Western Europe 500 CE – 1500 CE Edited by Mr. Barkhau Shamelessly stolen from: http://conaapwh.weebly.com/class- powerpoints.html

Medieval Europe: Periodization Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000 CE High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250 CE Late Middle Ages: 1250 – 1500 CE

Change in Western Europe By the year 1000 = invasions from outsiders (Vikings, Muslims, Magyars) had stopped Either stopped or were absorbed into western European society Result = peace and stability = things took a positive turn in Western Europe At the same time = general climate change  warmer conditions = better agriculture

Political Life in Western Europe Western Europe = now a series of regional kingdoms instead of one united empire Many Germanic rulers were influenced by and embraced Roman culture Many leaders wanted to recreate that unity that existed with the Roman Empire

Charlemagne Ruled the Carolingian Empire from 768 to 814 CE Set up an imperial bureaucracy Standardized weights and measures Acted like an old imperial ruler Christmas Day of 800 CE = he was crowned the “new Roman emperor” by the Pope

Charlemagne His empire was divided among his sons after his death Attempt at unity = unsuccessful

Otto I of Saxony Created the Holy Roman Empire (mostly Germany and its surrounding areas) Ruled from 936 to 973 Tried to regain unity in Western Europe just like Charlemagne Also received title of emperor from the Pope Unsuccessful 

A New Political System These new kingdoms = created a highly fragmented and decentralized society Europe full of thousands of independent and isolated manors (estates) Gave rise to a new system in Europe = feudalism = a political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service

A New Political System Power = exercised by monarchs and elite landowning lords Lesser lords and knights swore allegiance to greater lords and kings Lesser lords = vassals = people who entered into a mutual obligation to a higher lord or monarch Gave them: military protection and support In return they got: land or fiefs Fiefs = estates that came with serfs to work the land

Problems with Feudalism Possible to have allegiances to more than one person System relied on loyalty of subjects No strong central government King must ask his lords for knights in time of war. King must ask his lords for money to pay for things. Lords hold most of the power. Lords constantly fighting among themselves.

Life of the Nobility Nobility consisted of lords, ladies, and knights A lord had almost total authority over his fief A lady had few, if any, rights For entertainment, tournaments were held Mock battles between knights Other entertainment = archery, big dinners, minstrels, and singers

Becoming a Knight… Boys became knights by: Starting as a page (assistant) to the lord at age 7 At 15, he became a squire who assisted a knight Once he proved himself in battle, he was knighted in a ceremony

Becoming a Knight… Knights’ behavior was governed by a code of chivalry This became the basis for good manners in western society

The Manorial System Peasants lived on & worked the lord’s land This agricultural economic system is known as manorialism In return for the lord’s protection, the peasants provided services for the lord Farming, herding, weapon making, etc. Most peasants were serfs = people who couldn’t leave the lord’s manor without permission

Serfs vs. Slaves Serfs = tied to the land; not the personal property of a specific person Slaves = belong to their master

Christianity of Western Europe Roman Catholicism How did it spread throughout Western Europe? Church leaders and missionaries used a “top-down” strategy Converted people at the top (kings and higher lords) first  then they would persuade those below them to convert as well Many kings & lords chose to convert because: they liked the Church’s connection to the “civilized” and “grand” Roman Empire

Christianity of Western Europe Church authorities also had a lot of political power They worked together with kings, nobles, and knights Rulers gave the Church: protection and support of the religion The Church gave the rulers: religious legitimacy for their power (“It is the will of the Creator…”) Sometimes they competed for power as well

The Investiture Conflict Conflict over: who should appoint bishops and the pope himself The Church? Or kings and emperors? Compromise = the Church can select its own officials and rulers retain an informal and symbolic role in the process

The High Middle Ages 1000-1300

Change in Western Europe Population of Europe more than doubled Increased agriculture More agriculture = more trade Major European centers of trade: Northern Europe from England to the Baltic coast Italian towns such as Florence, Genoa, and Venice

Change in Western Europe Large European trading fairs held  merchants from Northern and Southern Europe met to trade products from their respective areas

Change in Western Europe This led to the growth of banking Moneychangers exchanged one currency for another Also took deposits and arranged loans Set up ways to transfer money from one place to another

Change in Western Europe Increased population = increased urbanization Growth of cities/towns and different groups within them Merchants Bankers Artisans Lawyers, doctors, and scholars

Guilds Guilds = business associations organized by merchants and artisans in the same line of work Created rules concerning foreign trading, pricing of goods, wages, etc. Guilds were controlled by masters = artisans who owned their own shops and tools

Guilds Apprentices worked for masters to learn the craft --> were not paid Apprentices became journeymen and received pay To become a master, had to submit a sample of his work to the guild for approval

Growth of Towns A number of towns in western Europe grew tremendously Townspeople built walls around towns for protection Buildings were mostly made of wood, making fire a constant hazard Cities were dirty, smelled terribly, and had almost no sanitation Garbage and sewage tossed into the streets Caused the rapid spread of diseases such as typhoid, influenza, and malaria Could become epidemics

The Black Death Worst = Bubonic Plague (1348-1350) --> killed 1/3 of the population = called the Black Death Ring around the Rosie is a reference to the Black Death

The Crusades

Pope Urban II calling for the Crusades The Crusades = a series of 9 “holy wars” led by European Christians to recapture the holy lands and spread Christianity Lasted several centuries Authorized by the Pope Belief that it was “God’s command” Pope Urban II calling for the Crusades

The Crusades

The Crusades Participants = knights, peasants, middle-class, nobles, kings, church authorities Participants received: Forgiveness of sins Immunity from lawsuits Cancellation of debts Honor and glory

The Crusades Most famous Crusades = those aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and other holy places in the Middle East from the Muslims Crusaders = very violent 1099 = seizure of Jerusalem  thousands of Muslims and Jewish people slaughtered

The Crusades The 1st crusade managed to conquer Jerusalem The Europeans then created 4 feudal “Crusader States” in the Holy Land, each ruled by a European noble. The 3rd crusade (1189-1192) attempted to recapture the holy land after it was conquered by the Turks. Included famous leaders like Richard the Lionheart (England) and Saladin Leads to the stories of Robin Hood (King John and eventually the Magna Carta)

The Crusades The 4th crusade sent Knights back to the Holy Land, however they never made it to Jerusalem. Instead attacked the city of Constantinople because they were in desperate need of supplies and funds. The Children's Crusade in 1212 They believed God would protect them because they were children. When the ships landed in North Africa, some children were slaughtered and others were sold in to slavery.

The Crusades Other targets of the Crusaders: Muslims on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) Lands along the Baltic Sea The Byzantine Empire and Russia Enemies of the Popes Opponents of the Catholic Church

The Crusades: Results Relatively unsuccessful Little lasting impact Increased power of the popes As a result of contact with the Islamic world, Europeans gained: A demand for Asian goods Muslim scholarship Techniques for producing sugar on large-scale plantations

The Crusades: Results Greater rift between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism Growth of anti-Semitism Solidified cultural barriers

The Magna Carta English King John was a bad king so his nobles forced him to sign the Magna Carta It limited powers of king. Signed in 1215 Example of Rule of Law

Western Europe A comparative Perspective

Catching Up Western Europe was much less developed than: the Byzantine Empire, China, India, and the Islamic world Smaller cities Politically weaker Less international economy Inferior technology

Europe’s Willingness to Borrow From: Received: Arabs Scientific ideas, business practices, goods like spices and sugar Pagan Greeks Philosophical and artistic ideas India Mathematical concepts, spices China Silks, porcelain, gunpowder, papermaking, compass, iron casting, nautical technology, a public postal service

Europe’s Own Breakthroughs In agriculture = new heavy wheeled plow that could handle the dense soils of Northern Europe In energy = non-animal sources = windmill, water-driven mill, complex gearing mechanisms, etc. Revolutionized production in many industries

Pluralism in Politics Political life in Western Europe became a system of competing states Ex: France, Spain, England, Sweden, etc. Why no single European empire? Geographic barriers Ethnic and linguistic diversity Shifting balances of power among the many states

Pluralism in Politics Result of this type of political system: Frequent warfare Enhanced the role and status of military men Drove the “gunpowder revolution”

Pluralism in Politics 3-way struggle for power in western European states between: monarchs, high-ranking nobles, and church leaders As a result = most cities ended up making their own laws and appointing their own local officials In many cities  kings granted charters = allowed citizens to have their own courts, laws, and governments

Paving the Way for the Future… Development of capitalism Development of representative institutions and parliaments First parliaments represented “estates” First estate = the clergy Second estate = the landowning nobility Third estate = Urban merchants

Reason and Faith Rising tension in Europe between: human reason and faith Classical Greek philosophy  Does it contradict religion? Or can it be used to help disclose the truths of Christianity

Rise of European Universities Considered “zones of intellectual autonomy” Professors and students could pursue their studies with some freedom from political and religious authorities Guild of scholars organized Major universities in: Paris, Oxford, Cambridge

Medieval Universities University of Paris in France Cambridge in England

Medieval Universities

Reason and Faith At these universities is where scholars and students began to examine faith and religion using reason and logic Example of a student’s question = Can you prove that God exists based solely on reason, without the Bible or other source of divine revelation?

Reason and Faith However, many scholars and students believed that reason could coexist with faith Logic, philosophy, and rationality would operate in service to Christ

Desire for Ancient Greek Texts Focus on reason and rationality = led scholars to seek out original Greek texts Especially those of Aristotle  his writings became the basis for university education Many translated from Greek and Arabic into Latin

Birth of The Renaissance The Renaissance will be caused by: An increased interest in acquiring new goods from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Demand for things such as silks, spices, ivory and pearls. This created a demand for trade with the Middle East. Increased trade = Increased income for Italian merchants Sophisticated Muslim culture, arts and philosophy were introduced to the Europeans