1. The Middle Ages

2. Review last time Where was the Byzantine Empire?
What’s the relationship between Christianity and the Byzantine Empire?
Where was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and what was so significant about its location?

3. What happened to the west?
It was destroyed and run over by the Germanic Invaders
People are spread out throughout the land
Ruled in small groups / kingdoms

4. Charlemagne – uniting kingdoms in Western Europe
Politics
Once Rome fell, Western Europe was in decline; someone needed to gather together the feuding small kingdoms
Kingdom under Charlemagne was so large, he needed help
Selected counts – they would obey Charlemagne, and in return receive large pieces of land to rule
Would send inspectors to keep tabs on everyone

5. Charlemagne – uniting kingdoms in Western Europe
Education
Wanted leaders to read and write
Ordered monasteries to start schools
Taught religion, music, grammar, etc
Invited scholars from all over
Copied and distributed ancient texts

6. Charlemagne – uniting kingdoms in Western Europe
Religion
Wanted to preserve Christianity
Ordered those he conquered to convert, or die
Sent monks to live among those conquered to help Christianity spread

7. Charlemagne – uniting kingdoms in Western Europe
Law
Recorded law
All was in vain – after Charlemagne’s death, his kingdom split apart
Regional kings rose to power and disunity spread
Invaders didn’t help the situation

8. Muslims in the west Came to Europe to conquer
Remember, they’re a religion, but also a political power
Came in 711 AS to Iberian Peninsula (Spain)
Would rule there for more than 700 years
Would soon try to sweep into France and Italy
Muslims raided Rome (home of Christianity in the west)
Destroyed many ancient churches
Blocked Byzantine trade in the Mediterranean

9. Feudalism and Manors
Feudalism - Nobles built castles to protect themselves when their kings couldn’t help
Nobles trained soldiers (knights) to protect the castle
Knights paid with land (called fief)
Anyone who accepted land was called a vassal, and the person giving land was called a lord
Most served more than one lord
Manors – large estates
Usually owned by lords or knights
Needed serfs to work the land
Look at page 385 for a closer look at a manor

10. Trade Increased trade means bigger cities
Would hold trade fairs
Merchants traveled from one to another throughout the year
Advancing technology (windmill, water mill) allowed more people to move to the city
Guilds established
Craftsmen would organize to set standards and prices for their goods
Would accept apprentices