TRANSITION IN EUROPE

THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES

SO FAR….

CATEGORY EGYPT (%) GREECE (%)

ROME (%)

CITIES 86 83 76

CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT

78 73 81

AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION

84 65 80

JOB SPECIALIZATION 80 79 73

SOCIAL CLASS STRUCTURE

76 72 73

MERCHANTS & TRADE 83 77 73

STATE RELIGION 78 85 77

SCIENCE & WRITING 84 89 78

TOTAL 81 % 78% 77%

Previously: We’ve studied specific Civilizations and their contributions

Now: There is so many expanding civilizations that it becomes more about significant events & people

We are looking predominantly at Europe as a whole (North of the Mediterranean)

THIS UNIT

Over the last 4000+ years Europe has been dominated by Mediterranean civilizations…Egypt: 3100BC – 750BCGreece: 1600BC – 300BCRome: 700BC – 476BC

Byzantine Empire: 258AD – 1453AD

SO FAR…

Early Middle Ages represent a transition from Roman dominated society to “Medieval Society”

The next 500+ years will be dominated by Northern Europe

TRANSITION

EUROPE – 200 AD

EUROPE – 300 AD

EUROPE – 400 AD

EUROPE – 500 AD

EUROPE – 600 AD

EUROPE – 700 AD

EUROPE – 800AD

EUROPE – 900 AD

EUROPE – 1000AD

Based on those maps, what do you think Europe is like in the Early Middle Ages (500-100BC)

How do the East & West diff er?

TRANSITION IN EUROPE

EUROPE – 500 AD

THE “DARK” AGES

500 – 1300 AD

THE WEST: BARBARIANS

Given the name because the “intellectual light” of Rome had been extinguished by the barbarian hordes ending in the Italian Renaissance in the 14 th Century

The west does undergo tumultuous times – the “Barbarians” fight for control of the land and the boundaries of each empire are constantly contested and changing.

This “Dark” barbarian transition period really only takes a few hundred years, not 800 as is suggested

THE WEST: THE “DARK” AGES

THE CELTS

Natives of Western Europe

Gauls – FranceBritons – UKBretons – FrancePicts - Scotland

Warband societies who just wanted to raid, rape and plunder

THE WEST: WHO WERE THESE “BARBARIANS”?

GERMANIC TRIBES

Most barbarians were Germanicfrom Scandinavia

Included: Goths Franks Vandals Angles Saxons Jutes Frisians

THE WEST: WHO WERE THESE “BARBARIANS”

MONATACISM: The birth of Monasteries & Monks extend the influence of the church into the west and serve as mini-conversion centers.

Not surprisingly this is met with some resistance and by some I mean bloody resistance…but over 100s of year it is somewhat successful.

THE WEST: BARBARIAN CONVERSION

THE EAST: BYZANTINE EMPIRE

As things change, they stay the same…

Byzantine Empire = Eastern Roman Empire

Roman Model of Government still used with Emperor

appointing military commanders etc.

People still heavily taxed

After the time of Justinian they went from Latin to

Greek as the preferred language

The bezat was the standard gold coin of international

trade

THE EAST: BYZANTIUM PROSPERS

Constantine was the fi rst Christian Emperor, he was appointed by God as Christ’s representative

The Emperors that succeeded Constantine therefore also were seen as the peoples connection to God and ruled the church with an iron fist.

There were 2 leading church offi cials…

In Byzantium – the Patriarch = head of the church In the Byzantine Empire the Patriarch would still be under

control of the Emperor

In Rome – the Pope = head of the church In Rome…there is no Emperor anymore? So the Pope had more

freedom.

BYZANTIUM & THE CHURCH

They co-exist for about 500 years (during the Early Middle Ages)

11 th Century there is a divide…

BYZANTIUMThe Greek Orthodox Church following the Emperor & Patriarch of the Church

ROMEThe Roman Catholic Church following the Pope (this means the church is free to try and spread Christianity at its own will).

THE CHURCH SPLITS

HEADS OF THE CHURCH

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

THE POPE

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

THE BYZANTINE EMPEROR

AKA: Justinian the Great (getting a little redundant now isn’t it)

Attempts to Re-conquer & Re-unite Rome as a Christian Empire

Completely crushes the last remnants of the previous ‘pagan’ religion (The Olympians)

Justinian Code: Took 16 years to finish, clarified all the old Roman laws, gave instruction on how property was passed to heirs, how disputes should be resolved. Became the basis of Civil Law in Europe and across the world.

BYZANTINE EMPIRE: JUSTINIAN