Barbarian invasions threatened European safety & stability
Led to the development of Feudalism =
1000-1300 C.E.
Feudalism = political & social system of the High Middle Ages
Royal governments were powerless to defend people against the Barbarian invasions
Lords granted land and protection to vassals who served them
Vassal = men who fought for lords
Feudal contract = unwritten rules between a lord and his vassal
Feudal Contract •vassals = gave military service
• Knights = heavily armored soldiers on horseback
• Advised their lords
• Pay the lords on special occasions
• Special occasions = marriages, knighting ceremonies, ransom of the lord if he was kidnapped
Lords
• Nobility = aristocracy
• Held large estates
• Had political, economic, & social power
• Duties to their vassals under the feudal contract =
• land grants
• protection: militarily or in court
•Warfare dominated Medieval society
• Tournaments = contests between knights; helped them practice their fighting skills • Chivalry = code of ethics
- Defend the Church- Defend the helpless- Treat captives humanely
The May Jaunt
• A pageant celebrating the "joli mois de Mai"
• Celebrants wear green garments (“livree de mai”)
• The riders are young princes, princesses, noblemen and women
• In the background is a chateau thought to be the Palais de la Cite in Paris. • Excerpt from Tres Riches Heures, a French prayer book
Noble Women
• owned property
• controlled by men
• married for political alliances and economic advantages
• managed the castles & estates
• 15th-century illuminated manuscript page from the Romance of Tristan
• Shows ladies watching knights participate in a tournament
Gianni Dagli Orti/CORBIS-BETTMANN
Peasant Women
• controlled by men
• married for economic security
• managed home & children
• servants in the lord’s castle or in the fields
Feudal structure
Development of the mercantile class
Burghers = bourgeoisie
Trade guilds
High Middle Ages = population doubled
Islam spread throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe
In the 7th Century. Muslims, conquered Palestinewhere Jesus Christ had lived and preachedMuslims were tolerantlet Christians/Jews and keep their faithsChristian pilgrims visited the Christian 'Holy Land‘ & shrines freely
In the 11th century, the Seljuk Turks conquered JerusalemPersecuted Christian pilgrims1071, defeated the Byzantine army at the Battle of Manzikert; Threatened Byzantine Empire; Emperor Alexius asked the Pope for help Pope Urban II called for a “Holy War” or “Crusade” against the Muslim “infidels” (unbelievers) and occupiers of the Holy Lands1000s responded and pinned crosses on their tunics
The Crusade
s
The Crusades continuedBetween 1096-1212, there were 7 crusades
1000s responded and pinned crosses on their tunics & marched to fight/die for God
1st Crusade: (1096-1099) French, German, and Italian armies captured Jerusalem Sacked the city, slaughtered many Muslims & Jews; stole/ransacked goods Many Crusaders went home--left surrounding territories vulnerable Muslim leader, Saladin captured Edessa
2nd Crusade: (1147-1149) 2nd Crusade failed to win Edessa backAdditionally, Saladin re-captured Jerusalem in 1187 for the Muslims
3rd Crusade: (1189-1192) Emperor Frederick Barbarossa of Germany drowned in a local river English King Richard & French King Philip II of France arrived by sea
captured the coastal cities unable to move inland & capture Jerusalem Saladin was impressed with King Richard’s fighting on the coast King Richard earned the nickname the “Lionhearted” here Saladin agreed to allow Christian pilgrims free access to Jerusalem
The Crusades continued
Saladin (1138-1193)
Muslim leader
Established the Ayyubid Dynasty
Very devout
Legendary chivalry
Defeated Europeans in the 2nd & 3rd Crusades
Spared Jerusalem
Made Cairo a vibrant medieval city
The Crusades continued
4th Crusade (1202-1204) Venetian leaders used the opportunity to weaken their largest economic competitor Diverted Crusaders to Constantinople; sacked the city and ruled it until 1261 Byzantine army recaptured Constantinople in 1261 Byzantine Empire never regained their great power Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453
What was the main effect of the Crusades?
Italian port cities prospered economically
Opened Europeans to a variety of goods and products: silks, spices, coffee, tea, science, and knowledge
Access to the compass/astrolabe provided Europeans with the means to travel away from the coastline and to seek new goods
Access to information about gun powder will enhance their more aggression and lead to imperialistic tendencies in Asia, Africa, and the Americas
4th Crusade sacked Constantinople;
weakened the Byzantine Empire
Led to Anti-Semitism in Europe
Broke down feudalism;
Paved the way for the development of European nation-states
Lasting impact: bred centuries of distrust & enmity between Muslims &Christians
Crusaders sacked Constantinople
Collapse of the Byzantine Empire
1453 – the Muslim Ottoman Empire surrounded and conquered Constantinople
Constantinople was renamed Istanbul
Istanbul = the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
Mehmet II
Constantine XI
In 1000 C.E., Agricultural Revolution
• Innovations
- Heavier plows
- Windmills
• 3-field system
- Peasants rotated crops
- Planted 2 fields
- 1 field left fallowThe Bettman Archive
• Estates called manors = produced the food to feed the lord, all of the knights, and the peasants
• Serfs = peasants who were legally tied to the land
Serfs
gave part of their crop = rent payment
subject to many other payment obligations and taxes
Serfdom = slavery
Serfs could own property
could not be sold
Theoretically, serfs could purchase their freedom from their lords
Culver Pictures
• Harvesting honey from beehives in the 15th century.
• During the Middle Ages, families that often kept bees.
• Honey was used as a sweetener and to ferment to make mead, an alcoholic beverage.
• They used the beeswax to make candles
The lord gave the serfs
• a crude house
• a small adjoining plot of ground
• a share of the surrounding fields
• some farm animals
• protection from outlaws and other lords
Characteristic Noblespage 292-296
Peasantspage 317-319
Monks/Nunspage 325-326
Obligations Vassals –
Knights –
• Serfs -
Rights and Benefits
• Feudal Contract –
• Fief-
• Manor-
• Manorialism-
Protection by the Lord:
Lives • Tournaments:
• Chivalry:
• Aristocratic Women:
• Eleanor of Aquitaine:
Life of religious service:
Inquisition -
heresy -
Feudalism -
Define, page 293
Feudalism -
European vs. Japanese feudalism
Cowney Castle
of Himeji castle in Kansai, Japan
• Nobles lived in Castles
• Provided safety from Barbarian attacks
• They were built on hills (motte) so that they could see their enemy’s approach. Thick walls surrounded the fort.
• The family lived in the keep (tower)
• The keep contained bedrooms, kitchens, stables, storerooms, and a Great Hall. The lord held court and entertained in the Great Hall
• Tapestries were hung on the floor to keep out the cold. Straw was thrown on the floor to soak up discarded trash and food.
Bodiam Castle
Arundel Castle
Rhodes castle
In the Dark Ages, trade and cities had declined
Trade revived in the High Middle Ages
Medieval towns and cities grew
Permanent trading centers
craftsmen & traders sold their goods
farmers sold their excess produce for cloth, tools, etc..
Fair = permanent trading markets
• Italian cities were major centers of commerce
• Florence was a major banking and manufacturing center.
• Venice developed a mercantile fleet and traded with Byzantium
• mercantile = used for merchants & trade.
Florence, Italy
Many Medieval towns and cities were ringed by walls or other fortifications for defense
Stapleton Collection, UK/Bridgeman Art Library, London/New York
Flanders
- Major trade center in Northern Europe
- Renowned for high-quality wool
- Major trade cities: Bruges & Ghent
• As trade increased, a money economy developed
• Money economy = based on gold & silver coins instead of bartering (trading goods for other goods)
• Commercial capitalism = an economic system in which people invest money (capital) in trade and goods.
- Bankers & wealthy people loan small businesses capital.
- The lender gets a percentage of the profits from the business
• As trade revived, merchants began to move into old Roman cities that were abandoned in the Dark Ages
• Artisans followed = skilled people who made things that merchants sold
- carpenters
- stonemasons
- blacksmiths
- tailors
• Businesses hung signs to illustrate their profession
• Most people were illiterate
• New cities developed near trade routes, castles, or monasteries
• Burghers = someone who lives in a city near a burg (German for castle)
• Smaller than ancient or modern cities
Medieval cities were walled, crowded, and unsanitary
Medieval cities were:
• walled
• polluted = wood fires, dyers, brewers
• crowded = more men than women
• unsanitary = human & animal wastes everywhere
• unclean water = butchers and tanners dumped garbage in the rivers and wells
• fire was the greatest hazard
• Women kept the house and watched the kids
• Helped in their husband’s trade
• Many women were independent brewers, weavers, and hatmakers
• Sometimes, widows inherited the husband’s trade
• Cities were tied to the nearby manors for food and protection
• Part of a lord’s territory
- Townspeople wanted freedom to trade
- exempt from military service
- written law guaranteed townspeople their freedom
- escaped serfs were free if they lived in a city for 366 days
- Self-governed
- city council
- elected patricians = wealthiest & most powerful families
• Craftsmen began to organize themselves into trade guilds
• Trade guilds = business associations for specialized trades
• Guilds set quality standards
• Set prices
• Established standard production methods
• 3 Levels in a Guild = Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master
• Apprentice = young person who learns a skill while working for a master craftsmen. They are not paid -- receive free room & board.
- Journeymen = After 5-7 years, they apprentices receive wages from other masters
- Master = produce a masterpiece that is evaluated for quality by other guild masters
Stained glass window in Notre Dame showing the cloth-making guild
Hanseatic League
• Active between the 12th-17th centuries
• Powerful trade association of over 100 German merchants & cities
• Hamburg was one of the most important cities
Culver Pictures
• The league’s ships and merchants monopolized trade in the North and Baltic seas
• Established trade enclaves (kontors) in major cities to represent their interests
5th Century = Germanic tribes, Angles & Saxons invaded England
Ruled England for centuries
1066 = Battle of Hastings
William of Normandy defeated King Harold
England
The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Norman conquest of England by William I in 1066. It is one of the most famous tapestries in the world. The inscriptions worked into the design help describe the action. The depictions of costumes, weapons, and other details are realistically portrayed.
Bridgeman Art Library, London/New York
William the Conqueror Reorganized the system of lords & vassals in England
Built castles all over the English countryside
Gave each knight a fief
Required landholders to swear loyalty to him
French = the language of the Nobility
Tower of London
Public Record Office, Surrey, England
William the Conqueror
Ordered a Census (1086)
Called the Domesday Book
Meticulous survey of English estates
Survey of the whole realm’s wealth
Determined taxes his subjects owed him
1st census in Rome since the Roman Empire
Hulton Deutsch
Henry II (1154 – 1189)
One of the most powerful English kings in history
Centralized English justice
Combined Common Law with the existing local legal codes
Implemented modern court procedures
Created royal courts
Later, he unsuccessfully tried to impose his will on the Church
Thomas Becket opposed Henry. Becket was murdered by 4 of Henry’s knights.
The people protested. Becket was later martyred
(1122-1204)
Legendary Medieval Queen
Wife of King Louis VII of France. She accompanied Louis to Jerusalem in armor on the 2nd Crusade.
After their marriage was annulled, she married Henry II of England.
Highly educated – spoke & wrote Latin. Also schooled in literature, music, hawking, and hunting.
Mother of King Richard & King John of England
Ruled England as Regent between 1189-1204 when Richard was on the 3rd Crusade
Stopped John from stealing his brother’s throne
Her court was reputed for its intellectual and cultural attractions
On her tomb, she is holding a book because she loved to read so much
1215 – King John signed the Magna Carta
Limited the King’s power
Spelled out king/vassal relationship
1295 – King Edward I established Parliament = 1st representative assembly
Wat Tyler led a rebellion against King Richard II in 1381. The rebellion led to the abolition of the poll tax. Wat Tyler became a local hero. King Richard watches while the mayor, William Walworth, slays Tyler.
French Kingdom
• 843 – Carolingian empire was divided
• 987 – Hugh Capet started Capetian Dynasty
• Weak rulers
• Controlled by nobles
• Royal domain = areas around Paris
Philip II Augustus (1180-1223)
• Strengthened French monarchy
• Warred against English rulers who controlled French territories
• Expanded French territory
• Expanded the monarchy’s power
Philip IV (Philip the Fair)
• Expanded the bureaucracy
• Expanded royal power
• Made France the largest and best-governed monarchy in Europe
• Established the French Parliament
1302 French King Phillip IV created the Estates-General
•10th century = Holy Roman Emperor
•Saxon dukes united parts of the eastern Frankish empire
•Modern day Germany
•Contained parts of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, eastern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Czechoslavakia, and Italy
• Slavs settled Eastern & Southern Europe
• Western Slavs
• Poland, Hungary, Czechs in Bohemia
• Christians
• Roman Catholics
• Southern Slavs
• Moravians, Croats, Serbs, Bulgarians
• Eastern Orthodox
Kievan Rus• Late 8th Century: Vikings attacked Slavic villages south of the Baltic Sea
• Vikings dominated the area
• Natives called the Vikings the Rus
• Kiev became a major trade center
• Both trade partner and enemy of the Byzantines
Vladimir I (980)• Very war like Kievan ruler
• Invited missionaries from Judaism, Islam and Christianity to offer reasons for conversion
• Married the Byzantine emperor’s sister
• Brought Christianity and Greco-Roman civilization to Russia
Created a Russian law code Created a Russian law code based on Justinian’s Code.based on Justinian’s Code.
Instituted a Golden Age of Instituted a Golden Age of Kievan Russia. Built churches and Kievan Russia. Built churches and a new capital city.a new capital city.
Allied Russia with the restAllied Russia with the rest of Europe by marrying his of Europe by marrying his children to European rulers.children to European rulers.
Yaroslav I (1010-1054)
• Since the 5th Century, the popes claimed supremacy over Church affairs
• The pope controlled territories called the Papal states in central Italy
• Popes became deeply involved in feudalism
• Church bishops and abbots were given their positions by nobles
• This made them vassals to the lord who appointed them
• Appointees were often chosen from other noble families for political reasons
• Appointees were more worldly than spiritual
investiture = kings bestowed the symbols of office to appointees
Pope Gregory VII disagreed; felt that Church officials should appoint clergy leaders
King Henry IV challenged Pope Gregory
Concordat of Worms = a bishop is elected by Church officials
Concordat is an official agreement, especially between the pope and a national government concerning the religious affairs of a country
After the election, the bishop pays homage to the king
The king invests him with the symbols of his earthly power
The pope’s representative bestows symbols of the bishop’s spiritual office
The power of kings and emperors over the church began to decline. This painting shows how the church viewed the relationship between church and state. The pope is shown in the center of the picture, with other representatives of the church to his left. To the right of the pope, and seated slightly lower, is the Holy Roman emperor, and to his right, other representatives of lay government
Scala/Art Resource, NY
Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)
forced King Phillip Augustus of France to take back his wife and queen after Philip tried to annul the marriage
forced King John to accept his nominee for Archbishop of Canterbury
Wielded power by issuing interdicts = forbids priests from giving sacraments to selected individuals
sacraments = Christian rites
Made individuals pressure rulers to comply with papal commands
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV and his family spent three days barefoot in the snow at Canossa, Italy. Pope Gregory VII excommunicated Henry after they argued over secular control. Henry was readmitted to the Church.
Hulton Deutsch collection
New religious Orders developed :
• Cistercians = very strict; ate simple diets; owned only 1 robe; eliminated all decorations from all church buildings; active missionaries – spread Christianity outside the monasteries
• More women joined convents & nunneries
• Franciscans = founded by Saint Francis of Assisi; very popular amongst the people; preached repentance & aiding the poor; lived with the people, not in a monastery
• Dominicans = defended the Church against heresy (denial of basic Church doctrines). Served as examiners during the Inquisition
Thomas à Becket was made Archbishop of Canterbury by King Henry II of England in 1162. Becket resisted Henry’s attempts to control the affairs of the Catholic church. Their conflicts grew bitter. In 1170, four of Henry’s knights murdered Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. The Roman Catholic Church canonized the martyred Becket in 1173.
• 1233 - Inquisition
- Started in Spain
- Reaction to Muslim Rule
-1000s were accused of heresy and tortured
- Christians believed that people who did not accept Church doctrines were in danger of eternal damnation
- Accused individuals were required to do penance to save their immortal souls
The Babylonian Captivity• Philip IV of France argued with Pope Boniface VIII. Henry wanted to tax the French clergy.
• Pope Boniface VIII argued that they could not pay taxes without the pope’s consent. Pope Boniface VIII believed that the Pope was supreme
• Philip sent troops to kidnap the Pope. Boniface died from shock in 1303
• 1305, Philip installed Clement III at Avignon, near the border of his empire
• The papacy remained in Avignon for 75 years. This period is called the Babylonian Captivity.
In 1377, Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome after complaints about papal corruption at Avignon.
He died soon after returning to Rome.
Urban VI was elected. French cardinals disagreed and chose a French pope. This created the Great Schism = 2 popes between 1378-1417.
- Divided European Christians
- Damaged the Church’s popularity and credibility.
Council of Constance (1417) ended the schism and elected Pope Martin V
By the early 1400’s, the Church had lost a lot of political power
• Called for Church reform• Criticized corrupt clergy and excessive papal abuse of power• The Council of Constance accused Hus of heresy• Hus was burned at the stake in 1415• Many Czech reformers protested in Bohemia• Violence didn’t end until 1436
1492 – Reconquista =
- Spain’s monarchs, Ferdinand & Isabella, defeated the Moors at Granada
-Ended Muslim rule in Spain
- Expelled Jews & Muslims from Spain
Notre Dame (Gothic)
Romanesque Church
Glencoe, page 332
Churches and cathedrals = the most important buildings in medieval towns
Cathedrals were very expensive = a community effort
Cathedrals took decades to complete
Cathedral construction benefited the community’s economy
Employed local masons, carpenters, glaziers, and other workers
Avila Cathedral, Castilla-Leon, Spain/Index/Bridgeman Art Library, London/New York
Pisa, Italy
Peterborough, Russia
Glencoe, 332
Maria Leach Abbey
Canterbury Cathedral
Flying Buttresses on Strasbourg Cathedral
Universities
University is derived from the Latin word, universitas = corporation or guild
Medieval universities were like educational guilds that trained young men
The 1st universities were in Bologna, Italy and Paris, France
Teachers, called masters, lectured by reading read a text aloud while students followed along
Liberal arts curriculum = law, medicine, or theology (most popular)
Cambridge University in Cambridge, England, was founded in the 13th century. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Europe and one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Scholasticism tried to reconcile faith and reason Scholars used the teachings of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers Scholastics believed that basic religious truths could be proved by logical debate and investigation Saint Thomas Aquinas was the most renowned Scholastic. He wrote Summa Theologica. Summa Theologica is organized as a logical intellectual investigation. He asks questions, then cites opposing views and documents to support his position
This is a page from the illuminated manuscript known as the Ebbo Gospels (about 816-835). It shows Saint Matthew writing his gospel. Portraits of the authors were very popular in illuminated manuscripts in the early Middle Ages
Latin = the universal language in Medieval culture
In the 12th century, authors began to write in their native vernacular language.
Vernacular = everyday speech (English, French, Spanish)
Troubadour poetry = the most popular vernacular literature; tales of knights inspired by noble ladies to perform courageous feats
Chanson de geste = heroic epics that describe battles and political contests – women not really involved much
Christine de Pisan wrote The Book of The City of Ladies in French
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales in English
Dante Alighieri wrote The Divine Comedy in Italian
Most people couldn’t read or understand Latin
Vernacular Literature became served a larger audience
Encouraged more literacy
In the Middle Ages, the most effective method of deterring someone from acquiring manuscripts from their proper owners was the book curse. The book curse was a social warning. It warned possible book thieves that books were valuable. Thieves faced severe repercussions if they took books without permission.
Source: Sandra Anderson, Alloway Library
A sample curse equates stealing with not returning a borrowed book, For him that stealeth a book from this library,
Let it change into a serpent inhis hand and rend him.
Let him be struck with palsyand all his members be blasted.
Let him languish in pain, cryingaloud for mercy and
Let there be no surcease to hisagony til he sink in dissolution.
Let bookworms gnaw his entrailsin token of the worm that dieth not,
And when at last he goeth to hisfinal judgment
Let flames of Hell consume himforever and aye.
Source: Sandra Anderson, Alloway Library
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