economic collapse of the Western

Roman Empire.2. Agricultural Innovations – 800s

a. New plows, three field system – increased output

D. Role of the Church on Society & Politics1. Church copies Roman organizational hierarchy

a. Pope appoints bishops, sponsors missionaries2. Monasticism – Movement to set up monasteries and

therefore spread Christianity…rules by St. Benedicta. Spiritual functions of monasteries

--Promoted Christian unity and served as examples of holy life

b. Secular functions of monasteries--Schools, science (farming),

preserved much of the Greco-Roman culture, hospitals

Christianity mixed with the native religions that it came into contact

with as it expanded.

E. Charlemagne and His Heirs…The Franks and Christianity1. The Carolingians

a. Charles Martel – Stopped the Muslims in 732 at Tours

b. Charles the Great (Charlemagne)--In 800 was crowned Emperor by the Pope;

later this became the “Holy Roman Empire”--Copied Roman central administration--Encouraged education

--Missi Domenici…spies --Empire begins to crumble

upon his death c. Treaty of Verdun -- 843

--Three kingdoms

Charlemagne with elephant - gift from the Muslim Abbasid Dynasty

d. End of the Carolingian Dynasty--Three kingdoms…weaker than one…developing separate

identities--Invasions: Vikings (Norse),

Muslims, and Magyars--These invasions led to the

rise of feudalism…Why?

Viking Long Boat

The Growth ofChristianity and the

improvement infarming gradually

stopped Vikingraids.

F. Feudalism…Decentralization of Rule1. Personal relationship between greater and lesser lords

a. Military service was given by lesser lords in return for land (fief)…usually large estates

2. Some lords, such as the Capetian kings of France, emerge more powerful as more land comes under their controla. Bureaucracies develop to run the territories; This is

the beginning of state formation in Europe

3. William the Conqueror – took control of England at the Battle of Hastings (1066)…defeated King Harold of the Anglo-Saxons

a. Was a noble from Normandy (France)--Had a Viking legacy…Normandy

was named for the Vikings (Northmen or Norman)

b. Brought feudalism to England very quickly…was not gradual as it was in France.

William the Conqueror

Manorialism/Feudalism Social Pyramid

--King – Give & take land; declare war – No day to day control

--Powerful Lords – large landowners, also included church bishops – must provide knights for war --Lesser Lords – Small landowners – provide fewer knights --Knights – younger nobles sons – get land if do well in battle--Serfs – bound to the land – do all work on the manor – majority of the population

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European Feudalism

G. Limited Government…Power of Nobility vs. Power of Monarch1. Kingdoms grow large in some areas, not in others

a. Monarchs limited by church, nobles, towns

2. Magna Carta – 1215…Document reduces the power of the King of Englanda. King John recognizes supremacy

of written law3. Representative bodies begin to form

a. England’s Parliament, from 12654. Monarchs use war to increase in power

a. The Hundred Years War--Fight for the French Throne--Fighting shifts away from knights

to larger armies

H. W. Europe Expands its Borders1. Germanic knights push into eastern Germany and Poland in the 11th century2. Iberian Peninsula – Christians begin to push Muslim forces out of Spain3. Vikings – Cross Atlantic, but fail to set up lasting settlements; disrupt gov’ts in Europe4. Crusades – lead to kingdoms in the Holy Landa. Called by Pope Urban II in 1095b. Initial success, but ultimate military failurec. New contact with Islam – education, culture, government

I. Religious Reform1. Gregorian reform, 11th cent. – Church was too secular

a. “Lay Investiture” allowed monarchs to choose high church officials…many non-religious men filled top church posts

b. The “Investiture Controversy” erupted between Pope Gregory VII & King Henry IV (Holy Roman Emperor)

c. Was settled by the Concordant of Worms in 1122; The Church alone could appoint officials but the king could decide not to give them a fief (virtual veto power).

J. Later Middle Ages1. As the middle ages came to a close, the feudal way of life

had to mesh with growing cities and trade. This would lead to a new period called “The Renaissance”.

II. Culture of the West During the Middle AgesA. Church Doctrine: Faith vs. Reason

1. Exploration of Greek philosophy, especially Aristotle

Why would this be a problem for the religious community of the middle ages?

2. Peter Abelard, 12th centurya. Rational examination of doctrine showed

inconsistency in church teachings3. Debate in universities fueled by new info from the

Middle East4. Thomas Aquinas

a. Summas – Reason and Faith can coexist

Christianity wasthe dominant

part of WesternEuropeanCulture!!

B. Religion of the People1. Devotion grew during the middle ages

C. Religious Influences1. Romanesque architecture

a. Fortress-like…high, small windows

2. Gothic – 11th Century…open, high arches, vaults, flying buttresses, stained glass windows

Example of the flying buttress

3. Literaturea. e.g. Song of Rolandb. Geoffrey Chaucer,

Canterbury Talesc. Dante, Divine Comedyd. Troubadours – traveling

entertainers

All written or performedin the vernacular!!!

The vernacular helped literaturebecome more secular

III. Economic & Social Changes in the Later Middle Ages (1000 – 1300 AD)

A. Rural living begins to change…Manorialism changes1. Peasants gain over time…increased agricultural

technology helped2. Increased population increased demand for food

a. Lords sought to capitalize on demand by increasing food production

b. Lords rented land to serfs…no longer tied to land--Lords increased rents and taxes on peasants to

provide income to spend on trade goods c. Food surplus sparked rise in merchant / artisan class

B. Limited Role for Women1. Overall, lose ground2. Numbers of women joining converts increased

C. Trade Returns to Western Europe1. Commerce expands…Mediterranean zone joined with North

Sea, Baltic Seaa. Italian city-states

(Venice and Genoa) emerged as dominant trade carriers

b. Fairs became centers of long-distance trade

2. Money replaces barter3. Banking grows

a. Capitalism, investing to make a profit, grows

4. Hanseatic Leaguea. Northern Germany, southern Scandinavia

5. Merchants relatively free, but relatively low social status

6. Guilds…Craft associations, protect markets, ensure standards of workmanship, social duties

D. Economic growth – Begins in the 10th century1. Agricultural improvements – plows, horse collars, etc.

a. Increased food production – lead to new wealth and population growth

2. Towns grow…rise of city government (seen by monarch as counter-balance to nobility)

3. Education…instruction mainly by lecture…Why?a. Literacy expands – As trade grew, the need for

education also grewb. Cathedral schools in the 11th century – to train future

church officialsc. Universities in the 13th century began to train workers

for areas outside the church --Contacts with the Middle East helped rekindle

learning that had been lost for centuries

IV. End of the Middle Ages – After 1300

Bubonic Plague(Black Death)

--1348

Population outstripsagriculture

--Leads to famines

Widespread warfarefrom 1300 to 1500

--Hundred Years War--Weakens feudal

order…nobleslose power…rulersbegin to establishcentralized states.

Increased revenuefrom taxation allowsmonarchies to hire

soldiers…less relianceon vassals for military

assistance