The Transformation of Europe in the Early Middle Ages: From Invaders to Christianity

1. European Middle Ages

2. Day 1

3. Middle Ages • Spanned from 500-1500

4. Why are we learning this? • Christianity is still the dominant religion in Europe. European immigrants and their descendants have made Christianity the dominant religion in North and South America • Today’s forms of representative government include mutual rights and responsibilities, as feudalism did • Religious leader still speak out of political issues such as war and poverty

5. Germans Invade Former Western Rome • German forces invaded what had been the Western Roman Empire • Germans brought about a lot of change • Disruption of Trade • Downfall of Cities • Population Shift • Decline of Learning • Loss of Common Language

6. Disruption of Trade • Merchants were facing invasion from both land and sea • Attackers were coming both on foot and ship • Created a problem from selling goods • No one wants to buy goods in the middle of a battle • Businesses collapsed • Breakdown of trade destroyed Europe’s cities as economic centers • Money transactions did not happen thus making money scarce

7. Downfall of Cities • People abandoned cities to try and escape the fighting • No one wants to live where fighting is taking place • People would move out of cities and not come back

8. Population Shifts • Because of the cities and governments collapsing, nobles retreated to the rural areas • Roman cities were left without strong leadership • Other city dwellers also fled to the countryside • Grew their own food, lived off of the land • Population became mostly rural

9. Decline of Learning • The German invaders could not read or write • People were displaced from the city to the countryside where there wasn’t any schools or libraries • Few people except priests and other church officials were literate • The knowledge attained about Greek and Roman culture was almost completely lost • Only a few people could read Greek works of literature, science and philosophy

10. Loss of a Common Language • With German people mixing with the Roman population, Latin changed • It was still the official language, but no one really understood it • Different dialects were developed as new words and phrases • Became part of everyday speech • By the 800’s French, Spanish, and other Roman-based languages had evolved from Latin • Eventually two different languages were formed: French and Spanish

11. Government 400 - 600 • Small Germanic kingdoms replaced Roman provinces • Borders of those kingdoms changed all the time with the fortunes of war • Countries would take land over, lose it, take it over again • Throughout everything going on, the Church as an institution survived the fall of the Roman Empire • During the time of chaos, the Church provided order and security • Small communities governed by unwritten rules and traditions were created

12. Government 400 - 600 • The concept of Government changes • Loyalty to public government and written law had unified Roman society • Family ties and personal loyalty, rather than citizenship in a public state, held Germanic society together

13. Germanic Leaders and Follower Relationship • Every Germanic chief led a band of warriors who had pledged their loyalty, rather than citizenship to him • People had personal relationships with their chief • The chief gave his people food, weapons, and treasure • In battle, warriors fought to the death at their lord's side • They considered it a disgrace to outlive him • Citizens felt no loyalty to an emperor because they never met • Wouldn’t respect any official who was sent to collect taxes on behave of the emperor

14. Franks and Christianity • Franks: a Germanic people who settled in the Roman province of Gaul and established a great empire during the Middle Ages • Frank Leader: Clovis brought Christianity to his people • While in a losing battle, Clovis turned to the Christian God for help • The battle shifted and the Franks won • The Church in Rome supported Clovis’s military campaigns against other Germanic peoples • In 511, Franks were united into on Kingdom (modern day France)

15. Germans Adopt Christianity • Politics played a key role in spreading Christianity • By 600, the Church and Frankish rulers, many Germanic people were converted to Christianity

16. Missionaries • Religious travelers • Often risked their lives to bring religious beliefs to other lands • Goal was to spread their religion • We are talking about Christianity

17. Monasteries • Monastery: a religious community of men (called monks) who have given up their possessions to devote themselves to a life of prayer and worship • These were built to adapt of rural conditions • Women who followed this way were called nuns and lived in convents • Importance of education is a major focus • Helps to keep learning and education alive during the Middle Ages

18. Monasteries • Benedict • Monk, wrote a book describing the rules for monastic life • These guidelines became a model for many other religious communities in western Europe • Became Europe’s best educated communities • Many monks opened up schools, maintained libraries, and copied books • Scholars consider monasteries the best historical work of the early Middle Ages

19. Pope Gregory I/ Gregory the Great • Expanded the authority of the papacy (pope’s office) • Traditionally the pope just played a spiritual role • Secular (worldly) power – involved in politics • The pope’s palace was the center of the Roman government • Used Church revenue to raise armies, repair roads, and help the poor • Negotiated peace treaties with invaders such as the Lombards • Strengthened the vision of Christendom • Church kingdom that fanned out from Rome to the most Western Europe distant churches

20. Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) • Mayor of the palace • Held more power than the king • Extended the Frankish kingdom to the north, south, and east • Battle of Tours • Stopped the Muslim Invasion • If the Muslims would have won, western Europe might have become part of the Muslim Empire • His victory at tours made him a Christian hero • His son, Pepin the Short, was his successor

21. Pepin the Short • Became King when his father passed away • Agreed to work with the pope • Fought the Lombards in agreement with the pope • Lombards were invading Italy and threatening Rome • In exchange for fighting the Lombards, the pope made Pepin “king by the grace of God” • Became the first king ever anointed by the pope • This began the Carolingian Dynasty • Ruled the Franks from 751 to 987

22. Charlemagne • Also known as Charles the Great • Ruled the kingdom after his Father and brother died • Wanted to expand the empire and Christianity

23. Charlemagne the Roman Emperor • Built an empire grater than any know since ancient Rome • Led armies to battle the enemies surrounding the Frankish Empire • Reunited Western Roman empire • First time since the Roman empire • Protected the Pope so became known as the Roman Emperor

24. Charlemagne’s Empire • Limited the authority of the nobles • Sent out royal agents to make sure the nobles were governing their counties justly • They made sure that the powerful landholders (counts) governed their kingdoms correctly and weren't corrupt • Charlemagne regularly visited every part of his kingdom • Encouraged learning • Surrounded himself with German, English, and Spanish scholars • Monasteries opened schools and expanded their libraries • This was done to train monks and priests

25. Downfall of Charlemagne’s Empire • A year before Charlemagne died, he crowned his son, Louis the Pious, as emperor • Louis was very religious but not a very good ruler • Louis left his three sons the empire • All who split the empire up • All signed the Treaty of Verdun which divided the empires into three kingdoms • Without central authority or strong leadership the empire weakens

26. Feudalism • A political system and economic system based on land ownership and personal loyalty

27. Day 2

28. Vikings • Came from Scandinavia, a Germanic people • Also known as Northmen or Norsemen • They worshiped warlike gods and took pride in nicknames • Eric Bloodaxe and ThorfinnSkullsplitter • Were able to attack and get away quickly • They would raid a ship or port, steal and kill, then quickly move out to sea before locals could mount a defense • Known for their ability to sail, trade, and raid

29. Viking Warriors • May have reached the Americas around 1000 • This is almost 500 years before Columbus • Leif Ericson led the voyage • Gradually started to accept Christianity • This stopped them from raiding monasteries • Started to adopt agricultural practices

30. Invasions throughout Europe • Magyars attacked from the East • After taking over land, they did not settle, capture people as slaves • Muslims attached from the South • Their plan was to conquer and settle in Europe • Were very good at attacking settlements on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts • Vikings attacked from the North

31. Vikings v. France • Rollo – head of the Viking army • Charles the Simple – King of France • Charles gave the Vikings a piece of land – Normandy in return for Rollo ending his plundering of French land

32. Feudalism: Mutual Obligation • Lord: Landowner given in exchange for military service and loyalty to the king • Fief: grant of land • Knights: mounted warriors served Nobles/Lords • Peasants: those who worked the land owned by their Lord • Serfs: people who could not legally leave the land

33. European Feudal System

34. Manors • Manors: lords estate • There was an agreement between the lords and serfs that lived at the manor • The lord provided the serfs with housing, farmland, and protection from bandits • The serfs tended the lord's lands, cared for his animals, and performed other tasks to maintain the estate • Peasant women shared in the farm work with their husbands

35. Manors • Only a few square miles • Contained 15 – 30 families • Typical manors included: • Manor House: the dwelling place of the lord and his family and their servants • Village Church: Site of both religious services and public meetings • Peasant Cottages: Where the peasants lived • Lord’s Demesne: Fields owned by the lord and worked by the peasants • Peasant Crofts: Gardens that belonged to the peasants • Mills: Water-powered for grinding grain • Common Pastures: Common area for grazing animals • Woodland: forests provided wood for fuel

36. Feudal Manor

37. Peasant Life • Paid taxes on grain ground in the lord’s mill • Paid taxes on marriage • Weddings had to be approved • Paid a tithe • A 10% tax given to the church

38. Day 3

39. Chivalry • Chivalry: a code of behavior for knights in medieval Europe, stressing ideals such as courage, loyalty, and devotion • Ideals that governed European warfare • Demanded that a knight fight bravely in defense of three masters • Feudal lord • God • Chosen lady (his love)

40. Knights/Soldiers • Heavily armored • Armored themselves to protect from arrows and swords • Try to cover every part of the body • Well trained • Sword training and horseback riding • Fought on horseback • Leather saddles and the use of stirrups for balance • Was able to carry heavy weapons because of the stirrups • Most important part of an army

41. Knights Defend • Europe was a battle ground between nobles • All were trying to fight for power throughout the lands • Feudal lords raised private armies of knights to protect their lands • In exchange for military service, feudal lords used their most abundant resource (land) to give to the knights and most skilled warriors • Fiefs: pieces of land given out to the knights and skilled warriors • A lord would typically require knights to give 40 days of service

42. Knights • Chivalrous knights protected the weak and poor • The ideal knight was loyal and brave • Those that failed to meet these high standards: • Stripped of their armor • Shield was cracked • Spurs were cut off • Sword was broken over his head • Thrown into a coffin and suffered through a mock funeral

43. Knights and Battles • Castles • Home of the lord, lady, family, knights, and servants • Fortress • Ways to defend the castle: • Boiling water, oil, or molted lead • Archers on the roof

44. Castle and Siege Weapons • Siege Tower • Had a platform on top that lowed like a drawbridge • Could support weapons and soldiers • Mantlet • Shielded soldiers • Batterling Ram • Made of heavy timber with a sharp metal tip • Swung like a pendulum to crack castle walls or to knock down a drawbridge

45. Castle and Siege Weapons • Tortoise • Moved slowly on wheels • Sheltered soldiers from falling arrows • Mangonel • Flung huge rocks that crashed into castle walls • Propelled objects up to a distance of 1,300 feet • Trebuchet • Worked like a giant slingshot • Propelled objects up to a distance of 980 feet

46. Tournaments • Mock battles between a group of knights • Knights would try to prove their battle skills in front of an audience • Winners usually demanded some kind of ransom from defeated knights

47. Medieval Women • During this time period many of the men were powerless • This was even tougher for women since they were already seen as being inferior to men • Role became increasingly limited to homes and convents • This was backed by the church • Noblewomen held some power and played key roles in their estates • They could inherit land from their husbands and send his knights to war • Helped in defending the castle by firing arrows and hurling rocks

48. Troubadours • Poet-musicians • Worked at castles and courts throughout Europe • Composed short verses and songs about joy, love, and sorrows

49. Day 4

50. Literature of Chivalry • Idealized castle life • Made living in the castle sound great • Glorified knighthood, tournaments, and battles • Songs and poems about a knights love for his lady • Example of a medieval epic story: • The Song of Roland