The Middle Ages

Part ISociety

RANDOM TRIVIAWhy do they call the Middle Ages the Dark Ages?

Because of all the knights!

Background for the Middle Ages

• Rome fell due to Germanic invasion• The empire collapsed• People got scared because it used to be safe

to travel• People rarely leave the house because it is no

longer safe• Church becomes powerful and the law

Background

• Rome’s system of roads falls into disrepair• Roman military was no longer patrolling the

streets• Rome was no longer trading all over Europe• People were thinking “If Rome could be

destroyed, imagine what could happen to us”

IT WAS TOUGH IN THESE STREETS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0E62fiv6mk

Christianity spreads

• German invaders began to convert to Christianity.

• The church begins to build a safe society for everyone.

• Monks taught humility & obedience

• These communities also became Europe’s best-educated.

Charlemagne 742 CE King of Franks Charlemagne was a

Warrior Christian who united most of Western Europe

Wanted another society like Rome.

His grandsons, however eventually let the empire fall.

Invasions spark Feudalism

In fear of more attacks, a system of feudalism was adopted.

This system basically granted land to people who would provide protection.

Peasants (serfs)

Knights

Nobles

King

Feudal System

• Based on loyalty• King at the top

– Provides land– Provides protection– Demands obedience in return

Feudal System

• Below the king, were Nobles– Just below the king– Owned land– Merchants– Provided king with money in exchange for

protection of their wealth and future.

Feudal System

• Knights– Military of the Middle Ages– These were the tanks of their day– Continuously trained for battle– Offered services of protection to king in exchange

for land and money– Lived according to Chivalry

Feudal System

• Chivalry– Code of Honor for military to live by

• Respect for your king• Respect for women• Defend the church• Defend the weak• Do that which is Right and Good ALWAYS

Jousting

• Jousting began in the early 1200's to the late 1400's

• Knights jousted for several reasons but the main reason was for a woman (chivalry)

• All you needed was a horse, lance and a brave man.

What was it and why do it?

• 2 people charged at each other

• The result was a "melee" of shattered lances.

• The earliest melee was in 1066 A.D.

• Jousting helped keep fighting skills in tact in peaceful times.

• Great money-maker! • Winner would

sometimes hold the losers for ransom.

Do people still joust today?

OF COURSE THEY DO!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWVZgp-eQG8

WHENEVER THERE ARE DUMB IDEAS, THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THERE TO STILL TRY IT OUT!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh5Y_tX-E8U

The Problems

• Although it was popular, many deaths resulted from jousting.

• Popes and kings wanted to ban jousting tournaments.

• Some people were eventually excommunicated – (kicked out of the church)

Feudal System

• Peasants (Serfs)– Mostly farmers– Uneducated– No chance of moving up– Worked land in return for protection– Were not free to move from kingdom to kingdom

Castles• Castles have been built for protection• Now they become self-sufficient states• People don’t want to have to leave the protection of

the castle• Castle and surrounding manor should have

everything needed for people to survive– Raise food– Provide protection– Make clothes– Etc.

Castles

• Characteristics– Defense

• Moat• Towers• Soldiers• Gates• Walls

Castles

• Characteristics– Food

• Farms• Orchards• Fields for grazing (cattle, sheep)• Animals• River (or some source of water)

STOP!!NO MORE NOTES

FOR THE DAY

THE CRUSADES

Mr. McCaskill

Medieval Church

• Catholic Church– Claim to come direct from Jesus through Peter– Ruled by the pope– Exercised absolute authority in the Middle Ages– Priests held authority in the cities where they

lived

Medieval Church

• No opposing viewpoint– If you were Christian, you were Catholic– If you weren’t a Christian, you were

usually persecuted (torture, burning, death, etc.)

– Church had their own soldiers– Kings and church would sometimes go to

war

Crusades• Church wants to unite people against a

common enemy (so they’ll stop fighting the church)

• Looks to Muslims• Calls on people to set off on a “Holy Crusade”

to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims

VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upx2cy6ZIjA

Crusades

• Series of Wars fought between Christian Europe and Muslim Middle East

• First one 1096• Last one 1272• Christians won some battles and lost some

battles

First Crusades

• Pope Urban II• Fight Muslims in holy

land• Soldiers were marked

with a cross• Tough journey• 1099 took Jerusalem

VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=vCv6fT7fIfI

2nd Crusades• After 2yrs Christians

fail to hold the city• Christians are

slaughtered and Muslims retake Jerusalem in the 2nd Crusade!

3rd Crusades• Richard the Lion

Heart of England, Phillip Augustus of France, and Frederick Barbossa of Rome all came together to fight.

• Europeans still couldn’t win

VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_Gussoya8

Effects of Crusades

• Introduced Europe to advanced thinking of Middle East– Math– Sciences– Health care– Classical Greek and Roman thinkers banned by

the Catholic church