Chapter 5

The Middle Ages The Middle Ages are the period of time between ancient and modern times. Began about 500 A.D. through 1500 A.D. When the Roman Empire broke up, invading groups created many small kingdoms. Most of the invaders could not read or write Soon, very few people in Europe could read or write. Why?

Charlemagne became king of one of the invading groups known as the Franks in 768 Soon, he ruled an empire that stretched across most of the Western Europe. Charlemagne ruled for nearly 50 years. He opened schools so people could learn to read and write. He also spread the Christian religion and improved the economy. When Charlemagne died his sons fought for control of the empire and weaken the empire to attacks from outsiders.

The Vikings came from far north of Europe The Vikings came from far north of Europe. They burned and looted European towns. Charlemagne’s Empire was gone.

Questions: Answers: Why did Charlemagne’s empire fall apart? What years did the middle ages cover? Summary:

Feudalism: A kind of Government Under feudalism – Nobles and lords, who owned the land had the most power. They gave land to their vassals. A vassal was someone who promised to follow the lord’s laws and fight for him. Vassals helped pay for armies that would fight for the lord. Vassals who rode horses and led men into battle were called knights.

In exchange, lords promised to protect their vassals and their lands. Feudalism was a way for people to protect themselves and share power. Manorialism was a way for people to supply food, clothing, and shelter. The manor included fields, houses, animals and peasants to work there. A lord ruled over the poor people who lived on his manor. He made the rules and acted as judge. And he collected taxes from the peasants who lived there.

Peasants and Serfs Most people during this time were peasants. Peasants were often very poor. They did all the work on manors. Most peasants were also serfs. When a noble was given a manor, its serfs became his. They could not leave the manor or get married without his permission.

A serf is not the same as a slave. A serf could save enough money to buy land and become a free peasant. Most serf were serfs their whole lives. Medieval peasants worked very hard. Even the children worked. Peasants lived in dark, one room huts. For heating and cooking, they built fire on the dirt floor. They ate simple food such as bread and cabbage.

Questions: Answers: What was life like for medieval peasants? Manor Serf Summary:

Middle Ages CLMS King Noble

5-2 The Church and the rise of cities During the Middle Ages, nearly everyone in Western Europe was a Roman Catholic. The Roman Catholic Church was so powerful that it was known simply as “the Church” The Church had great wealth from the taxes they collected. It took land from the lord when clergy provided services for the lord. And it used the threat of excommunication to make people obey.

Almost every village had a priest. The clergy were part of every major event in peoples lives – birth, illness, marriage, or death. The clergy helped people follow Church rules about how to live. Some religious men, or monks lived together in religious communities called monasteries. Religious women, or nuns, lived in convents.

Monks and nuns looked after the sick and set up schools. Monks copied ancient books, saving knowledge that otherwise would have been lost.

Questions: Answers: What role did religion play in the lives of people during the Middle Age? Clergy Excommunication Summary:

Trade comes back and towns grow Feudalism and the Church made Europe a safer place and the population grew. SO Merchants traveled to far away places to buy and sell goods. As trade grew, so did local markets. Traders would get together at places they knew they would find travelers, such as river crossings Towns grew in these places too.

At the same time, many manors were getting overcrowded. Many lords were glad to let peasants buy freedom and move to towns.

Life in towns and cities Towns and cities could not raise anything everything they needed. Instead people bought goods. This helped to begin a new class called the middle class. Many merchants and craft workers started groups called guilds. Guilds decided how much to charge and made sure the items were made well.

To become a member of the guild took time A boy between the ages of 8 and 14, who wanted to learn a trade became an apprentice. He would live and work for a master of that trade for up to seven years. Then he could become a journeyman, or paid worker If his work was good, he could join the guild.

Medieval Culture The new cities attracted people who enjoyed learning and teaching. Talented artists created beautiful artwork. Stories, poems and songs about chivalry were popular. Throughout the land, troubadours went from place to place. They sang about brave deeds done by knights to win the love of a worthy woman.

Questions: Answers: Would you have liked to live during this time period? Guild Apprentice Chivalry Summary:

5-3 The Crusades In 1095, Pope Urban II had a message for the people of Europe. He wanted them to capture the Holy Land. The Holy Land being Jerusalem and parts of the surrounding area where Jesus lived and taught. This began 200 years of Crusades

Causes of the Crusades For almost 900 years, European Christians had been going to Jerusalem as pilgrims. They wanted to visit places written about in the Bible. Jerusalem had been controlled by Arab Muslims for hundreds of years. They usually welcomed Christians pilgrims. But when Turkish invaders took control in the 1000’s, things changed. First, they attacked Christian pilgrims. Then they closed the roads to Jerusalem.

Pope Urban II wanted the Holy Land under Christian control. What were some other reasons for the crusades? Wanted Christian pilgrims to be able to visit religious sites there He believed a crusade would bring Europe together, and that they would stop fighting among themselves He also wanted power for himself and the Church.

Some Europeans had other reasons for wanting the Crusades. They wanted to control the Holy Land, too. And they also wanted to control trade routes between Africa, Asia and Europe.

A series of Crusades – How it went down! 1st a small group of common people went to fight. They were led by a small man who wore a monk’s robe. Peter the Hermit- led what was called the “people’s crusade” in 1096. When they stopped at Constantinople the Emperor there tried to get them to wait for help. But most of Peters followers went on and were defeated. – only a small part survived

Finally the army sent by the Pope arrived Finally the army sent by the Pope arrived. This army was made up of knights and skilled fighters. They joined up with what was left of Peter’s army. They captured Jerusalem in 1099. During the fighting they, killed about 10,000 of the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish people.

A second Crusade had little success A second Crusade had little success. A strong Muslim leader had come to power. By 1187 the Muslim leader, Saladin had retaken Jerusalem. The king of England Richard I tried to talk him into giving Jerusalem back to the Christians. He refused saying the land is just as important to us as it is to you. But the land was reopen to Christian pilgrims.

Questions: Answers: What was the main goal of the crusaders? Crusades Jerusalem Pilgrim Holy Land Summary:

The Power of the Kings At the start of the 1200’s some lords had more wealth than the king. Feudalism began to weaken and the power of the kings began to grow. One reason why was the growth of towns and cities. Kings agreed to protect towns in return for money paid by townspeople. With that money, kings hired armies to attack nobles who gave them too much trouble.

Small Kingdoms / Cities As kings became more powerful, they united more of their kingdom. The larger kingdoms began to turn in to nations. Larger Kingdoms Manors Small Kingdoms / Cities Nations / Countries

This happened because people began to think of themselves as English or French. They were no longer loyal to their lords but now they were loyal to the king and his government.

Changes in England By the 1200’s, England was almost a nation. Here’s how it happened. In 1066, William of Normandy, a French Duke, Conqueror England. He was a strong ruler and he made sure that he had more power than his nobles. Later John became king in 1199. He forced people to pay heavy taxes. He put his enemies in jail unfairly. He took land from the Church.

John and angered the nobles and clergy. Pope declared that John was no longer the king. English nobles and bishops gave John a list of demands. He was forced to put his royal seal on the list called the Magna Carta. These new laws limited the king’s power. People could no longer be jailed without a reason and taxes had to be approved by others

A group of advisors to the king later became the Model Parliament. The Magna Carta also strengthened the king’s power. Because now that the nobles had a say in the government, they were more willing to support the king. Brain Pop video

The Hundred Year’s War In 1328, the French king died. King Edward III of England claimed to be king of France. The French nobles did not agree. Edward III invaded France and this began the Hundred Years’ War. England has one most of the battle but it all changed when a French peasant girl called Joan of Arc took charge of the French forces.

She lead the French the forces to victory after victory against the English. In 1430 she was taken prisoner and put on trial for witchcraft. She was convicted and burned at the stake. Her death inspired the French to more victories and by 1453, the English had been driven from most of France.

During this war new weapons helped to increase the power of the soldiers. Armored knights became less valuable in battle. Castles could not stop cannonballs and kings needed large armies The Hundred Years’ War also led to national feelings in France and England.

Questions: Answers: Why did feudalism decline? Summary: