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The Early and High Middle Ages

During the Early and High Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church served as the most powerful institution in medieval Western Europe, influencing religious, economic, cultural, and political life. It was modeled after Roman governance, led by the Pope and supported by cardinals and bishops. The Church promoted education, maintained schools, and preserved classical knowledge. It also governed the Papal States, developed canon law, and claimed supremacy over civil authorities. As feudalism arose due to external invasions, the Church played a critical role in social structure and community organization.

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The Early and High Middle Ages

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  1. The Early and High Middle Ages

  2. Roman Catholic Church • Most powerful institution in medieval western Europe • Modeled after Rome’s government • Pope--supreme leader • Cardinals--chief advisors • Bishops--head religious districts • Priests--direct local communities

  3. RCC’s Religious Role • Taught: • Importance of sacraments • Faith, good works, and church membership for salvation • Used excommunication against those who violated Church laws • Held inquisitions to uncover heretics

  4. RCC’s Economic Role • Monks farmed • Considerable income from its: • Lands (30% of western Europe) • Gifts (especially through oblation) • Taxes (10% tithe) • Prohibited usury

  5. RCC’s Cultural Role • Promoted learning by maintaining schools • Copied ancient books and manuscripts, preserving classical culture

  6. RCC’s Political Role • Governed Papal States in Italy • Developed canon law based on Roman law • Had its own courts • Claimed supremacy over civil government

  7. Frankish Kingdom • Clovis created powerful kingdom (5th century) • Subdued other Germanic tribes in Gaul • Converted Franks to Catholic Christianity, gaining support of: • Pope • Gaul’s large Christian population

  8. Frankish Kingdom • Merovingian dynasty • His incompetent descendants ruled for more than 200 years • “Do-Nothing” Kings • Power passed to powerful noble, “Mayor of the Palace”

  9. Frankish Kingdom • Carolingian dynasty • Charles Martel • Defeated Moors at Tours (732) • Pepin • At father’s death, became Mayor of the Palace • Removed last Do-Nothing King • Charlemagne got throne in 768

  10. Charlemagne • 768-814 • Increased power of Catholic Church • Ended Lombard threat to Papal States • Converted pagan peoples to Catholicism

  11. Charlemagne • Empire= most of western Europe

  12. Charlemagne • Emperor of the Romans (800) • Crowned by Pope Leo III in Rome • Government • Empire divided into provinces • Each ruled by noble • Monitored by missi dominici • Temporarily halted shift of power from central government to nobles

  13. Education under Charlemagne • Charlemagne valued education • Established schools in monasteries and cathedrals • Encouraged collecting and copying of Latin manuscripts

  14. Education under Charlemagne • Created Carolingian miniscule (small letters)

  15. Breakup of Charlemagne’s Empire • Treaty of Verdun divided empire among 3 grandsons • Louis • Eastern/modern Germany • Charles • Western/modern France • Lothar • Central/modern Italy

  16. Rome Centered around Mediterranean Endured many centuries Charlemagne Encompassed mainly central and western Europe Crumbled at Charlemagne’s death Differed from Roman Empire

  17. New Invasions (9th-11th centuries) • Vikings to coastal/ river cities

  18. New Invasions (9th-11th centuries) • Magyars from Asia to Hungary to Western Europe • Normans invaded Britain from France

  19. New Invasions (9th-11th centuries) • Arabs to Southern France/Italy • Led to development of new relationship ... feudalism

  20. Why Feudalism? • Attacks from outsiders • Weakness of central governments • German rulers gave landed estates to important nobles in return for military assistance

  21. Feudalism Defined • Social system • Rigid class distinctions • Static (unchanging) way of life • Political system • Local government • Local military defense • Economic system • Self-sufficient agricultural manors

  22. Feudal Society • Determined by birth, not work • Feudal social pyramid • King • Nominally owned all land • Controlled only his estates • Powerful lords • Got fiefs from king • Pledged military service

  23. Feudal Society • Feudal social pyramid (cont’d) • Lesser lords • Got fiefs from powerful lord • Pledged military service • Knights • Most numerous nobles • Serfs--peasants

  24. Feudal Society • Lords could receive lands from several lords leading to questions of primary allegiance • Obligations between lord/vassal or noble/serf were hereditary • Noble’s title and property could only be inherited by first-born son (primogeniture)

  25. Feudal Government • Weak Central Government • King theoretically administered entire kingdom • Actually did not have authority beyond his own lands • He was only one of several powerful lords

  26. Feudal Government • Vigorous local government • Nobles controlled their lands • They: • Made laws • Levied taxes • Dispensed justice • Waged war

  27. Feudal Economy • Self-sufficient agricultural manor • Serfs bound to land • Low agricultural output • Serfs given scattered strips of land • Wooden plows and crude sickles • Three-field system

  28. Revival of Trade/Towns • End of barbarian invasions • Crusades increased European demand for Eastern luxuries • Growth of well-located towns • Towns provided facilities for: • Storage • Marketing • Production of goods

  29. Revival of Trade/Towns • Medieval towns gained their freedom from feudal lords by: • Purchasing charters from lord/monarch • Successful armed uprisings

  30. Revival of Trade/Towns • Rise of bourgeoisie (middle class) • New economic class grew with: • Increased trade • Growth of towns • Consisted of professional people: • Merchants • Shopkeepers • Bankers

  31. Leading Medieval Centers • In Italy • Cities on Italian seacoast • Venice • Genoa • Pisa • Naples • Advantages • Mediterranean location • Commercial tradition

  32. Leading Medieval Centers • In Belgium • Cities in province of Flanders • Bruges • Ghent • Flemish cities at crossroads of trade routes from northern Europe to Italy

  33. Leading Medieval Centers • In Northern Germany • Cities: • Bremen • Hamburg • Lubeck • Controlled trade in Baltic and North seas • In 1200s became Hanseatic League

  34. Merchant Guilds • Regulated trade by: • Taxing non-members to discourage competition • Encouraging fair business practices • Participating actively in town government • Functioning as social clubs

  35. Craft Guilds • Associations of skilled craftsmen organized by craft

  36. Medieval Towns’ Advantages • Freedom from feudal restrictions • Richer, more varied life • Cultural and educational facilities • Opportunities for economic advancement

  37. Medieval Towns’ Disadvantages • Streets were dangerous: • Narrow • Unpaved • Unlighted • Unguarded • Wooden buildings close together, allowed fires to spread rapidly

  38. Medieval Towns’ Disadvantages • Town walls, though protective, thwarted town growth • Poor sanitation • Led to epidemics and plagues • Black Death

  39. Crusades (1095-1291) • Byzantine emperor appealed to RCC for aid against Moslem Turks

  40. Political Effects of Crusades • Strengthened kings/central governments by: • Weakening nobility • Stimulating trade • Trade needs central authority offering law and order • Rising merchant class supported kings • Eventually Magna Carta – John I - limited power of king

  41. Socio-Economic Effects of Crusades • Weakened serfdom • Some paid for use of lord’s land in money by selling crops • Evolved into modern tenant-landlord relationship • Some freed • Joined Crusades • Fled to cities for year + 1 day

  42. Social Effects of Crusades • Broadened peoples’ outlook • Crusaders saw advanced Moslem and Byzantine civilizations • Gained better geographic knowledge • Encouraged learning

  43. Economic Effects of Crusades • Stimulated trade and towns • Increased European demand for Eastern products • Throughout Europe, especially in Italy: • Money replaced barter • Bourgeoisie gained wealth and influence

  44. Higher Education • 1000-1100s--scholars founded many important universities • Wide variety of subjects • Theology • Philosophy • Law • Medicine

  45. The Early and High Middle Ages

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