Western Europe Chapter 10

1. Western EuropeChapter 10

2. Dark Ages – the Waning Empire • Bishops (Christian leaders of cities) given judicial powers & responsibility of urban poor • Peasants weakened by debt became tenants of landlords • Late Rome pressured by Germanic barbarians (Goths, Vandals, Franks) • Mercenaries, migrations

4. Timeline • 500-1000 CE— Early Middle Ages • Agriculture, trade & politics slow but reviving • Catholic church becomes a spiritual & political power • 900-1100—Transition • 1000-1338— High Middle Ages • Gains in population, trade & intellectual activity as well as political growth • 1338-1450— Late Middle Ages

5. Western Europe During the Early Middle Ages (500 CE to 1000 CE) ~the Foundations of Christian Society in Western Europe~ Dark Ages?

6. Christianity & Political Order • Christianity • Unites masses amid chaos • Barbarians convert for legitimacy

8. Christianity & Political Order • Christianity • Hierarchy provides practical leadership • Judges & educators • Based on tradition, land ownership, ceremonies

9. Political Order & Christianity • But, little formal government • Violence & blood feuds common • Some order from Roman landlords & barbarian warlords • Aristocrats: control of land lends resources (peasants, food, new warriors) • Germanic warriors: military might lends order • Franks were most powerful Germanic state • Example: Clovis

10. Life of the Peasantry • Culture minimal & rough • Hierarchy of needs? • Rome: population from 500,000 to 80,000 • Paris: population of 20,000 • Rural villages as population centers • Little education or literacy • Little trade • Focus on subsistence

11. Life of the Peasantry → Peasants become serfs • Unfree farm labor tied to land • Subsistence difficult while lacking technology • Sought safety through landlords

12. Carcassonne: A Medieval Castle

13. Men of Cloth; Men of Letters • Culture maintained by Christian clergy • Only literate members of society • Latin • Scriptoriums • Aided religious & political authority • “Rome” lived on in churches & became spiritual capital

14. In Summary Manor System • Self-sufficient manors organize society • Mutual obligations b/t lord & serf Feudalism • Decentralized, informal military rule • Mutual obligations b/t lords & lords

20. Review In groups of 4: • Analyze the daily life of each of the following people during the Carolingian dynasty: • Charlemagne; Nobleman; Priest; Serf • What is their motivation? What is their fear? How is their life impacted by other members of society? • Create a script for a skit or write a series of / diary entries letters

21. Carolingians & Charlemagne • Exception to divided informal rule • Carolingian dynasty (686 – 9th c) • Frankish • Charles Martel: starts dynasty • noted for ending Muslim attempts to conquer France • Charlemagne: most important ruler

22. Carolingians & Charlemagne • Charlemagne • Desired Christianizing & politically uniting all Germanic peoples • Centralized authority • Crowned by Pope in 800 CE (reflected church power) • Gave land to warriors to cement loyalty • Traveled 2000 miles/yr to maintain direct contact with those governed

24. Carolingians & Charlemagne • Charlemagne • Fostered “Carolingian Renaissance” • Trade initiated • Minted silver coins • Manufacturing improved (swords, pottery, glassware) • Learning emphasized • Punctuation, capitalization, & spacing added to script • Curriculum standardized (grammar, rhetoric, logic, math, astronomy)

25. The Carolingian Renaissance

26. Carolingians & Charlemagne • Charlemagne • Still…comparatively weak • 15 mil inhabitants vs. 50 mil in Abbasid or 100 mil in China • 50 acre palace complex vs. 250 acres in Baghdad • Personalist rule meant that when reign ended, so to did many advancements

28. Carolingians ended by invasion Muslims, Magyar nomads, Vikings

29. The Vikings

30. Viking Origins • Norse people from Scandinavia • Think: North, Normans, Normandy, Norway • “Vik” = on the war path • Lifestyle: • Tribal, warrior culture • Polytheistic • Expansion fueled by population pressure

31. Viking Expansion

32. Vikings in Eastern Europe • Sailed Russian river systems until reaching Black Sea & Constantinople • Opened trade links b/t Russia & Byzantium • Exported furs & slaves for Byzantine manufactures • Kievian-Rus (proto-Russia) • Mixture of Viking & Slavic ethnic groups • Christianized by Cyril & Methodius (Orthodox)

33. Vikings in Eastern Europe • Russian envoys reported: “We went among the Germans [the Catholic Franks] and we saw them performing many ceremonies in their churches; but we beheld no glory there. Then we went to Greece [in fact, to Constantinople and Hagia Sophia], and the Greeks led us to the edifices where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendor or such beauty, and we are at a loss to describe it. We only know that God dwells there among men…”

34. Vikings in Western Europe • Explored & raided coastal France & Britain • Longships & weapons became sources of fear • Plundering, killing, burning • Wealth & prisoners aided exploration & expansion of slave trade • Settle eventually & Christianized • Normans

35. Viking Impact • Fostered expanded trade links in Europe • Intensified local rule • Eastern Europe = city-states • Western Europe = feudalism • Looked to local lords to protect them

36. Transitions (900 CE to 1100 CE) ~Steps toward Progress~ End of raids Warming of climate

37. Causes for Transition • Agricultural innovation • Expansion of arable land • Three-field system • Mold-board Plow

38. Causes for Transition • Population growth fuels urbanization

39. Causes for Transition • Diffusion of new ideas • Crusades brought contact with Muslims & Byzantium

40. The Crusades • Catholic Pope Urban II called First Crusade in 1096 • Originally effort to retake Holy Land from Islamic Empires • Resulted in small crusader states in eastern Mediterranean • Supported by Byzantium for striking at longstanding enemy

41. The Crusades • Later Crusades lacked success & focus • Crusading hordes disrupted Constantinople’s economy • Italian city-states (Genoa & Venice) desired trade in eastern Mediterranean • Engineered 4th Crusade, which temporarily conquered Constantinople

42. Other Conquests • Christian Reconquista of Islamic Spain began in 1061 • Christians wrestled control of Sicily from Muslims in 1091

43. Christian Crusades

44. Impact of Crusades on W. Eur • One Muslim observer: “Their bodies large, their manners harsh, their understanding dull, and their tongues heavy. …Those of them who are the farthest to the north are the most subject to stupidity, grossness, and brutishness.”

45. Impact of Crusades on W. Eur • Contact w/ more advanced societies yielded: • Adoption of innovations • Arabic numerals • Recovery of Greek & Roman learning • Architectural engineering • Windmills & watermills • Greater trade • Increased demand for silk, cotton textiles, & spices • Desire for direct trade in Asian markets

46. Western Europe During the High Middle Ages (1000 CE to 1300 CE)

47. Economic Growth Early Middle Ages High Middle Ages Towns grew with commerce & people moving to urban areas Population growth during transition sparked revival of towns & trade • Towns were small with rural agriculture dominating

48. Towns & Trade • Town life exemplified by artisan guilds • Occupations were licensed, standards of quality • Politically & socially influential • Emphasized Christianity • Contributed to building of cathedrals • Adopted patron saints & sponsoring parades • Trade networks develop • Hanseatic League • Italian city-states & Mediterranean

49. Town Dwellings

50. High Medieval Trade