The Early and High Middle Ages

1. The Early and High Middle Ages

2. Roman Catholic Church • Most powerful institution in medieval western Europe • Modeled after Rome’s government • Pope--supreme leader • Cardinals--chief advisors • Bishops--head religious districts • Priests--direct local communities

3. RCC’s Religious Role • Taught: • Importance of sacraments • Faith, good works, and church membership for salvation • Used excommunication against those who violated Church laws • Held inquisitions to uncover heretics

4. RCC’s Economic Role • Monks farmed • Considerable income from its: • Lands (30% of western Europe) • Gifts (especially through oblation) • Taxes (10% tithe) • Prohibited usury

5. RCC’s Cultural Role • Promoted learning by maintaining schools • Copied ancient books and manuscripts, preserving classical culture

6. RCC’s Political Role • Governed Papal States in Italy • Developed canon law based on Roman law • Had its own courts • Claimed supremacy over civil government

7. Frankish Kingdom • Clovis created powerful kingdom (5th century) • Subdued other Germanic tribes in Gaul • Converted Franks to Catholic Christianity, gaining support of: • Pope • Gaul’s large Christian population

8. Frankish Kingdom • Merovingian dynasty • His incompetent descendants ruled for more than 200 years • “Do-Nothing” Kings • Power passed to powerful noble, “Mayor of the Palace”

9. Frankish Kingdom • Carolingian dynasty • Charles Martel • Defeated Moors at Tours (732) • Pepin • At father’s death, became Mayor of the Palace • Removed last Do-Nothing King • Charlemagne got throne in 768

10. Charlemagne • 768-814 • Increased power of Catholic Church • Ended Lombard threat to Papal States • Converted pagan peoples to Catholicism

11. Charlemagne • Empire= most of western Europe

12. Charlemagne • Emperor of the Romans (800) • Crowned by Pope Leo III in Rome • Government • Empire divided into provinces • Each ruled by noble • Monitored by missi dominici • Temporarily halted shift of power from central government to nobles

13. Education under Charlemagne • Charlemagne valued education • Established schools in monasteries and cathedrals • Encouraged collecting and copying of Latin manuscripts

14. Education under Charlemagne • Created Carolingian miniscule (small letters)

15. Breakup of Charlemagne’s Empire • Treaty of Verdun divided empire among 3 grandsons • Louis • Eastern/modern Germany • Charles • Western/modern France • Lothar • Central/modern Italy

16. Rome Centered around Mediterranean Endured many centuries Charlemagne Encompassed mainly central and western Europe Crumbled at Charlemagne’s death Differed from Roman Empire

18. New Invasions (9th-11th centuries) • Vikings to coastal/ river cities

20. New Invasions (9th-11th centuries) • Magyars from Asia to Hungary to Western Europe • Normans invaded Britain from France

21. New Invasions (9th-11th centuries) • Arabs to Southern France/Italy • Led to development of new relationship ... feudalism

22. Why Feudalism? • Attacks from outsiders • Weakness of central governments • German rulers gave landed estates to important nobles in return for military assistance

23. Feudalism Defined • Social system • Rigid class distinctions • Static (unchanging) way of life • Political system • Local government • Local military defense • Economic system • Self-sufficient agricultural manors

24. Feudal Society • Determined by birth, not work • Feudal social pyramid • King • Nominally owned all land • Controlled only his estates • Powerful lords • Got fiefs from king • Pledged military service

25. Feudal Society • Feudal social pyramid (cont’d) • Lesser lords • Got fiefs from powerful lord • Pledged military service • Knights • Most numerous nobles • Serfs--peasants

26. Feudal Society • Lords could receive lands from several lords leading to questions of primary allegiance • Obligations between lord/vassal or noble/serf were hereditary • Noble’s title and property could only be inherited by first-born son (primogeniture)

27. Feudal Government • Weak Central Government • King theoretically administered entire kingdom • Actually did not have authority beyond his own lands • He was only one of several powerful lords

28. Feudal Government • Vigorous local government • Nobles controlled their lands • They: • Made laws • Levied taxes • Dispensed justice • Waged war

30. Feudal Economy • Self-sufficient agricultural manor • Serfs bound to land • Low agricultural output • Serfs given scattered strips of land • Wooden plows and crude sickles • Three-field system

32. Revival of Trade/Towns • End of barbarian invasions • Crusades increased European demand for Eastern luxuries • Growth of well-located towns • Towns provided facilities for: • Storage • Marketing • Production of goods

33. Revival of Trade/Towns • Medieval towns gained their freedom from feudal lords by: • Purchasing charters from lord/monarch • Successful armed uprisings

34. Revival of Trade/Towns • Rise of bourgeoisie (middle class) • New economic class grew with: • Increased trade • Growth of towns • Consisted of professional people: • Merchants • Shopkeepers • Bankers

35. Leading Medieval Centers • In Italy • Cities on Italian seacoast • Venice • Genoa • Pisa • Naples • Advantages • Mediterranean location • Commercial tradition

36. Leading Medieval Centers • In Belgium • Cities in province of Flanders • Bruges • Ghent • Flemish cities at crossroads of trade routes from northern Europe to Italy

37. Leading Medieval Centers • In Northern Germany • Cities: • Bremen • Hamburg • Lubeck • Controlled trade in Baltic and North seas • In 1200s became Hanseatic League

38. Merchant Guilds • Regulated trade by: • Taxing non-members to discourage competition • Encouraging fair business practices • Participating actively in town government • Functioning as social clubs

39. Craft Guilds • Associations of skilled craftsmen organized by craft

40. Medieval Towns’ Advantages • Freedom from feudal restrictions • Richer, more varied life • Cultural and educational facilities • Opportunities for economic advancement

41. Medieval Towns’ Disadvantages • Streets were dangerous: • Narrow • Unpaved • Unlighted • Unguarded • Wooden buildings close together, allowed fires to spread rapidly

42. Medieval Towns’ Disadvantages • Town walls, though protective, thwarted town growth • Poor sanitation • Led to epidemics and plagues • Black Death

43. Crusades (1095-1291) • Byzantine emperor appealed to RCC for aid against Moslem Turks

44. Political Effects of Crusades • Strengthened kings/central governments by: • Weakening nobility • Stimulating trade • Trade needs central authority offering law and order • Rising merchant class supported kings • Eventually Magna Carta – John I - limited power of king

45. Socio-Economic Effects of Crusades • Weakened serfdom • Some paid for use of lord’s land in money by selling crops • Evolved into modern tenant-landlord relationship • Some freed • Joined Crusades • Fled to cities for year + 1 day

46. Social Effects of Crusades • Broadened peoples’ outlook • Crusaders saw advanced Moslem and Byzantine civilizations • Gained better geographic knowledge • Encouraged learning

47. Economic Effects of Crusades • Stimulated trade and towns • Increased European demand for Eastern products • Throughout Europe, especially in Italy: • Money replaced barter • Bourgeoisie gained wealth and influence

48. Higher Education • 1000-1100s--scholars founded many important universities • Wide variety of subjects • Theology • Philosophy • Law • Medicine

49. The Early and High Middle Ages