A New Civilization Emerges in Western Europe

Chapter 10

Postclassical Europe

Postclassical/ Middle AgesPeriod of great faith-Islam and

ChristianityChristian missionaries spread message

north. Europe grows in participation of tradeEuropeans learned of technologies and

scholarship from these contacts (Africans, Asians, Muslims, Byzantines

ProblemsRome was the center of the Church and

the Church was the most powerful institution in West

Poor education due to focus on farming and weak regional rulers

Frequent invasions created instability

Section 1:Charlemagne Middle Ages or Medieval

period 500-1300: after fall of Rome, Europe remained fragmented

Disruption in trade, downfall of cities, and population shifts

Germanic invaders who stormed Rome were not well educated and the level of learning sank

No written language As Germans began to mix

with the Romans language changed

Dialects popped up and various languages appeared like French and Spanish

Germanic kingdoms rose in place of the Roman Empire

Charlemagne In Gaul the Franks emerged

under their leader, Clovis Clovis adopted Christianity

due to God helping him in battle in 496 CE and to gain prestige over pagan rivals

By 600 the Church and Frankish rulers helped to convert many Germanic peoples

Church created religious communities, monasteries, for rural areas

Monks gave up all worldly possessions and became servants of God

He used the Church’s money to raise armies, repair roads, and help the poor

All western and central Europe fell under the Pope’s control and authority

Charlemagne Europe fell into

small kingdoms after the fall of the Roman Empire

The strongest was in the area of Gaul under the leadership of Clovis (Franks)

He expanded the empire and defeated the Muslims at the Battles of Tours in 732 –this kept Europe Christian!

Muslims had been invaded via Spain

CLOVISCHARLES MARTEL

CHARLEMANGE

Charlemagne

800 He built an empire greater than anything since Rome: France, Spain, and Germany

Pope Leo III granted Charlemagne the title of Roman emperor for fighting off unruly nobles in Rome

This united Germanic kings and the Church

He limited the authority of the nobles, strengthened his powers, and traveled throughout his empire

He encouraged learning and opened a palace school for his many children

814 his son, Louis the Pious became emperor-he was an ineffective ruler and concerned more with religion

Pious’ 3 sons fought each other for the empire. It was split into 3 kingdoms after the civil war in the Treaty of Verdun in 843

Section 2: Feudalism The destabilization that the

civil war caused brought Europe into new political turmoil and led to the development of feudalism

Feudalism is a political system based on land ownership and personal loyalty

At this weakened state Europe was then attacked by invaders: Vikings, Magyars, and Muslims

Vikings(Norsemen) sailed from Scandinavia to Europe down waterways to raid villages and towns

They carried out these raids with terrifying speed and by the time local troop arrived the Vikings were long gone

Viking warships allowed for these raids…could hold as many as 300 warriors

They looted villages and monasteries, were traders, and explorers

Section 2: Feudalism

Vikings were also known to go as far as Russia on raids

They are also credited with reaching the Americas

Vikings gradually began to accept Christianity and as this happened the raids decreased

Climate warming combined with this to allow for increased farming in Scandinavia

At the same time Muslims attacked from the south

These invasions caused disruption of trade, political disorder, and suffering

Section 2: Feudalism These attacks led to the

development of a new political system called feudalism-power was based on land ownership and loyalty

King

Church/ clergy

nobles

knights

Peasants/ serfs

Lord

Land (fief)

vassal

gives

Loyalty and military service

New economic and urban vigorNew agricultural techniques: 3 field crop

rotation, no chock horse collars, and the moldboard plow (deeper soil)

Elite defined by landownership and military powers

Feudal Monarchies -expand powers

After the breakup of Charlemagne's empire kings of France and England sought to increase their powers

Magna Carta/ Parliament June 15, 1215 Nobles wanted to safeguard their own feudal rights

and limit the king’s power. In later years the people argued that the Magna Carta covered all classes and applied to each citizen

Guaranteed that nobles had certain rights, forced the monarch to obey the laws, monarchy agreed not to raise new taxes without first consulting the Great Council, protecting people from arbitrary arrest, imprisonment, and other legal actions…led to due process of the law, set the basis for habeas corpus the principle that no person can be held in prison without first being charged for a crime [Habeas Corpus later clarified and defined in the Petition of Right in 1628 and the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679]

included no taxation without representation, a jury trial, and the protection of the law.

100 Years War1337-1453

1328 Charles IV of France died childless

Charles had a sister: Queen Isabella of England

Struggle over French dynastic succession

Causes of the war:

English king’s status as vassal of the French king for his territories in Gascony

English support for urban rebellions in Flanders against the king of France

English king’s claim to the throne of France after the end of the Capetian dynasty in 1314 (death of Charles IV)

Charles IV

The disease was carried by fleas on infected rats, who would bite humans. Once bitten the person would develop a high fever, begin coughing, and develop painful swelling in lymph nodes of the groin or armpits. Final stage was vomiting blood

Spread bubonic and pneumonic (person to person)Death took 3-5 days to kill most. Although, airborne virus

could only take hours to killkilled ½ to 1/3 of Europe’s population caused major economic depression (increased taxation,

revolts, loss of financial backing in some cities, and increased gap between the rich and poor

Black Death

Rural Life/ Trade Peasant lives had improved during this time period. Still manorialism existed

some peasants were almost free farmers while others were constrained. Urban growth led to more specialized manufacturing and commercial activities.

Banking grew as long distance trade grew. Italy, Germany, Low countries, France, and Britain key area. (Greed not a Christian idea). Use of money spread.

Trade within Europe and the greater world Spices from Asia Timber and grain from the north for cloth and metal products from Italy and Low

Countries England-wool industry Hanseatic League-cites in n. Germany and Scandinavia grouped together to

encourage trade Supported new business ventures at great risk (pirates, lost a sea) with fortune

to be gained or lost Formation of Joint stock companies where merchants came together to invest in

an activity

Decline of Medieval SynthesisHundred Years War: war between

France and England over control of lands. France won, but no one really one. Exhausted both countries and accidentally helped France b/c the state took over lands without heirs (they died in the war). In England it led to a civil war. War of the Roses!

Strain Agricultural problems…limited lands and methods

that led to famine. Plagues-black plague Social conflict between nobles and peasants Church weakened by Babylonian captivity and the

great schism. People began preaching against the Church structure and some women claimed a direct emotional relationship with God. (heretics!)

Some intellectual and artistic were declared heretical by the Church

serfs

Section 3: Chivalry During Middle Ages,

nobles fought one another, keeping Europe fragmented for centuries

Through warfare feudal lords defended their estates, seized new territories, and increased their wealth

Role of the warrior was very prized in this society

Knights had a code of chivalry: a complex set of ideals, demanded that a knight fight bravely in defense of three masters: feudal lord, the Lord, and his chosen lady

Knights fought bravely in tournaments to show their training and hopefully pick up lands

Section 4: The Church Amid weak governments

and feudal states stood the Church-the most powerful institution

During this time the powers of the Church were growing

Accordingly the emperor or kings should submit to the powers of the pope/ Church

Many clashes over powers between the state and Church emerged

Structure of the Church similar to that of society during this time

PopeBishops

priests

Section 4: The Church During the state of constant

warfare the Church provided stability and leadership for medieval society

Religious officials provided the sacraments or important religious ceremonies that paved the way for salvation

Religion became the social center

The Church also had laws-canon law-in areas such as marriage and religion

Popes got people, including kings, to obey them by the use of excommunication!

Following the death of Charlemagne the Holy Roman Empire (Germany) emerged as the kingdom strongest from his line

The H.R.E. and the pope developed a special relationship-Otto I and People Leo III

Section 4: Church became fearful of kings

powers over lay investiture -a ceremony in which kings and nobles appointed (invested) church officials-they yielded real power over the Church

1073 Pope Gregory VII made reforms-limited secular influences – lay investiture, no marriage for priests, banned simony

Gregory vs. Henry IV of H.R.E.- Pope excommunicated Henry IV and headed north to crown a new emperor so Henry asked for forgiveness

Resulted was the Concordat of Worms in 1122: the Church alone could choose a bishop yet the emperor had the veto power to prevent the appointment of a bishop

1152 German princes elected Frederick I “Barbarossa” emperor

He launched attacks on rich lands-resources Angered Italian merchants. Formed an

alliance against Frederick I (Lombard League)

1176 meet at the Battle of Legnano-lost to Lombard League and forces of the Pope (Alexander III)

Result-weakened German state due to picking emperors and continued clashes with the Church

Pope Gregory VII

The Roman Catholic Church There was only one

church in the Middle Ages in Western Europe (Roman Catholic), which held power both over kings and countries. In the late Middle Ages the church began to lose its powers:

Babylonian Captivity (Jewish) and Great Schism (1054) are also earlier events

Babylonian Captivity: 1304-1374 popes lived in Avignon in southeastern France (away from Rome). French kings influenced the pope and the church. Ended with the death of pope Gregory XI in 1377

Great Schism: various popes at same time 1377-1415 –succession crisis! Ended with the election of pope Martin V

Conciliar Movement: reform the church by assemblies (constitutional)

John Wycliffe precursor of the Reformation-scriptures alone should be the standard for Christian belief

Wycliffe attacked the doctrinal and political bases of the Church. He was against the selling of indulgences, stated the sacraments were only as good as the priest, Eucharist was spiritually, and salvation depended on predestination. He attacked the Church’s right to wealth and luxury which made the English monarchy happy and thus he was protected. His followers were called Lollards.

Jan Hus-rejected much of what Wycliffe thought, but did agree that indulgences were not good. He called for Church reform of liturgy and morals. Both pope XXIII and Bohemian king Wenceslas IV were outraged! Hus was excommunicated and found guilty of heresy. He was burned at the stake! His followers were called Hussites