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The Middle Ages. Europe. Charlemagne. The Middle Ages is a period in Europe from about 500 to 1500. Charlemagne was crowned emperor in 800 and a devout Catholic. He tried to strengthen his kingdom by giving land to nobles.
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Charlemagne • The Middle Ages is a period in Europe from about 500 to 1500. • Charlemagne was crowned emperor in 800 and a devout Catholic. He tried to strengthen his kingdom by giving land to nobles. • In return, nobles pledged their loyalty to him, maintained roads, bridges, defense walls, and estates.
Accomplishments of Charlemagne: • Promoted learning and culture in his empire. • Trial by jury • Standardized money • United Western Europe • Despite Charlemagne’s efforts to strengthen his kingdom, it fell apart after his death.
Invaders • Vikings, or fierce pirates and warriors from Scandinavia, invaded the empire and continued to launch several invasions. • In the early 900s, another group of Vikings, the Normans, settled in northern France. Their leader was William the Conqueror. They became Christians and church leaders and later invaded England and southern Italy.
A Change in Government • From about 1066 through the 1100s, most of the kings who ruled England were strong and governed justly. • King John governed with more force than earlier kings did. He demanded more military service and greater amounts of money. He also sold royal positions to the highest bidders. • English lords were angry with John’s rule. John agreed to the Magna Carta.
The Magna Carta contained 63 clauses to help the people, but the greatest value of the Magna Carta was that it limited royal power. The king had to obey the law.
The Church • During the Middle Ages, Christianity was an important part of daily life. • Not all Europeans were Christians; some were Jews and others were Muslims, but most were Christians. • Some people chose to devote their lives to religion by becoming monks and nuns.
A New Social Order: Feudalism • The Feudal Pyramid • Power in feudal system much like a pyramid, with king at the top • Kings served by nobles who are served by knights; peasants (serfs) at bottom • Knights—horsemen—defend their lord’s land
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER SERFS AND FREEMEN
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABOR PROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER POWERFUL NOBLES LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABOR PROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER KING LOYALTY AND SERVICE LAND POWERFUL NOBLES LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABOR PROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN
A New Social Order: Feudalism • Social Classes Are Well Defined • Medieval feudal system classifies people into three social groups • those who fight: nobles and knights • those who pray: monks, nuns, leaders of the Church • those who work: peasants • Social class is usually inherited; majority of people are peasants • Most peasants are serfs—people lawfully bound to place of birth • Serfs aren’t slaves, but what they produce belongs to their lord
Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism • The Lord’s Estate • The lord’s estate, a manor, has an economic system (manor system) • Serfs and free peasants maintain the lord’s estate, give grain • The lord provides housing, farmland, protection from bandits
Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism • A Self-Contained World • Medieval manors include lord’s house, church, workshops, village • Manors cover a few square miles of land, are largely self-sufficient • Had 4 parts: • Manor house and village • Farmland • Meadowland • Wasteland
Serf’s cottages were clustered together, forming a small village. • Serfs worked the manor lands using the three-field rotation system. • In this system, every serf was assigned a strip of land in each of the manor’s three fields. In the fall, one field was planted with wheat or rye. In the spring, the second field was planted with oats or barley. The third field was unplanted so that the soil would stay fertile. Each year the fields were rotated.
Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism • The Harshness of Manor Life • Peasants pay taxes to use mill and bakery; pay a tithe to priest • Tithe—a church tax—is equal to one-tenth of a peasant’s income • Serfs live in crowded cottages with dirt floors, straw for beds • Daily grind of raising crops, livestock; feeding and clothing family • Poor diet, illness, malnutrition make life expectancy 35 years • Serfs generally accept their lives as part of God’s plan