Postclassical Western Europe “We reserve the term 'genius' for people who are creative, who are innovators, who think in ways that are entirely new. In the Middle Ages, the term 'genius' was reserved for people with the best memories. That is telling.”- Joshua Foer

People and Places Charlemagne Clovis Thomas Aquinas Venice

Political Problems 3.2.1 Political turmoil after Rome fell as the various Germanic tribes settled down and converted to Catholicism, such as the Franks under Clovis Muslims invade Iberia, but then stopped by Charles Martel, the founder of the Carolingian dynasty, in 732 Pepin the Short establishes the idea that political legitimacy derives from the church

Vikings 3.1.2

Campaigns of Charlemagne 3.2.1 Continued expansion of Frankish territory, crowned emperor by the pope in 800 Revitalized the arts and education through monasteries Relied on feudalism to control his kingdom When he died in 814, the empire was divided among his grandsons, leading to the Holy Roman Empire and regional kingdoms

Feudalism 3.2.1 A chain of lords and vassals, exchanging protection and fiefs for military service The most powerful lord was the king, eventually leading to feudal monarchies that combined centralization with feudal principles Feudal aristocracies limited royal power in parliaments and with documents like the Magna Carta However, central administration increased over time, particularly after the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)

Crusades 3.2.2 The first of eight began in 1096, with the stated goal of taking back the Holy Land Loot and promise of entry into heaven motivated the men Brief successes, but after the First Crusade none of the gains were permanent Much more important for their economic and cultural impacts

Medieval Agriculture 3.1.4/3.3.1/3.3.3 Manorialism was the relationship between landlords and serfs that evolved in the later Roman Empire Agricultural methods gradually improved through the introduction of the moldboard plow, horse collar, three-field system, Persian alfalfa, and north African durum wheat As time passed and expansion into new farmland occurred, many serfs gained more freedom

Manorialism 3.3.3

City Life 3.1.1 In the new towns, burghers became politically powerful and independent from monarchs Since trading cities were interdependent, alliances like the Hanseatic League were formed Raw materials from the north traded in exchange for cloth and manufactured products from the low countries and Italy Italian cities reopened trade with the east

Creation of Capitalism 3.1.1 As a result of this growth in commerce, banking and money usage expanded Profiting form trade was frowned upon by the Catholic church The most import urban institution was the artisan guild, which emphasized group protection and control European was far behind the rest of the world

Black Death 3.1.4 Originating in Asia, devastated Europe between 1346 and 1353 1/3 of Europeans perished, with cities especially hard hit Led to persecution of minorities, particularly Jews Hastened the decline of the manorial and feudal systems

Medieval Catholicism Earlier church doctrine was combined with the rational philosophy of Aristotle and other ancient and Arab learning This scholasticism was centered in new universities and its leading figure was the monk Thomas Aquinas Ordinary Christians were devoted, but often unable to comprehend religious theory and continued pagan traditions

Medieval Art For visual art and architecture, almost exclusively religious Gothic architecture was created in order bring people closer to God Most literature was in Latin and focused on religion or scholarship However, literature revolving around secular themes of adventure and everyday life written in the common tongues also developed

Notre Dame de Paris

To conclude, when we examine postclassical western Europe, we not only find the hallmarks of a society in transition, but also clear indicators of a powerhouse in the making. From the first attempts at colonies beyond the continent’s shores to the baby steps of capitalism, all the ingredients that Europeans needed to dominate the globe in the coming century were present in their alleged Dark Age. All that was required was just a little time to develop. Well, that and having the rest of the Eastern Hemisphere get sidetracked by the Mongols. Thanks for coming.