The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

Europe tries to find its way in Europe tries to find its way in the Worldthe World

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

Aye. Aye.

Fight and you may die. Fight and you may die.

Run and you'll live, at least a while. Run and you'll live, at least a while.

And, dying in your beds, many years from And, dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance days from this day to that for one chance – just one chance – to come back here – just one chance – to come back here and tell our enemies, that they may take and tell our enemies, that they may take our lives, our lives,

but they'll never take our freedom!but they'll never take our freedom!

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

BraveheartBraveheart

What were the Middle What were the Middle Ages?Ages?

– It is the period of history in Europe that It is the period of history in Europe that lasted from about 500 to 1500 C.E.lasted from about 500 to 1500 C.E.

– It is generally acknowledged that the It is generally acknowledged that the Middle Ages started in 476 CE after the Middle Ages started in 476 CE after the fall of Rome and ended about 1500 with fall of Rome and ended about 1500 with the Renaissancethe Renaissance

– The Middle Ages are often broken up The Middle Ages are often broken up into three periodsinto three periods Early Middle Ages 500-1000Early Middle Ages 500-1000 High Middle Ages 1000-1300High Middle Ages 1000-1300 Late Middle Ages 1300-1500Late Middle Ages 1300-1500

The Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Extreme political Extreme political decentralizationdecentralization

Overall Overall backwardness from backwardness from the culture of Romethe culture of Rome

Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Church began to Church began to control the lives of control the lives of the peoplethe people

High Middle Ages 1000-High Middle Ages 1000-13001300

Characteristics Characteristics The development of strong nations and The development of strong nations and

countriescountries Stronger economiesStronger economies Growth of cultural and technology knowledgeGrowth of cultural and technology knowledge Europeans develop a sense of one interactive Europeans develop a sense of one interactive

culture and begin to become a single culture and begin to become a single civilizationcivilization

The Roman Catholic Church unites all people The Roman Catholic Church unites all people of western Europe (common cultural bond)of western Europe (common cultural bond)

Late Middle Ages 1300-Late Middle Ages 1300-15001500

CharacteristicsCharacteristics Constant warfare both at home and aboardConstant warfare both at home and aboard The Black Death kills off a large segment of The Black Death kills off a large segment of

the populationthe population– Causes some economic disruptionCauses some economic disruption

Some groups begin to have issues with the Some groups begin to have issues with the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church

The Renaissance begins which brings both The Renaissance begins which brings both intellectual and cultural achievements to intellectual and cultural achievements to EuropeEurope

Why did it start?Why did it start? The Fall of RomeThe Fall of Rome

– As seen with the Byzantine As seen with the Byzantine Empire in 300 CE the Empire in 300 CE the Roman Empire splitRoman Empire split

– Overextension in the west Overextension in the west made it hard tomade it hard to Maintain military strengthMaintain military strength Maintain political controlMaintain political control Maintain control over Maintain control over

such a diverse populationsuch a diverse population

– The slave population in The slave population in Rome was 2 slaves to Rome was 2 slaves to every 1 Romanevery 1 Roman

Why did it startWhy did it start

Multiple InvasionsMultiple Invasions– The Western Roman empire was besieged by Asiatic The Western Roman empire was besieged by Asiatic

and Germanic tribesand Germanic tribes SaxonsSaxons AnglesAngles GothsGoths HunsHuns MagyarsMagyars

– In 410 CE the Goths attacked RomeIn 410 CE the Goths attacked Rome– Again in 476 CE the Goths took over Rome and Again in 476 CE the Goths took over Rome and

remained in control of Rome and what was left of the remained in control of Rome and what was left of the EmpireEmpire

Why did it startWhy did it start Role of the BarbariansRole of the Barbarians

– Some groups settled Some groups settled permanently in areas once permanently in areas once occupied by Romeoccupied by Rome

– They set up fractioned They set up fractioned governments and kingdomsgovernments and kingdoms

– Most of these kingdoms were Most of these kingdoms were unsophisticated and failed to unsophisticated and failed to promote cultural promote cultural achievementsachievements

HoweverHowever– Most of these tribes became Most of these tribes became

less nomadic and more less nomadic and more civilized and began to make civilized and began to make up the growing population of up the growing population of EuropeEurope

The Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages

Decentralized GovernmentDecentralized Government– Because of the many different tribes who Because of the many different tribes who

now divided up the former Roman Empire now divided up the former Roman Empire there was no one strong central leader of there was no one strong central leader of tribe who could control the former empiretribe who could control the former empire

– Many of the rulers found that they lacked Many of the rulers found that they lacked thethe Money, military, and power to effectively Money, military, and power to effectively

maintain controlmaintain control

– This decentralization lead to FeudalismThis decentralization lead to Feudalism

The Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages

Monarchs dividedtheir territorygiving control to trustworthy retainersEnfeoff

Retainers guaranteeto govern, dispense lawsand justice, crops would be grown and the land protected

Retainers divided the land up into smaller pieces of landSubinfeudation

FeudalismFeudalism

Lords or Monarchs Lords or Monarchs would award land would award land to loyal followersto loyal followers

The follower had to The follower had to agree to agree to administer the administer the land, protect the land, protect the land, and ensure land, and ensure economic economic productivity productivity

SerfdomSerfdom

The ManorThe basic landholding unitThe lords manor or Castle was the main building

The land was smallenough for the lord to watch

Surround the Manor were the fields, village and woodland

Labor the peasants ran the manor systemSerf was from the Latin servus or slaveSerfs were tied to the land and could not leave

SerfdomSerfdom

Out of Feudalism Out of Feudalism came serfdomcame serfdom– It was a way of It was a way of

getting peasants to getting peasants to conduct the laborconduct the labor

– Ensured a steady Ensured a steady food supplyfood supply

– Kept the lower Kept the lower classes under classes under control of the lordcontrol of the lord

SerfdomSerfdom Most European feudal Most European feudal

rulers subjected rulers subjected peasants to serfdompeasants to serfdom

The serf was tied to the The serf was tied to the landland

Serfs could not change Serfs could not change their profession or their profession or leave the land without leave the land without permission of the lordpermission of the lord

It was form of unfree It was form of unfree agricultural labor agricultural labor similar to slaverysimilar to slavery

SerfsSerfs

Most of the fruits of a serfs work went to the Most of the fruits of a serfs work went to the lordlord

A percentage of the crops and livestock had A percentage of the crops and livestock had to be turned over to the lordto be turned over to the lord

Serfs also had to spend time during the year Serfs also had to spend time during the year building roads, castles, clearing woodlandsbuilding roads, castles, clearing woodlands

Serfs had to pay to use the lords property Serfs had to pay to use the lords property like the mills, ovens, presseslike the mills, ovens, presses

In times of war serfs also had to fight as foot In times of war serfs also had to fight as foot soldierssoldiers

Class QuestionClass Question

If the life of a serf was so harsh what If the life of a serf was so harsh what are some reasons why they did not are some reasons why they did not overthrow the lord?overthrow the lord?

Birth of the Noble ClassBirth of the Noble Class

Soon large retainers Soon large retainers of lords began to of lords began to establish an elite or establish an elite or noble classnoble class– DukesDukes– EarlsEarls– CountsCounts– BaronsBarons

This noble class This noble class provided political provided political leadership and leadership and stabilitystability

Birth of the Noble ClassBirth of the Noble Class

One of the main functions of the One of the main functions of the Nobles was to provide military Nobles was to provide military serviceservice

Nobles were required to supply foot Nobles were required to supply foot soldiers recruited by the noblessoldiers recruited by the nobles

Nobles were also required to supply Nobles were also required to supply an elite fighting force of cavalrymen an elite fighting force of cavalrymen or knightsor knights

Birth of the Noble ClassBirth of the Noble Class

Nobles formed this Nobles formed this knight fighting forceknight fighting force

It was expensive to It was expensive to train, equip and train, equip and maintain such a maintain such a force.force.

Only nobles could Only nobles could afford to be or afford to be or maintain such a maintain such a fighting forcefighting force

Knighthood/ChivalryKnighthood/Chivalry Knights were to be virtuous Knights were to be virtuous

warriorswarriors Gave their loyalty to the lordGave their loyalty to the lord Fought fairlyFought fairly Champion of the lower classChampion of the lower class Gentleman towards womenGentleman towards women Inspired by Christian Inspired by Christian

principlesprinciples Be in control of most violent Be in control of most violent

behaviorbehavior This was chivalryThis was chivalry Songs and legends like King Songs and legends like King

Arthur instructed knights on Arthur instructed knights on how to act.how to act.

Knighthood/ChivalryKnighthood/Chivalry

In realityIn reality– Knights often broke many of the codes of Knights often broke many of the codes of

chivalrychivalry Knights would often plunder villages or areas Knights would often plunder villages or areas

conqueredconquered Knights would often rape womenKnights would often rape women Knights would often conduct brutal and violent Knights would often conduct brutal and violent

acts on the battlefieldacts on the battlefield Knights would often change their loyalty Knights would often change their loyalty

depending on how much they could be paiddepending on how much they could be paid Knights sometimes ran from the battlefield when Knights sometimes ran from the battlefield when

things went badthings went bad

– Chivalry was more often a myth then realityChivalry was more often a myth then reality

FeudalismFeudalism Feudalism began to take hold in the 700’s Feudalism began to take hold in the 700’s

in France and western Germanyin France and western Germany By the 11By the 11thth Century most European Century most European

countries adopted Feudalismcountries adopted Feudalism Serfdom would outlast Feudalism. While Serfdom would outlast Feudalism. While

many national states would begin to grow many national states would begin to grow after the Enlightenment many of the lower after the Enlightenment many of the lower classes would still live in a serfdom stateclasses would still live in a serfdom state

Serfdom also caused class tension between Serfdom also caused class tension between the upper (rich) and lower (poor) classes the upper (rich) and lower (poor) classes that would last well into the 19that would last well into the 19thth Century Century

The Role of ChristianityThe Role of Christianity

After the fall of Rome Christianity was After the fall of Rome Christianity was one of the few things that bound the one of the few things that bound the people of a disorganized Europe togetherpeople of a disorganized Europe together

Large numbers of people in Europe and Large numbers of people in Europe and Africa had converted to Christianity prior Africa had converted to Christianity prior to the fall of Rometo the fall of Rome

The Roman Catholic Church played a key The Roman Catholic Church played a key role in the development of western role in the development of western EuropeEurope

The Role of the ChurchThe Role of the Church

From 500 to 1500 From 500 to 1500 monasteries monasteries preserved Latin and preserved Latin and Greek textsGreek texts

These texts These texts contained contained knowledge of knowledge of science, philosophy, science, philosophy, plays that would plays that would have been losthave been lost

Role of the ChurchRole of the Church

The church created a sense of The church created a sense of identityidentity– While many countries were split by While many countries were split by

feudal states and there was disunity in feudal states and there was disunity in Europe (Lacked a sense of nationalism)Europe (Lacked a sense of nationalism)

– People also had different languages and People also had different languages and customscustoms

– However their faith in the Catholic However their faith in the Catholic Church linked the people of Europe and Church linked the people of Europe and gave Europe a sort of cultural bondgave Europe a sort of cultural bond

The PopeThe Pope The Pope or Bishop of The Pope or Bishop of

RomeRome The church was formed The church was formed

to serve the needs of the to serve the needs of the peoplepeople

Only men could become Only men could become priestpriest

Bishops controlled the Bishops controlled the priestpriest

Cardinals oversaw Cardinals oversaw matters of the church in matters of the church in Rome and advised the Rome and advised the PopePope

The ChurchThe Church The catholic Church became very politically powerfulThe catholic Church became very politically powerful In contrast to the Orthodox Church the Catholic In contrast to the Orthodox Church the Catholic

Church did not just see itself as a spiritual institution Church did not just see itself as a spiritual institution but also a political institutionbut also a political institution

The Church gained large amounts of land in EuropeThe Church gained large amounts of land in Europe The Catholic Church bound Europe and kings and The Catholic Church bound Europe and kings and

emperors were influenced by the Popeemperors were influenced by the Pope Tithing and land grants made the church very wealthyTithing and land grants made the church very wealthy Institutions of learning were connected to the Church Institutions of learning were connected to the Church

and in many cases only members of the Church could and in many cases only members of the Church could read and writeread and write

Excommunication and trails were used by the church Excommunication and trails were used by the church to keep non conformist in lineto keep non conformist in line