Foundations of Western Society in Europe

Question 1

1. What Frankish King became the first Holy Roman Emperor?

Question 2

• In addition to Magyars and Muslims, what third outside group invaded/plundered Europe during the 8th and 9th centuries?

Question 3

• In 1095, Pope Urban urged the knights of Europe to ‘take up the cross’. What did this mark the beginning of?

Question 4

• St. Benedict set the broad guidelines of ‘poverty, chastity, and obedience’ that would govern the majority of what religious institutions?

Middle Ages

• Time Period, 500 to 1000 C.E.

Let us recall the various roles that the Byzantine Empire played upon the development of Western Europe: Most importantly as a BRIDGE, but also as a religious and political authority for the west.

Similarities

• Post-Classical India (Harsha pages 406-407)

• With one major difference, disconnected with world trade network

Also, very similar to:

• Feudal Japan (page 399)

Major Developments

• Disruption from invasion, rampant depopulation, political order was restored

• Not Centralized Government, but instead decentralized political order focused upon local and regional lords and rulers– Feudal System (politically)– Manorial System (economically)

Major Developments

• Slow, economic recovery

• No large cities develop

• No powerful industrial economy

• Instead, focused on agricultural development

Major Developments

1. Rise of the Roman Catholic Church

Powerful civilizing force

Religious leadership and cultural unity and continuity

• Similar role to Confucianism, Buddhism, Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Hinduism

Major Players and Vital Vocabulary

• Franks• Roman Catholic

Church• Clovis• Pepin• Charles Martel• Charlemagne• Missi Dominici• Count• Monasticism

• Vikings• Magyars• Battle of Tours• Feudalism• Serf• Viking• Magyar• Manor• Pope Gregory I• St. Benedict

Let’s Be Frank

• Clovis• Merovingian• Roman vs. Arian• Major Domo• Charles Martel• Battle of Tours, 732

C.E.• Pepin the Short

• Carolus Magnus• Centralization

Process:– Count– Missi Dominici– Abu al-Abbas– Campaigns– Holy Roman Emperor?

What are the pros and cons of being the Holy Roman Emperor?

• Can you read the inscription on the stone on the bottom?

Charlemagne

Centralized

Ally to Rome

Schools

Conversion

Poor succession, no primogeniture

Frankish Timeframe

• Clovis 481 C.E.

• Battle of Tours 732 C.E.

• Death of Louis the Pious 843 C.E.

Invasions marked the 8th and 9th centuries

• Magyars

• Muslims

• Vikings

Norse, were they raiders or conquerors?

Vikings

Technology

Trade

Piracy

Settling

Exploring

Empire Building

Longboats

Kievan Rus

Monastic Prayer

Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland

Rollo/Normandy, Danegeld, Rus, England, Ireland,

Feudalism

• Decentralized, and born out of necessity

• Ruralization, due to what?

• Regional and Local Authority, highly adaptable to different regions but extremely convoluted as well

• Political Organization-Feudal System

• Serfs

• Economic Organization- Manorial System

Nobility king, lord, lesser lord emperor, shogun, daimyo

Warriors knights samurai

Code of conduct

chivalry bushido

Evolution• Both practices developed in response to the need for

security and stability • everyone had well-defined social roles • helped preserve law and order

JapanEurope

Christendom

• Franks, Charlemagne’s bargain to the Saxons

• Popes and Monastaries did the rest

• Pope Gregory I, recentralized the church, gained converts, and secured the region of rome from invasion

• St. Benedict’s rule, organized monastaries and allowed them to grow

Monastacism• Contributions to

medieval society– Inns (safe place)– Orphanages– Hospitals– Schools– Libraries– Haven for the Literate,

Academians– Storage of Culture

Serfdom

• Was it slavery?

• What enabled agricultural recovery that then would re-establish the population?

New Technology

Horse Collar

Heavy Plow