1. THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES
TRANSITION IN EUROPE

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

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

4. EUROPE – 200 AD

5. EUROPE – 300 AD

6. EUROPE – 500 AD

7. EUROPE – 700 AD

8. EUROPE – 900 AD

9. EUROPE – 1000AD

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

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

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. 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.

16. THE EAST: BYZANTINE EMPIRE

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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).

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

21. 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.