Western Europe & Catholicism

http://www.scs.carleton.ca/~avardy/pics/Montreal,Quebec,Canada/Notre_Dame_Cathedral.JPG

Post-Classical Europe

• Known as Middle Ages– Medieval Period

• Europe viewed as backward by other ppls of the world– Less technology and agricultural development

Early Post-Classical Period

• Many problems in the early years of the post-classical period– Viking invasions– Weak rulers due to decentralized govt– Illiteracy– Low agricultural productivity

Early Post-Classical Period

• Economic Activity:– Subsistence farming common

• Many people lived as serfs on large manors owned by a wealthier landlord

• Serfs had difficult lives, but were not slaves

– Low agricultural productivity• Inefficient tools and farming methods made

agriculture difficult

Early Post-Classical Period

• Government:– Localized government– Manorialism was most common political and

economic arrangement• Peasants and serfs worked on agricultural estates

owned by landlords– Exchanged part of their crop and labor for protection

– Very few large kingdoms developed• Exception was Charlemagne’s short-lived empire

CharlemagneKing of the

Franks http://www.tomarken.com/content/crit/articles/2002/great/charlem.gif

Early Post-Classical Period

• Charlemagne (Charles the Great)– 8th century: Established empire in N. France, Belgium,

and W. Germany

• Achievements under Charlemagne– Promoted learning

• Monks copied works from the past

• Empire fell apart shortly after Charlemagne’s death (814)– Split into 3 kingdoms, which developed separately

from each other

Early Post-Classical Period

• Fall of Charlemagne’s Empire set stage for further development in Western Europe– Fragmented into regional kingdoms, which

would later become nations– Regional languages emerged to further divide

the people• Most based on Latin (known as Romantic

Languages), others based on Germanic languages

Religion

• Christianity was sole unifying force in Western Europe– Catholicism– Pope (in Rome) center of religious authority– Local Bishops – Missionary work – Monasteries and convents

• Monks and Nuns served as religious examples to other Europeans• Promoted education

• Latin became the language of educated people and church officials in Europe– Most people unable to read, write, or understand Latin

Slow Changes after 900 C.E.

• In 10th Century, Europe did experience small developmental changes– New agricultural techniques and technology

made farming more productive• Moldboard plow • Landowners began to accumulate more wealth

through sale of ag. commodities

– Population growth• Able to feed more people

Slow Changes after 900 C.E.

– Urbanization increased• Cities became cultural centers

– Still small in comparison to Middle East

– Growth in education• Churches educated those who were destined for the Church• Literacy grew in cities

– Viking conversions to Christianity led to fewer raids and invasions

– Europe began to engage in more long-distance trade• New crops and technologies

Governmental Changes

• Feudalism emerged as the dominant political system– Began as localized agreements, grew into feudal

kingdoms– System where lords (military elites) exchange service

and loyalty for land (manors)• Vassals: lesser lords who swear loyalty to a more powerful

lord (king)– Loyalty in exchange for land (fief)

• Manors were worked by serfs and/or freed peasants– Exchanged labor and commodities for protection

http://www.sbceo.k12.ca.us/~vms/carlton/Feudalismchart.jpg

Knights

• Armored warriors of the middle ages

• Use of horses in warfare– Adopted stirrup from Central Asian nomads

• Armor– Started out as open-faced helmet & long,

metal studded shirts (hauberk)– Evolved into helmet with small visor and metal

armor

http://www.spyhunter007.com/Images/castle_knights_armor.jpg

http://www.charlesfleming-sca.com/images/military/my_hauberk.jpg

Governmental Developments

• Overtime, kings used feudalism to buildup their own power

• Examples of Governmental Development:– Capetian Family in France:

• Powerbase near Paris, spread influence outward to create a feudal kingdom

– England:• William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy)

invaded England and abruptly established a feudal kingdom

http://z.about.com/d/historymedren/1/0/N/conqueror.gif

• William the Conqueror

Governmental Developments

• Europe’s political developed was hindered by several factors– Church limited power of many kings

• Became involved in politics

– Pope directly controlled central Italy• Indirectly many other areas of Europe

– Feudal Kingdoms fought each other• France and England rivals

– The Hundred Years War

Governmental Developments

• In early part of Middle Ages, Monarchs were also restricted by the ideas of:– Limited Government

• Magna Carta (1215)

– Representative Government• 1265: Introduction on Parliaments: elected

legislatures that are representatives of the people– England developed the strongest Parliamentarian

system

• People feared giving the monarch too much power.

Expansion of European Influence

• Population growth and economic development led to an increase in European expansion– Expand into eastern Europe– Reconquista in Spain

• Efforts to remove Muslim influence in Spain– Completed in 1492– Portugal emerged as a maritime power in Mediterranean and

began to increase exploration along coast of Africa– Spain created after marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand

» Alliance between Castille and Aragon

– Viking exploration in Iceland, Greenland, and Hudson Bay area of Canada

http://bms.westport.k12.ct.us/lmc/images/VikingMap.jpg

Crusades

• Series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims – Fight for control of Holy Land and access to riches and trade in

Middle East

• First Crusade in 1095 (request of Pope Urban II)– Promised salvation for Crusaders– Gained control of Jerusalem, later lost the city when Muslims

rallied under the leadership of Saladin in 12th century

• Impact of the Crusades– showed the west’s aggression toward the rest of the world– Exposed Europe to new ideas and technology

http://www.islamproject.org/images/Crusades_Map_12-18.jpg

Culture of the Middle Ages

• Religion dominated culture• Conflict between faith and reason

– Theology: study of religion– Growth in higher education in later years

• BUT Minimal scientific discovery

• Art was used to glorify God– Iconic images, stained glass windows with religious scenes– Gothic Architecture- buildings appeared to be reaching to the

heavens

• Much of writing done in Latin with religious topics BUT– Some began to write in the vernacular (language spoken by

common people) about secular topics• Poems about love, chivalry, and court life were common

Economy

• 90% of population was rural– Most people peasants or serfs– Made living through farming

• Population growth saw increase of cities– Became cultural and commercial centers– Increase in skilled labor

• Skilled labor usually restricted to members of Guilds

– Trade picked up (particularly in Italy and areas near coast)• Merchants became huge source of wealth, made loans to rulers• Conflict with Church because Church frowned upon charging

interest on loans and feared money would corrupt people– Jews became major money lenders b/c their religion did not forbid

charging interest (usury)

Economy

• Europe also saw development in certain industries– Mining increased and Europe was able to

access metals for armor and weapon making– European’s harnessed the power of water

from its many rivers and streams • Water Wheels used in mills to help grind grain and

perform other tasks

Urbanization

• As populations and cities grew, the economy began to develop more rapidly

• Problems of Urbanization and Economic Development– Environmental degradation

• Deforestation, pollution of streams, lack of sanitation

– Disease

Black Death

• Bubonic Plague– Caused by bacteria, transmitted by fleas and rats

• Now treated with antibiotics

– Communicable disease• Boils, blacks spots on skin, foul body odor

• Impact– Killed 1/3 of European population– Skilled labor more expensive due to labor shortages– Peasant revolts, led to swift decline in serfdom as

peasants and serfs ran away from their manors– Unrest in cities

Government Structure in Late Middle Ages

• Toward the end of the Middle Ages, hereditary monarchies began to increase in power– Feudalism weakened and aristocrats lost much of

their power• New military technology reduced the need for knights

– Gunpowder and artillery (cannons), longbow and crossbow became major part of military

• Kings began to hire military personnel rather than depend on the vassals

– Paid for with loans from bankers/businessmen and with new taxes that were collected on merchants and land

Conclusion• Middle Ages were a time of contradictions in Western Europe.

– Advances in some areas while still underdeveloped in others– Technological innovation in mining, milling, and waterpower BUT still

inadequate food production– Military advances BUT at cost of more frequent wars and aggression– Trade increased and helped improve the European economy BUT gap

between rich and poor still wide– Population growth offset by disease– Christianity thrived BUT at expense of conflict with other religious

groups– Religion was center of education which left Europe trailing behind the

world in scientific discovery and other secular studies– Urbanization increased BUT most people still lived as serfs and

peasants on the country side– Skilled labor increased BUT it was restricted to those in the guilds