Post on 30-Dec-2015
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Middle Ages
The Middle Ages: 500 – 1500
The Medieval Period
Rise of the Middle Ages
Decline of the Roman Empire
Western Europe
Early Middle Ages
450 - 1050
Germanic Peoples
Roman empire overran by Germanic groups with repeated invasions and constant warfare
• Breakdown of trade: money became scarce.
• Cities abandoned – no longer center of economy or administration
• Population became rural.
• Decline of literacy – priests and other church officials were the few that were literate.
• Breakup of unified empire – language began to change. No longer Latin.
• End of Democracy
End of Democracy
Rome
• Unified by loyalty to public government and written law
• Orderly government
Germanic
• Family ties and personal loyalty
• People lived in small communities governed by unwritten rules and traditions
• Ruled by a Chief who led a band or warriors loyal only to him – not some emperor they’d never seen
European Empire Evolves
After the decline of the Roman Empire small kingdoms sprang up all over Europe.
The largest and the strongest was controlled by the Franks
• Lead by Clovis – first Christian king
• Area that is now France
• Greatest king was Charlemagne
• most powerful king in Western Europe
• encouraged learning
Vikings AttackCharlemagne's empire was broken up by his grandsons and was soon destroyed by invaders who would attack by sea, raid and plunder, then be quickly out to sea again.
• Vikings – Germanic people called Norsemen
• From Scandinavia
• Worshipped warlike gods
• Warriors, traders, farmers, and explorers
While the Roman Empire declined the Church remained
• Missionaries succeeded in spreading Christianity
• Adapted to rural conditions by building monasteries – religious communities
o Rules established by Benedict
o Became best educated communities
• Shared belief bonded the people together
• The church served as a stable force as well as social center
Power of the Church
The ClergyReligious officials had different ranks within the church structure
Power of the Church
• Provided a unifying set of spiritual beliefs and rituals
• Created a system of justice to guide peoples conduct – Cannon Law – the law of the church
excommunication – banishment
interdict – the denial of sacraments - important religious ceremonies (baptism, last rights)
Feudalism
Think of a chess set
Feudalism
Based on mutual obligation
Military protection
Provide knights in times of war
service
Fiefs – land grants
Fiefs – land grants
protection
FeudalismManors
The lords estate –
The lord provided the serfs with housing, farmland and protection
Serfs tended the lands, cared for the animals, maintained the estate
FeudalismManors
Peasants rarely traveled more than 25 miles from the manor
Was home to 15 – 30 families
Self-Sufficient community
Peasants heavily taxed, including a tithe – a church tax of 1/10 their income
High Middle Ages
1050 - 1300
A violent society
Noble’s constantly fought each other
Defend estates
Seize new territories
Increase wealth
Kept Europe fragmented
Glorification of warriors
The Age of Chivalry
The mounted Knights were the most important part of an Army
Professional solders – main obligation was to serve in battle
Rewarded with land
Devoted lives to war
The Age of Chivalry
Chivalry – a complex set of ideals, demanded that a knight fight bravely in defense of three masters
1. His feudal lord
2. His Heavenly Lord
3. His Lady
Meant to protect the weak and the poor
Be loyal, brave, and courteous
The Age of Chivalry
Sons of nobles began training at an early age for knighthood
Page – at 7 they were sent to another lord to be trained
Squire – at 14 they act as a servant to a knight
Knight- at 21 they become a knight and gain experience in local wars and tournaments
The Age of Chivalry
Tournaments – mock battles that combined recreation and combat training
Fierce and bloody competitions
Castles and KeepsStone castles were encircled by
massive walls and guard towers
Home to lord and lady, their family, knights solders, and servants
A fortress of defense
Castles and Keeps
The Crusades
Pope Urban II› Motivated Christians to take back
Jerusalem from Muslim control The 8 Crusades
› 1. Christians took control of Jerusalem› 2. Muslims took control of Jerusalem› 3. Richard the Lion Hearted (England)
tried to take Egypt & Jerusalem but was defeated
› 4. Pope Innocent sent Venetians to Constantinople but their behavior kept them from going any further.
› Children’s Crusade: resulted in death and enslavement in Africa
› 5. Fought to conquer Egypt: Christians lost
› 6. No battles but diplomatic agreement gave Jerusalem to Christians
› 7. Lead by Louis IX of France but he was captured and released for ransom
› 8. Louis attacked Tunis in N. Africa, lost
The Magna Carta
Effects of Crusades› Developed cities› Trade, transportation routes› United W. Europe› Developed respect for the scholarly
Moslems › Increase Kings power › Renaissance
King John of England› Ruthless, cruel, egotistical› June 12, 1215 Magna Carta (The Great
Charter) was signed No taxes collected unless by “common
consent”: Lead to no taxation w/out representation
No freeman could be tried except by his peers: lead to our jury system
Limited government
High Middle Ages
By the end of the High Middle Ages
• Western European nations gained much of the shape by which we know them today
• They became more stable and began concentrating on establishing stronger political structures
The Black Death a.k.a. Bubonic Plague
1347 Spread by black rat fleas on ships
coming from the Middle east to Italy More died in cities because of
proximity and lack of sanitation Jews were blamed & killed because
they drank from streams and not wells
By 1350 30% of population had died› Florence: 2/3 people died
Late Middle Ages
1300 - 1527
The Renaissance 1300-1600
New ideas and interest › Arts, Science, education
Greek and Roman influenced The Crusades
› opened up new trade routes for goods and ideas to be exchanged
New sense of peace = free travel Materialism more of a priority than
spirituality Cities grew
› Manors no longer the center of life Italian City States
› Set a trend of people living in cities› Florence is the most prosperous city state well
known during the Renaissance for its banking, trade and manufacturing.
› The Medici family became Patrons for the arts Art:
› Patrons: People who sponsor artists › Humanity (everyday life & portraits for
patrons)› Leonardo Davinci: The Mona Lisa, The Last
Supper
4 major developments of the Late Middle Ages
1)The Hundred Years War• Fought between the French and English for the
French throne
• Massively destructive
• Gun powder and heavy artillery
2) The Papal Schism • 3 popes
• Loss of respectability due to political involvements
3) The Fall of the Byzantine Empire • Turks begin assault on Western borders4) Famines • Climate became colder and rainier
• Harvests shrank
• Population doubled
• Move back to towns
5) Black Death • The Bubonic Plague
• killed ½ of European population