THE MIDDLE AGES IN EUROPE “Dark Ages” and Later Middle Ages

FALL OF ROME  When the Western Roman Empire (centered in Rome) fell in 476, the Ancient Period ended and the Middle Ages began.  MA lasted for about 1,000 years until the beginning of the Modern Period in the 1400s.

THE “DARK AGES”  Barbarian invaders destroyed the Roman Empire and its well organized political, economic, and social systems  Barbarians killed many people and forced others into slavery.  Because robbers and bandits roamed the countryside, merchants stopped shipping goods to distant markets As trade decline, industry shut down and workers lost their jobs. Cities became smaller in size as unemployed workers moved to rural areas. Reading and writing were neglected and the arts and sciences ignored. Roman roads deteriorated and schools, libraries, and museums were destroyed.

 Much of Western Europe was divided into weak kingdoms whose rulers were unable to provide protection and maintain law and order  One of the few successful kings during the early middle ages was Charlemagne (Charles the Great), who ruled the Holy Roman Empire from  After the death of Charlemagne, a succession of weak kings steadily lost power to a rising group of nobles.

BEGINNINGS OF FEUDALISM:  Kinds failed to prevent new invasions by barbarian tribes during the 800s and 900s.  Most famous of the tribes was the Northmen, also called the Norseman or Vikings, who came from Scandinavia. Other invaders were the Magyars from Central Asia and the Arab Moors from Spain and North Africa.  People looked to powerful nobles, called lords, for protection because they owned large estates and had armies to defend them against attack.  Free men who accepted the lord’s protection became serfs: agreed to farm the lord’s land and gave him a portion of their crops.  Wars often broke out between lords who wanted to add new lands to their estates.  Conditions spread fear and confusion among the people of Western Europe.

THE LATER MIDDLE AGES ( S)  The Crusades: military expeditions from to win back the Holy Land from the Muslim Turks (more to come on this)  Effects: Decline Feudalism Serfs freed for service in Crusades Lords spent lots of money fighting/some lost lives Merchants supported kings b/c they were more likely to keep the peace than warring lords As power of kings grew, strong nation-states began to emerge Europeans wanted goods exposed by Crusade traders (silk, spices, sugar, and precious stones.) Barbarian invasions ended and people returned to cities; Towns became centers of trade, culture, and learning Catholic Church played important role in daily life by providing leadership