MIDDLE AGES From the Fall of Rome to the Decline of the Middle Ages
FALL OF ROME
FALL OF ROME REASONS FOR DECLINE (Internal and External Forces) • Invaders (Germanic peoples) • Too much focus/money on entertainment • Contagious diseases weakened army • Ruled by emperors (after 30 BCE) who had absolute power • Overuse of slaves • Christianity more important than defending Rome • Overexpansion – Rome too large to defend • Internal political fighting
DARK AGES (500 – 800 CE) • 410 CE Rome conquered by the Goths (Germanic people) • Roman empire split into east and west – west declines and east becomes known as Christian Byzantine Empire and flourishes until 1400s • Known as Dark Ages as little known about it by historians and seen as brutal time to live • Germanic invaders set up new, fragmented kingdoms • Franks become important kingdom • Christianity, use of Latin, and Rome as center were ties to Roman era • Monasteries (religious communities) formed • Strong ties develop between church and government (kings)
MEROVINGIANS • Royal family ruled Gaul (France today) for almost 300 years • Franks (means ‘free’) lived in Gaul • Clovis I (481 – 511 CE) most successful ruler • Infighting after his death put kingdom into chaos
CHARLEMAGNE (768 – 814 CE) • Powerful king of Franks Emperor of former Western Roman empire • His father (Pepin) overthrew Merovingians • Helps stabilize turbulent area • Fought other Germanic tribes • Forced defeated people to accept Christianity `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
CHARLEMAGNE • Pope Leo III crowned him emperor (first time done and showed link between church and government) • Valued learning (though could not read himself) • Forced clergy to become educated • Tried to rid the church of corruption • Had many books recopied • Empire weakened as Charlemagne grew old • Sons fought over empire and split it up when he died
ANGLO-SAXONS • Farmers in England • Skilled metalworkers like Germanic peoples • Storytellers (epic poem Beowulf) • Raided by Vikings
VIKINGS • Attacked across Europe 800 – 1000 CE • Came from north and plundered Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, England, Spain, Italy, all the way to Russia • Created first permanent settlement by Europeans in North America (L’Anse Aux Meadows in Nfld. 1000 years ago
FEUDALISM IN EUROPE • Harold (Saxon people of England) fought William (Norman people of French coast) in Battle of Hastings 1066 CE • Bayeux Tapestry highlights this battle • Harold killed during battle and William becomes King of England
FEUDALISM • Social and political system • Loyalty, fealty, obligation, duty • Developed out of poor people’s need for protection against invaders • Need landowners had for defense • Small farmers turned to powerful landowners for protection • Protection in return for service as soldiers
TIMELINE • Early Middle Ages (600 – 1066 CE) • High Middle Ages (1066 – 1300 CE) • Late Middle Ages (1300 – 1500 CE)
FEUDALISM • Hierarchies develop (orders of rank and authority within different classes of people or organizations) • William gave warriors fiefs (large tracts of land) • Land exchanged for loyalty (oath of fealty) • Vassals (lesser lords) to provide king with knights for military duty)
FEUDAL CONTRACT • 3 Fs – fief (land), fealty (loyalty), and faith (religion) • Land to nobles in exchange for loyalty • Nobles were knights • Oath of loyalty given – allegiance • Serfs (poor farmers) had little freedom – counted as ‘property’ with land of nobles
MANOR LIFE • Large fiefs divided into smaller areas called manors • Each manor had farming land, woods, pasture, and a village • 90% of population poor (either serfs or freeholders)
MANOR LIFE • Demesne – lord of manor kept some land for own use • Bailiffs (managers) looked after land when lord away • Sustainable farming
CASTLE LIFE • Built high on a hill, near a river or with some natural barrier • Moats, murder holes, drawbridges • Villagers ran there during attacks • Offensive and defensive strategies • Under siege
CASTLES - KNIGHTS • Knights train constantly • Step 1 The right connections • Step 2 Upbringing • Step 3 The Page • Step 4 The Squire • Step 5 The Knight • Code of Chivalry • Jousting and tournaments
TRADE AND TOWN • Later Middle Ages sees growth in towns and economy • After Crusades, more people want to travel, obtain different goods • Local markets and fairs • New freedoms as towns grow
SPECIALIZATION OF LABOUR • As economy grows, people’s jobs become more specialized • Guilds created to train and protect jobs (early unions) • Apprentice – journeymen - master
CHURCH • Christianity – Catholic during Early Middle Ages • All Europeans expected to follow Christian ideas • Excommunication feared • Tithe (10%) of earnings to church • Church very powerful
INFLUENCE OF CHURCH • Monasteries (religious communities of work and prayer) • recopied books • Church on Sunday • Life revolved around church as it was involved in every aspect of feudal society
CHURCH • Early churches Romanesque (800 – 1100 CE)
CHURCHES LATER MIDDLE AGES • Gothic architecture
CRUSADES • Christians versus Muslims • Fought for control of the Holy Land (Jerusalem) • 7 crusades between 1096 – 1254 CE • Were not the success pope and Kings had hoped • New ideas, ways of thinking, goods to Europe
DECLINE OF MIDDLE AGES • Black Death (bubonic plague) 1300 CE • 25 million die (one-third of Europe)
