EQ:What are the Middle Ages and what role did Christianity play?

A New Religion Europe (Christianity) spread= the beginning of many cultural and social changes

Middle Ages The Period of time between 500 and 1500 CE that lay between the end of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance

What were the Middle Ages? These changes meant new societies, as well as new art, architecture, cities, beliefs, and lifestyles

Why the Middle Ages- in the middle of what? Before the Middle Ages started, Rome was a large and powerful empire After the Middle Ages, is a period we call the Renaissance- this was considered another time (like Rome) of great societal achievement Middle Ages was the time in between

“Barbarian” groups move into Roman lands

Europe after the Roman Empire After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was in shambles and very disorganized Groups from the North and East moved into former Roman lands and created their own states

KINGS? People started to call themselves kings No central government, so these “kings” created small kingdoms

The Spread of Christianity In Europe in the Middle Ages

“Christianization” Christianization = the process of becoming Christian, when the main religion in Europe became Christianity

Christianization of Europe With the help of Missionaries and Monks, Monasteries popped up all over Europe Nearly all of Europe was converting to Christianity Monastery-housing for monks

Christianity Spreads The people in these new kingdoms were not Christian They had their own beliefs, called “Pagan Beliefs” Missionaries and Monks helped spread Christianity Missionaries are people who try to convert others to a particular religion Monks are religious men who live under a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience They were sent by the Pope

Pope-leader of the Christian religion, considered last word in decisions -Then God Pope

Charlemagne It would take hundreds of years for Europe to fully Christianize Kings were converting to Christianity with the help of one very important king, named Charlemagne

King Charlemagne The Pope gave me my power! You better not question me- or you are questioning his Holiness, the Pope!!! In the 700’s there was a king, Charlemagne, who was king of the Franks He spent a lot of time in war , conquering lands for his kingdom, which spanned over modern day Germany and France He was given title of “King” by the Pope (who ran the Church)

Charlemagne’s Coronation Pope Charlemagne

The Masses Convert Everyday people had to make the choice whether or not to convert Many living in Europe had Pagan, or folk beliefs, remaining from a pre-Christian Europe They had to make a choice to either keep the same beliefs their families had had for centuries, or abandon them and convert to Christianity

What about people who didn’t convert? We’ll talk about this later, but, if you did kept your Pagan beliefs you could be: -rejected by your family, friends, and community -reported to the church (who were like the police) -accused of witchcraft -tortured -put in prison -executed/killed What would YOU do?? THE RACK→