1. Empires and Borderlands: The Early Middle Ages, 750-1050 The West CHAPTER 8

2. The Leadership of Charlemagne Established an empire covering most of western Europe Coronation as Roman emperor, 800: conscious imitation of antiquity; exchanged protection of papacy, in return for divine sanction of rule Government was personal, rather than institutional

3. The Carolingian Renaissance Need for governmental efficiency and propagation of Christianity Intensification of study of Latin and classical texts Alcuin of York (ca. 732-804) headed the palace school at Aachen Europe became the geographical and cultural heart of a new civilization

4. The Division of Western Europe Charlemagne’s rule depended on personal ability Frankish custom dictated equal division of property between sons 843: Treaty of Verdun divided the Frankish empire Political fragmentation and vulnerability

5. The Polytheist Invaders Magyars - nomadic people from central Asia Vikings - seaborne raiders from Denmark, Norway and Sweden Lasting Viking influence, in British Isles and along North Atlantic coast of France Establishment of centralized monarchies, in Hungary and Scandinavia, as well as conversion to Christianity, ended raids, by eleventh century

6. Lords and Vassals Personal, reciprocal relationship between a lord and a vassal formed basis of authority In exchange for obedience and military service, a vassal received protection and, often, land (a fief) - feudalism Lordship implied property rights, and political and legal jurisdiction In theory, a hierarchy of feudal authority descended from the king

7. Feudal Kingship Feudal kingship combined the personal authority of lordship with the legal authority of the king Development of notions of sacred kingship - kings represented God on earth Separation of the idea of kingship and the kingdom from the mortal person of the king

8. After the Carolingians: The West European Kingdoms Saxon (Ottonian) dynasty in East Francia Otto I (936-973) was crowned emperor in 962 - foundation of the Holy Roman Empire Capetian dynasty in West Francia Intertwining of church and monarchy Norman conquest of England Linkage of England with French affairs

9. The Common People Agricultural Revolution, in eleventh century, led to better nutrition, greater population and more stable community life Manor system bound serfs to the land, in exchange for protection Revival of cities, fueled by population increase, led to demands for urban autonomy Cities began to become important cultural and economic centers again

10. The Spread of Christianity in the Latin West Conversion usually began with a monarch or chief Institution of bishoprics to teach and enforce uniform Christianity Role of saints as patrons and protectors Latin language and liturgy helped to forge a common cultural identity in western Europe

11. The Reform of Christianity in the Latin West Political pressure and immense wealth of church led to corruption Drive for reform emerged from monasteries - the Cluniac movement Reform aimed to enforce clerical celibacy, and to eliminate simony and lay investiture

12. Byzantium Economic and cultural revival, under the Macedonian dynasty (867-1056) New alliances with converted Slavs Continuing decline in relations with western Europe and the papacy Decay of the imperial army, due to land seizures by aristocracy - only free landholders could be soldiers

13. The Borderlands in Eastern Europe New kingdoms and cultural identities began to emerge ca. 1000 Bulgaria: Orthodox Christianity and Slavonic liturgy Kievan Russia: Orthodox Christianity and Slavonic liturgy Poland: Catholic Christianity and Latin liturgy

14. The Abbasid Caliphate Reinforced division between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims Acceptance of all Muslims, regardless of ethnicity, fostered a distinct Islamic identity and civilization Abbasid caliph held military and economic power, but was not responsible for public infrastructure Arabic translations preserved classical learning lost in Europe

15. Islamic Civilization in Europe Settlement of Sicily and Spain, from North Africa Formed a borderland of intense cultural and commercial interaction - Arabic learning filtered into western Europe Caliphate of Córdoba - a golden age of literature, science and architecture

16. Legends of the Borderlands Song of Roland (ca. 1100) Digenes Akritas (tenth century) The Poem of El Cid (twelfth century) Legends that expressed values of valor and loyalty The borderlands produced a class of professional warriors who enriched themselves, in the perpetual conflict between Islam and Christendom

17. An Emerging Unity in the Latin West Lasting distinction between western and eastern Europe Emergent cultural and religious unity of western Europe Decline of Byzantium and fragmentation of Islam into competing caliphates Emergence, in west, of bonds of vassalage, an improved agricultural economy, and revived cities