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MIDDLE AGES. From the Fall of Rome to the Decline of the Middle Ages. FALL OF ROME. FALL OF ROME. REASONS FOR DECLINE (Internal and External Forces) Invaders (Germanic peoples) Too much focus/money on entertainment Contagious diseases weakened army
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MIDDLE AGES From the Fall of Rome to the Decline of the Middle Ages
FALL OF ROME REASONS FOR DECLINE (Internal and External Forces) • Invaders (Germanic peoples) • Too much focus/money on entertainment • Contagious diseases weakened army • Ruled by emperors (after 30 BCE) who had absolute power • Overuse of slaves • Christianity more important than defending Rome • Overexpansion – Rome too large to defend • Internal political fighting
DARK AGES (500 – 800 CE) • 410 CE Rome conquered by the Goths (Germanic people) • Roman empire split into east and west – west declines and east becomes known as Christian Byzantine Empire and flourishes until 1400s • Known as Dark Ages as little known about it by historians and seen as brutal time to live • Germanic invaders set up new, fragmented kingdoms • Franks become important kingdom • Christianity, use of Latin, and Rome as center were ties to Roman era • Monasteries (religious communities) formed • Strong ties develop between church and government (kings)
MEROVINGIANS • Royal family ruled Gaul (France today) for almost 300 years • Franks (means ‘free’) lived in Gaul • Clovis I (481 – 511 CE) most successful ruler • Infighting after his death put kingdom into chaos
CHARLEMAGNE (768 – 814 CE) • Powerful king of Franks Emperor of former Western Roman empire • His father (Pepin) overthrew Merovingians • Helps stabilize turbulent area • Fought other Germanic tribes • Forced defeated people to accept Christianity `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
CHARLEMAGNE • Pope Leo III crowned him emperor (first time done and showed link between church and government) • Valued learning (though could not read himself) • Forced clergy to become educated • Tried to rid the church of corruption • Had many books recopied • Empire weakened as Charlemagne grew old • Sons fought over empire and split it up when he died
ANGLO-SAXONS • Farmers in England • Skilled metalworkers like Germanic peoples • Storytellers (epic poem Beowulf) • Raided by Vikings
VIKINGS • Attacked across Europe 800 – 1000 CE • Came from north and plundered Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, England, Spain, Italy, all the way to Russia • Created first permanent settlement by Europeans in North America (L’Anse Aux Meadows in Nfld. 1000 years ago
FEUDALISM IN EUROPE • Harold (Saxon people of England) fought William (Norman people of French coast) in Battle of Hastings 1066 CE • Bayeux Tapestry highlights this battle • Harold killed during battle and William becomes King of England
FEUDALISM • Social and political system • Loyalty, fealty, obligation, duty • Developed out of poor people’s need for protection against invaders • Need landowners had for defense • Small farmers turned to powerful landowners for protection • Protection in return for service as soldiers
TIMELINE • Early Middle Ages (600 – 1066 CE) • High Middle Ages (1066 – 1300 CE) • Late Middle Ages (1300 – 1500 CE)
FEUDALISM • Hierarchies develop (orders of rank and authority within different classes of people or organizations) • William gave warriors fiefs (large tracts of land) • Land exchanged for loyalty (oath of fealty) • Vassals (lesser lords) to provide king with knights for military duty)
FEUDAL CONTRACT • 3 Fs – fief (land), fealty (loyalty), and faith (religion) • Land to nobles in exchange for loyalty • Nobles were knights • Oath of loyalty given – allegiance • Serfs (poor farmers) had little freedom – counted as ‘property’ with land of nobles
MANOR LIFE • Large fiefs divided into smaller areas called manors • Each manor had farming land, woods, pasture, and a village • 90% of population poor (either serfs or freeholders)
MANOR LIFE • Demesne – lord of manor kept some land for own use • Bailiffs (managers) looked after land when lord away • Sustainable farming
CASTLE LIFE • Built high on a hill, near a river or with some natural barrier • Moats, murder holes, drawbridges • Villagers ran there during attacks • Offensive and defensive strategies • Under siege
CASTLES - KNIGHTS • Knights train constantly • Step 1 The right connections • Step 2 Upbringing • Step 3 The Page • Step 4 The Squire • Step 5 The Knight • Code of Chivalry • Jousting and tournaments
TRADE AND TOWN • Later Middle Ages sees growth in towns and economy • After Crusades, more people want to travel, obtain different goods • Local markets and fairs • New freedoms as towns grow
SPECIALIZATION OF LABOUR • As economy grows, people’s jobs become more specialized • Guilds created to train and protect jobs (early unions) • Apprentice – journeymen - master
CHURCH • Christianity – Catholic during Early Middle Ages • All Europeans expected to follow Christian ideas • Excommunication feared • Tithe (10%) of earnings to church • Church very powerful
INFLUENCE OF CHURCH • Monasteries (religious communities of work and prayer) • recopied books • Church on Sunday • Life revolved around church as it was involved in every aspect of feudal society
CHURCH • Early churches Romanesque (800 – 1100 CE)
CHURCHES LATER MIDDLE AGES • Gothic architecture
CRUSADES • Christians versus Muslims • Fought for control of the Holy Land (Jerusalem) • 7 crusades between 1096 – 1254 CE • Were not the success pope and Kings had hoped • New ideas, ways of thinking, goods to Europe
DECLINE OF MIDDLE AGES • Black Death (bubonic plague) 1300 CE • 25 million die (one-third of Europe)