THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES TRANSITION IN EUROPE

SO FAR… Over the last 4000+ years Europe has been dominated by Mediterranean civilizations… Egypt: 3100BC – 750BC Greece: 1600BC – 300BC Rome: 700BC – 476BC Byzantine Empire: 258AD – 1453AD

TRANSITION Early Middle Ages represent a transition from Roman dominated society to “Medieval Society” The next 500+ years will be dominated by Northern Europe

EUROPE – 200 AD

EUROPE – 300 AD

EUROPE – 500 AD

EUROPE – 700 AD

EUROPE – 900 AD

EUROPE – 1000AD

TRANSITION IN EUROPE Based on those maps, what do you think Europe is like in the Early Middle Ages (500-100BC) How do the East & West differ?

EUROPE – 500 AD THE “DARK” AGES 500 – 1300 AD

THE WEST: The “DARK” AGES Given the name because the “intellectual light” of Rome had been extinguished by the barbarian hordes ending in the Italian Renaissance in the 14th Century The west does undergo tumultuous times – the “Barbarians” fight for control of the land and the boundaries of each empire are constantly contested and changing. This “Dark” barbarian transition period really only takes a few hundred years, not 800 as is suggested

THE WEST: WHO WERE THESE “BARBARIANS”? THE CELTS Natives of Western Europe Gauls – France Britons – UK Bretons – France Picts - Scotland Warband societies who just wanted to raid, rape and plunder

THE WEST: WHO WERE THESE “BARBARIANS” GERMANIC TRIBES Most barbarians were Germanic from Scandinavia Included: Goths Franks Vandals Angles Saxons Jutes Frisians

THE WEST: Barbarian CONVERSION MONASTICISM: The birth of Monasteries & Monks extend the influence of the church into the west and serve as mini-conversion centers. Not surprisingly this is met with some resistance and by some I mean bloody resistance…but over 100s of year it is somewhat successful.

THE EAST: BYZANTINE EMPIRE

THE EAST: BYZANTIUM PROSPERS As things change, they stay the same… Byzantine Empire = Eastern Roman Empire Roman Model of Government still used with Emperor appointing military commanders etc. People still heavily taxed After the time of Justinian they went from Latin to Greek as the preferred language The bezat was the standard gold coin of international trade

BYZANTIUM & THE CHURCH Constantine was the first Christian Emperor, he was appointed by God as Christ’s representative The Emperors that succeeded Constantine therefore also were seen as the peoples connection to God and ruled the church with an iron fist. There were 2 leading church officials… In Byzantium – the Patriarch = head of the church In the Byzantine Empire the Patriarch would still be under control of the Emperor In Rome – the Pope = head of the church In Rome…there is no Emperor anymore? So the Pope had more freedom.

THE CHURCH SPLITS They co-exist for about 500 years (during the Early Middle Ages) 11th Century there is a divide… BYZANTIUM The Greek Orthodox Church following the Emperor & Patriarch of the Church ROME The Roman Catholic Church following the Pope (this means the church is free to try and spread Christianity at its own will).

HEADS OF THE CHURCH ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH THE POPE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH THE BYZANTINE EMPEROR

BYZANTINE EMPIRE: JUSTINIAN AKA: Justinian the Great (getting a little redundant now isn’t it) Attempts to Re-conquer & Re-unite Rome as a Christian Empire Completely crushes the last remnants of the previous ‘pagan’ religion (The Olympians) Justinian Code: Took 16 years to finish, clarified all the old Roman laws, gave instruction on how property was passed to heirs, how disputes should be resolved. Became the basis of Civil Law in Europe and across the world.