The Church in the Middle AgesPAGES 330-335

Objectives

Describe the role of monasteries, convents, and cathedrals in society

Analyze the Crusades and their effects on Europe Explain the effects of the Black Death on Europe

The Spread of Christianity

King Charlemagne brought Christianity to conquered lands

In Ireland, priests brought the new religion

Eventually, Christianity became central to life to almost everyone in Europe

What role do you predict Christianity might play in European civilization during the Middle Ages?

Other Religions in Europe

Not all Europeans were Christian

Jews lived in villages and towns since the early days of the Roman Empire

Muslims had come to Spain around 700 A.D.

An “Age of Faith”

Christianity spread gradually throughout Europe

Over time, most people of other religions began to accept the Christian faith

The Christian belief became so strong that the Middle Ages became known as the “Age of Faith”

Life in Europe Revolved Around Religion Monks: men who devoted

their lives to religion

Monasteries: communities where monks lived

Nuns: women who vowed to devote their lives to religion

Convents: communities where nuns lived

Many people entered convents and monasteries at young ages and stayed their until death

Monks Italian monk Benedict wrote

the first plan for monasteries in the 500s A.D.

Monks had to obey the head monk, who was called an abbot

Life in Monasteries Served as centers of learning in

the Middle Ages

Scriptorium: a room for making books

All books were carefully copied by hand

Monks wrote books of prayer and poetry

Copied Greek and Roman texts

Beautifully decorated books are called manuscripts

Checkpoint

What are monasteries and convents?

Monasteries: communities where religious men live and work

Convents: communities where religious women live and work

How were monasteries and convents similar to manors?

Both were self-contained worlds that could supply their own needs

What attitude did monks have toward learning? How do you know?

They considered it important; they preserved ancient knowledge by copying it and recorded new knowledge that they developed

The Roman Church

For years, there was tension between the Pope in Rome and other Christian leaders in Constantinople

1054: tensions split the Christian church

The Church based in Constantinople was called the Eastern Orthodox Church

The Church based in Rome was the Roman Catholic Church

Cathedrals

Grand churches

Began to be built when towns grew in size and wealth

Skilled craft workers created stained glass windows to show scenes from the Bible

Slideshow of Cathedral images: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5Z1gxGhRQQ

Chartres (SHAHRT)

Town in France

Chartres Cathedral took 36 years to build

Other cathedrals took longer to build: some up to 400 years!

Many cathedrals still stand as the great legacies of the Middle Ages

Saints and Pilgrimages Christians showed their devotions

through pilgrimages

Europe’s Christians traveled great distances to Rome or Jerusalem

Pilgrims also traveled to shrines, or special buildings that had been built for saints

Saints are men and women considered to be especially holy

One of the most honored saints of the Middle Ages was Francis of Assisi

Devoted his life to serving the poor and sick in Italy

Followers were known as Franciscans

Checkpoint

What is a cathedral?

A grand church

Why did people of the Middle Ages want to build cathedrals?

To express their religious beliefs

How might cathedral building have reflected both the pride of towns and rivalry among them?

Cathedrals gave townspeople a way to show their success, and they strove to build a bigger, more beautiful cathedral then the next town

The First Crusade 1095: Pope Urban II called

for Christians throughout western Europe to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Also urged pilgrims to capture Jerusalem from the Seljuk Turks, who were Muslim

Thousands of Europeans responded to the Pope’s call Those who went with the

Pope were call Crusaders

The First Crusade Crusaders attacked others who were

not Christian as they marched through Europe

One shocked Christian wrote:

“They should have traveled their road for Christ. Instead they turned to madness and shamefully, cruelly cut down the Jewish people in the cities and towns through which they passed.”

Battled Turkish armies before even reaching Jerusalem

The Crusaders suffered hunger and sickness on their journey; half died before reaching Jerusalem

Succeeded in capturing Jerusalem

Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyndhJqJReA

Checkpoint

What generalization can you make concerning ideas the pilgrimages, shrines, and saints reveal about life in Europe during the Middle Ages?

The period was marked by a strong drive to be holy and to do holy things

How would you support the generalization that the Crusaders were not always true to Christian teachings as they went on this march?

The recorded slaughter of Jews along the way does not seem to be in keeping with Jesus’ teaching of love for all

Other Crusades

Others took place over the next 200 years

Most failed

With more people passing through, however, trade routes were established With changes in economy,

the system of feudalism was gradually breaking down

The Bubonic Plague

Siena, Italy was bustling with activity – trade flourished, people had been building a cathedral since the 1100s

Cathedral remains unfinished to this day… its construction was halted in 1348

A plague hit Europe: a plague is a terrible disease that spreads very quickly

The plague was caused by bacteria that was spread by rats and fleas

The Black Death At the time, no one knew how

disease was spread

The Black Death wiped out one third of Western European population

In Siena, 2/3 of the people died

Towns in France flew black flags from church towers to warn travelers of the plague

Nearly 130 years would pass before the plague was completely gone from Europe

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kScxc9DPrnY

The Black Death

Plague article: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/01/plague-dna-found-in-ancient-tooth-suggests-black-death-isnt-dead-yet/

Checking for Understanding

What was the greatest religious influence on Europe during the Middle Ages?

The Christian Church

What architectural works remind us of the “Age of Faith?”

cathedrals

What Christian institutions served as centers of faith and learning?

Monasteries, convents

What did Christians accomplish in the first Crusade?

Capturing Jerusalem from the Muslims

What did the Black Death do to the population of Europe?

Killed 1/3