Medieval Europe Order in the absence of empire

1. Medieval EuropeOrder in the absence of empire

2. Geography of Europe • Eurasia – Combined continents of Europe and Asia • Known as a peninsula of peninsulas • Jutland, Italian, Scandinavian, Kola, etc. • Several Islands of Europe • Iceland, British Isles, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, Crete.

3. Geography of Europe • Landforms • Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathian, Caucasus, Ural, Apennines - Mountain Ranges • Rivers • Many rivers that are deep and wide enough for large ships. • Volga – longest river. • Danube, Rhine, and Dnieper

5. Medieval Europe • Germanic tribes set up small kingdoms in Italy, Gaul, Spain, Britain, and North Africa. • Franks – dominated area west of Roman Empire. • Germanic government depended on warrior loyalty. What about Rome and Greece? • Few govt. officials and few taxes. Free Service. • Laws based on customs and the prevention of family feuds.

6. Kingdom of the Franks • From Germany and Belgium • 5th Century under Clovis • Thought Church would make him more powerful. Was only Roman Catholic King in Gaul. • Died in 511 and kingdom was divided into among his four sons. • Power of the Franks started to decline with death of Clovis.

7. The Franks • 700s the Germanic tribes were invaded by Muslims. • Went through Europe and Spain. • Battle of Tours • Charles Martel rallied Christians to defeat the Muslims. • Martel – organized a strong central govt. • Est. Carolingian dynasty. • When he died his son, Pepin, was elected and approved by the Pope. • Symbolized strong ties b/w King and Church.

9. Charlemagne • Germanic invaders toppled Rome in 476, but no clear successor to emerged. • The Franks temporarily controlled the empire; the high point of which was the reign of Charlemagne from 768-814 Charlemagne

10. Charlemagne • Came to power in 768 • Strengthened the central govt. • Conquered Europe and Western Roman Empire. • Ran 50 military campaigns and doubled the size of the kingdom. • 800 – Pope Leo III crowned him “Emperor of the Romans” • Wanted Uniform Laws • Appointed judges for this cause.

11. Charlemagne • Missi Dominici • Messengers that checked with local nobles to see that they were being responsible for justice and defense of their lands. • Supported Christianity • Encouraged missionaries and parishes within the empire. • Wanted to convert the Saxons to Christianity. • Encouraged Education • Education for the Clergy • Learned Latin and how to write. • Strengthened empire and created a new culture.

12. Charlemagne • Parishes – rural districts of the church each with own priest. • Required all Christians to tithe. • Carolingian minuscule • Both capital and lower-case letters we use today.

13. Franks are Invaded • No longer was the government centrally led by one. • By lacking a great leader, the Franks became open to invasion. • Very small bands of people attacked the Franks in Northern Europe

14. Invasions of Europe • Treaty of Verdun (814) • Charlemagne’s grandsons divided the empire into 3 kingdoms. • Happened when new invaders were emerging within Europe. • Magyars (Hungarians) and Muslims • Magyars and Slavs attacked Western Europe. • Muslims attacked Italy.

15. Charlemagne’s Empire Collapses:Treaty of Verdun, 843

16. Invasions of Europe • Vikings • Farmers and traders from Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, & Denmark). • Burned and looted towns. • Attacked Northern France, settled Iceland, and Greenland, and occupied parts of England. • Leif Ericson – settled in North America. • People turned to local leaders and nobles for protection from the Vikings.

18. Regional States • After Charlemagne, his successor Carolingians had no effective means of defending against Magyars, Muslims, Vikings, and other invaders • In response, European nobles sought to protect their lands and maintain order in their own territories Viking long ship

20. Medieval Society • Invasions led to another type of government. • Feudalism: Rule by Loyalty • Why Feudalism? • Constant attacks • Lack of central protection and safety.

21. Feudalism A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

22. Medieval Society • Feudalism: Order out of Chaos • Kings granted large areas of land to Lords for the Lord’s loyalty. • The gift was called a fief or estate. • Lords could then offer smaller parts of land to Vassals (lesser nobles) • Vassals & Knights controlled the people on the land and their possessions. • Peasants – bound to the land and worked the land for exchange for protection from the vassal.

24. Feudalism • No true hierarchy of lords and vassals. • Because the feudal hierarchy arose as a makeshift for defense against invaders, it always had a provisional, ad hoc, and flexible character • There was no “system”

25. Feudal Society • Lord owned land, but Vassal had the right to use it and to pass it on to his heirs. • In exchange for a fief, the vassal promised military service to the lord. (40 days a year) • Also promised taxes and fees.

26. Vassal Obligations • Payment of an annual fee for land. • Ransom payment if lord was captured. • Payment of a fee when the lord’s eldest daughter or eldest son was married.

27. Feudal Society • Reality – King had Limited Power • King could not collect taxes or enforce laws outside their own estates. • No single unified system • Vassal to many different fiefs. Lords could inherit vassals of lesser lords, etc. • When invasions decreased, warfare continued. • Lords competed for power – Greed, honor, and family feuds fueled the competition.

28. Knights • Creation of Knights • Fought for lesser lords. • Lesser lords answered to lords, and lords to the King. • Charles Martel – realized that Knights couldn’t afford armor so he granted them land and peasants for service. • Lifelong training

29. The Road to Knighthood KNIGHT SQUIRE PAGE

31. Feudal Warfare • Most battles were small and involved a few hundred to a thousand people. • Knights were more likely to be captured than killed. Could get a ransom for them. • Large stone castles were constructed for protection.

32. Chivalry • Code of conduct for knights. • Expected to be brave, generous, and loyal in battle but did not govern a knight’s behavior toward peasants and common people. • Respect noblewomen and defend his family’s honor.

33. Castles • Centers of noble life • Purposes: • Intimidation • Military defense • Residence Warwick Castle, England

34. Noblewomen • Few rights under warfare. • Inherit a fief, but not rule it. • Father, Husband, or Son was her legal guardian. • Arranged marriages • Duty of raising a large family. • Education • Practical skills – spinning, weaving, cooking. • Chivalry – put women on a pedestal as objects to be cherished and protected.

35. Manors • Manors were large estates consisting of fields, meadows, forests, agricultural tools, domestic animals, and serfs • The lord of the manor provided government, administration, police services, and justice for the manor • In the absence of thriving cities in rural areas, manors became largely self-sufficient communities

36. Feudal Justice • Lords were supposed to provide justice for the manor. • Laws were based on customs. • Knights had trials by combat. • God often decided guilt or innocence.

37. Serfs • Free peasants sought protection from a lord and pledged their labor and obedience in exchange for security and land to cultivate • Peasants began to be recognized as serfs– neither fully slave nor fully free • But still owed obligations to the lords whose lands they cultivated

38. Serfs’ Obligations • Right to work land, and to pass it on • In exchange they had to perform labor services and pay rents in kind (a portion of the harvest, chickens, eggs, etc) • Male serfs typically worked three days a week for their lords with extra services during planting and harvesting times • Women serfs churned butter, spun thread, and sewed clothes for their lords and their families

39. Serfs’ Obligations • Since the lord provided the land, the serfs had little opportunity to move and had to get the lord’s permission to do so • Even had to pay fees to marry someone who worked for a different lord

40. Life on the Manor • Each manor was self-sufficient. • Crop Rotation Introduced. • 1st Field – Winter Crop – Wheat or Rye • 2nd Field – Spring Crop – Oats, Beans, Barley • 3rd Field – Left Alone • Advantages – Did not wear out the soil, less likely to face starvation, improved diet.

41. Innovation • Plow • Horseshoes and Harnesses • Windmill • Clearing the land – Serfs offered Freedom

42. The Medieval Church • Two Tasks • Converting Non-Christians • Organizing the Church in a new structure of lifestyle. • System of Rural Churches Created • Created from scattered and spread out villages

43. The Feudal Church • Clergy had great power in political affairs. • Church Officials • Gave blessings for marriage, politics, knighthood, etc. • Friday – Sunday no wars allowed. • Christians who disobeyed were excommunicated and lost property.

45. Economics • Trade fairs introduced the people to languages, customs, and goods from all over the world. • Many Nobles introduced taxes and fees for traders entering their lands • 1200s trade fairs declined.

46. The Hanseatic League • Founded 80 cities and towns in Northern Germany. • Banded together for protection and trade. • Built large naval fleet to protect against pirates. • Became a powerful coalition.

47. Trade • As trade increased old cities reemerged along trade routes. • Growth of cities stimulated economies. • Trade created middle class = merchants and artisans called the bourgeoisie. • Creation of Guilds • Associations of merchants and artisans that governed the town. • Regulated prices, wages, quality, and foreign competition.

48. Economics • Creation of just price or cost of material plus a reasonable profit. • Trade memberships offered • Rigorous training to limit competition and keep prices and wages up. • Apprentices learned from master craftsmen. • 3-12 years long • Apprentice  Journeyman  Master Craftsman • Earned wages with the master craftsman while perfecting skills.

49. Town Life • Villages or towns of a few thousand individuals. • Poor sanitation and animals often scavenged the road ways for food. • Made completely of wood and thick outside walls. • Dangerous epidemics of disease (smallpox and typhoid)

50. Medieval Culture • Art and Architecture reflected the power of the church. • Huge Cathedrals were built in major towns. • Some took more than 30 yrs. to complete. • 500 built from 500-1300 • Romanesque - thick outside walls, domes, and rounded arches. • Gothic - cathedrals were built tall, light, and airy.