Changes in European Institutions

1. Changes in European Institutions

2. Introduction: Western Europe • In the centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, Western Europe underwent a period of political, economic, and social upheaval that continued until about 900. The one stabilizing force throughout most of Western Europe was the Roman Catholic Church. Only in Spain, dominated by Muslim influences, did the learning of the Greeks and Romans thrive in Western Europe • The decline in Roman authority in Western Europe resulted in the rise of feudalism as a system of protection. By the 11th century, Western Europe demonstrated signs of revival as universities were established, trade increased, and some serfs began to leave the manor.

3. Introduction: Eastern Europe • Although the Western Roman Empire fell in 476, the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine Empire, flourished. • The expansion of the Byzantine Empire facilitated Trans-Eurasian trade and communication as new people were drawn into their conquerors’ economies and trade networks.

4. Vocabulary • Benefice • Chivalry • Excommunication • Feudalism • Fief • Gothic Architecture • Investiture • Magna Carta • Manorialism • Medieval • Middle Ages • Moldboard plow • Parliament • Vassal • Justinian Code • Hagia Sophia • Constantinople • Renaissance • Black Death • Eastern Orthodox Christianity

5. Eastern Europe • At its height, Byzantine Empire was one of the most powerful empires in the world, covering Eastern Europe and almost all of North Africa • Greatest leader of the Byzantine Empire was Justinian, who in 550 CE, established a unified legal code throughout his empire. • Byzantine merchants traded not only over the Mediterranean region, but also throughout the regions surrounding the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean • In constant conflict with the nearby Muslim caliphates

6. In the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, one could climb the social ladder through military service or increase one’s chances of economic status by becoming a successful merchant • The split in Christianity occurred in 1054 separating it into Roman Catholic (west) and Eastern Orthodox (east) • Both eastern and western Europe were part of the Hanseatic League • Commercial alliances that increased trade and banking

7. Western Europe • Western Europe had collapsed into an “every man for himself” situation with no unifying armies, laws, or educational systems. • Christian church stepped up to provide order. The hierarchy in Rome provided the social order and political stability needed. • The pope was the spiritual leader in western Europe and was also the de facto political head. • The pope was served by bishops with regional authority and by priests with local authority. • Hierarchy expanded to include cardinals and archbishops • Monks and nuns served in education and missionary work. Membership as nuns offered women opportunities not seen in the secular world.

8. Local secular leadership: Manorialism • Land owners (lords) ran large farms or manors, with poor people (serfs) working the land. • Feudalism: Privately hired soldiers-knights-protected their lord’s land from attacks by rival lords, bandits, and sometimes Vikings • Adapted to their harsh sea by developing longships tough enough to sail them • Vikings were known as Northmen, Norsemen and Norman • They influenced the development of languages and were assimilated over time by accepting Christianity • Over time, winners gained more land and power until a lord has enough power to declare himself king.

9. New types of agricultural labor arose • Coerced labor or “forced labor” now included serfdom in western and eastern Europe and Japan. • Different than slaves: not bought and sold, “tied to the land” • Received no pay but did not pay taxes • Few advances for serfs work • Moldboard plow: allowed them to work the tough soil

10. Power shifted back to secular hands around 700 CE • Charles Martel defeated the Muslim army that had entered France from Spain in the Battle of Tours • Martel’s grandson, Charlemagne united much of modern France, Germany, and northern Italy into an empire “New Roman Empire” • Power struggle for political authority with church leaders • Charlemagne’s empire fractured after his death and led to kingdoms in England and France

11. The growth of Parliamentary government in England • 1215 in an effort to control the tax polies of King John, the nobles forced him to sign the Magna Carta • Created basic rights • 1265 Parliament was created as a representative body

12. Several developments from exchanges with Muslims in North Africa and Southwest Asia increased crop production • Horse collar, three-field system of crop rotation, and horseshoes • Horse collar made it possible for a horse to pull a plow • Rotating crops increased soil’s nutrients because they were less depleted • Horseshoes protected horses hooves so the horse didn’t need to be replaced as often • Resulted in increased amounts of food so populations increased and cities grew. • Also contributed to the warmer temperatures between 800-1300

13. Famous traveler: Marco Polo, journeyed in the late 1200 with his father and uncle from Venice to Southwest Asia along the Silk Roads into East Asia. Returned 24 years later • Account of his travels, A Description of the World, gave literate Europeans insights into the regions he visited • Two hundred years later, Christopher Columbus used Polo’s book as inspiration for his expedition

14. Venice was one of the great cities • Major trade hub linking Europe to Africa, Asia, and especially the Byzantine Empire. • Because of its strong economy, Venice became a powerful city-state in this era, with its own formidable military • Exported Christian themed paintings and statuary • Had close political and economic ties to Constantinople, another formidable city of the age

15. The Crusades • A series of Muslim-Christian clashes over control of Southwest Asia beginning in the late eleventh century and lasting about 200 years. • Religious causes: Christians sought to re-establish their faith in Southwest Asia, which they felt had been pushed aside by Muslims through jihad. • Political and economic causes: Byzantine wanted to retake land lost to Seljuk Turks • Economic cause: trade! Worried luxury goods would be cut off if Constantinople came under Muslim control

16. Results • Militarily: Europeans gained only small territories along eastern coast of Mediterranean. These Crusader states became centers of Christianity and trade with “the East”. Jerusalem became a city jointly occupied by Muslim, Jews, and Christians. • Culturally: Great advancements for Europeans • Rediscovered Roman and Greek literature which created an intellectual revival in 14th and 15th century called the Renaissance • Economic: Good for Europeans: Spices, foods, silk , cotton, and many new products • Led to more trade and a search for cheaper ways of trading.

17. High Middle Ages: 11th century • Gothic architecture • Increased urbanization • Rise of universities • Decline in the number of serfs on the manor. Some serfs received wages to work in new agricultural lands while others fled to towns. Serfs who lived a year and a day in town were considered free. • Emergence of centralized monarchies • Strengthening of nation-states. The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) increased the power of both France and England and considered by many historians as the end of Europe’s medieval period • Growth of banking • New warfare technology: gunpowder and cannon made castles obsolete