Western Europe Chapter 10 Post-Class: Ch. 10 Reading Outline Western Europe Chapter 10 …it is all in the name, “Post-Classical”

Rome’s Waning Empire Bishops (Christian leaders of cities) given judicial powers & responsibility of urban poor Weakened by debt, peasants became tenants of landlords Late Rome pressured by Germanic barbarians (Goths, Vandals, Franks) Mercenaries, migrations

Post-Class: Ch. 10 Reading Outline http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMF7VZf3GVk

W. Europe: Timeline 500-1000 CE— Early Middle Ages 900-1100—Transition Agriculture, trade & politics slow but reviving Catholic church becomes a spiritual & political power 800-814 = Charlemagne 900-1100—Transition 1096 = Start of the Crusades 1000-1338— High Middle Ages Gains in population, trade & intellectual activity as well as political growth 1338-1450— Late Middle Ages

~the Foundations of Christian Society W. Europe: Early Middle Ages (500 CE to 1000 CE) ~the Foundations of Christian Society in Western Europe~ Foundations: Economic recovery Restoration of political order Framework that allows the Christian Church to provide leadership & unity Dark Ages?

In Summary: Economic Recovery & Restoration of Political Order 500 to 1000 characterized by: Manor System Self-sufficient farming manors organize society Mutual obligations b/t lord & serf Feudalism Decentralized, informal military rule Mutual obligations b/t lords & lords Gave structure to political & economic relationships. Developed due to a lack of centralized rule

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

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

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

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

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

Carcassonne: A Medieval Castle

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

Decentralized…sort of If Western Europe can be characterized by decentralized rule between 500 and 1000, then: Carolingian family is the exception Charlemagne temporarily unites part of Europe Cultural unity, rather than political unity, becomes the basis for eventual nation states

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

Carolingians & 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

Carolingians & 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)

The Carolingian Renaissance

Carolingians & 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

Carolingians ended by invasion Muslims, Magyar nomads, Vikings

The Vikings

Post-Class: Ch. 10 Reading Outline 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 Lifestyle: based on sea: Viking = pirate; a-viking = to go on an overseas adventure; both sexes wore long hair; married women were respected Government: tribal units, ruled by jarl Values: culture of war; blood feud common Education: not important, most illiterate, boys = warriors, girls = wives Religion: worshiped many gods, used crop and animal sacrifices

Viking Expansion

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

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)

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

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

Medieval Social Structure

Post-Class: Ch. 10 Reading Outline Halloween What does the interaction between cultures suggest about how Christianity spread in Europe during the postclassical period? brainpop Username: inmanelem Password: brainpop