Christian Societies Emerge in Europe: 600-1200.
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Transcript of Christian Societies Emerge in Europe: 600-1200.
Christian Societies Emerge in Europe: 600-1200
From Rome to Germanic Kingdoms
• Western Roman Empire collapsed
• Political fragmentation
• Feudalism emerged
• Christian Church provided stability
Spread of Christianity
Byzantine Empire
• “inheritors of Rome”
• wealth from trade
• Greek influence
• Power, influence, territory greatly reduced over time
• Pressure from Sasanids, Muslim Arabs
• relations with West Europe declined
• schism between Latin & Orthodox churches
Byzantine Empire
• Decline of urbanism less severe than in the west
• middle class reduced– big gap between rich and poor
• Importance of aristocrats & rural landowners increased
• Family became more rigid• Elite women confined &
veiled• A few women ruled w/
husbands – Theodora
• Women did not retreat to nunneries (like in west)
Byzantine Empire
• Emperors controlled:– prices– grain supply– silk
• Constantinople well supplied
• rural areas lagged in wealth & technology
Byzantine Empire: Cultural Achievements
• Justinian’s Code– Basis of Western
European civil law• Hagia Sophia –
– domed buildings• Cyrillic script
Western Medieval Europe
• Collapse of Western Roman Empire
• De-urbanization• Population declined• Literacy declined• Local trade • Regional elites became
more self-sufficient • Local traditions
flourished• Christian Church the
only stable, consistent institution
Early Medieval Europe 600-1000: A Time of Insecurity
• Charlemagne united Frankish kingdoms but disintegrated again• Vikings, Magyars attack!!! • Muslims in Spain halted at Tours but constant source of anxiety
Manorial System
• Self-sufficient farming estates
• Grew out of need for self-sufficiency & self defense
• Lord had almost unlimited power over his workers-serfs
Feudalism
• Need for military security led to:– Stirrup– Bigger horses– Armor and
weapons
• Expensive –required land
• Fiefs became hereditary
Medieval Society
• Kings weak– needed vassals
• Kings/nobles had unlimited tax authority
• Couldn’t tax church• Noble women were
pawns in marriage politics– could own land
• Non-noble women worked alongside men
Medieval Society
The Western Church
• Popes powerful but still needed support from secular leaders
• Problems:– Standardizing Church
regulations– Clergy shortages/literacy– Difficult communications– Political disorder– Polytheism
• Lax enforcement of:– marriage of clergy– nepotism– Simony (selling church
appointments)
Holy Roman Empire
• Popes needed Kings– sought to combine religious
& political power• Pope crowned early HRE
but did not = political power
• Canon Law gave pope rights over clergy & church property
• Bishops who held land as vassals owed allegiance to their lord
• Secular rulers argued that they should have the right to appoint bishops
• Holy Roman Empire was loose coalition of German princes
Investiture Controversy
• One example:– Conflict between Henry II
and his BFF Thomas Becket
• “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?”
Concordant of Worms
• Agreement in which:– Pope elects, “invests” bishops
with spiritual authority– Secular rulers give them fiefs
of land
• Separation of Church and State?
• Part of a series of reforms of the Church
Monasticism
• built on foundation of previous religious practices
– celibacy– devotion to prayer – isolation from society
• St Benedict wrote strict rules
– governed behavior in monastery
• Thousands left society, devoted themselves to monastic life
Role of Monasteries
• Centers of literacy & learning
• Refuge for widows & other vulnerable women
• Inns for travelers• orphanages• Ministered to sick• Managed agricultural land• Lax supervision by
Catholic hierarchy
Kievan Russia: 900-1200
• Diverse language & ethnic groups– Slavs, Finns, Turks
• Varangians dominant traders
• Linked Black & Caspian Seas to Silk Road
• Kiev and Novgorod important trade cities
• Vladimir I-Prince of Kiev- formed ties to Byzantines– Married Byzantine
princesses• Orthodox Christianity• Cyrillic alphabet
Kievan Russia
• Poor agricultural land• Short growing season• primitive farming technology• Food production low• Relied on trade• Small urban centers• Christianity spread slowly-
pagan customs, polygamy persisted until 12th century
• Christianity grew more powerful-functioned as tax collectors for the state
Western Europe Revives: 1000-1200
• Climate warmed• Population/agricultural
production increased• Trade resurged• Kings grew stronger• New technologies
– Heavy moldboard plow
– Horse collar– Breast-strap
harness
Cities & Rebirth of Trade
• Independent, self-governing cities emerged
• Relied on manufacturing & trade
• Venice dominant sea power-traded in Muslim ports for spices & other goods
• Flanders imported wool from England - wove it into cloth for export
The Crusades
• Series of Christian military campaigns against Muslims in eastern Mediterranean
• Factors– Religious zeal– Church- sanctioned
warfare– Desire for land on part
of younger sons of European nobility
– Commercial opportunities
– adventure
The Crusades
Motivation:• Byzantine Emperor
requested help• Muslims controlled
Holy Land• Pope Urban II initiated
1st Crusade • called on Europeans to
stop fighting each other & fight Muslims instead
• Reduced conflict in West. Europe
• Only 1st Crusade successful
The Impact of Crusades
• Increased hostilities between Christians & Muslims
• Ended European isolation • Pope’s power strengthened
but then weakened• Kings power strengthened• Trade increased• Feudalism weakened• Cities grew, gained
independence• New technologies• Europeans became curious
about the world