The Middle Ages Global AIS Unit 6

MAP AND TIMELINE For your reference

THE DARK AGES

Basic Terms Dark Ages (Middle Ages) ◦ Began with the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD ◦ Lasted until 800 AD (when Charlemagne is crowned) ◦ Happened in Western Europe Medieval ◦ Another name for the Middle Ages

Barbarian Tribes Considered uncivilized and uneducated ◦ Barbarian: Roman term for people who didn’t speak Latin Made of Germanic people from northern and eastern Europe Pushed westward by the Huns from Asia and Vikings from the far north ◦ Huns: fierce, savage fighters (Mulan) Ruined most of what the Roman Empire had created

Effects of the “Fall of Rome” on Western Europe No more centralized government ◦ No protection ◦ Roads crumbled ◦ Trade declined ◦ Communities couldn’t communicate  Different languages emerged, like French, Spanish and Italian Roman Catholic Church became the ONLY common organization in Europe

Conditions in Europe during the Dark Ages Unorganized ◦ No centralized government Uneducated ◦ No formal schooling Poor ◦ No organized trade

EXCEPT Charlemagne’s Kingdom Frankish Kingdom: a German tribe in France Leader: Charles the Great aka Charlemagne Successful for three reasons ◦ Ties to the Roman Catholic Church  Remember: the only uniting body ◦ Supported education ◦ Began feudalism in France

FEUDALISM

Feudalism A “type of government” Organized but not centralized Locally-run system based on landownership (the manor)

How Feudalism Worked Everyone belonged to a social class and got what they needed Based on allegiance (loyalty) to a lord The Manor ◦ Self-sufficient ◦ All Land owned by the lord  Includes the lord’s house, farms, fields, forest, village, church, and peasant’s homes

The Feudal Manor

Manorialism Economic relationship between the lord and the people who work for him Giving and receiving of goods and services

King Nobles: Lord, Knight Titles: Duke/Baron Earl/Marquis Peasants: Priests Craftsmen (freemen: could move) Serfs (bound to the land) Provides: Work (service) Food Provides: Land Protection

More Manor Terms Lord ◦ Anyone above you in the feudal system ◦ Made rules ◦ Ex. Knight is a lord to a priest Vassal ◦ Anyone below you in a feudal system ◦ Followed the Lord’s rules ◦ Ex. Priest is a vassal to a knight Serf ◦ Belongs to the manor and is not allowed to move ◦ “Bound to the land”

More Manor Terms Knights ◦ Noble warriors: protectors of the kingdom ◦ Called “sir” ◦ Highly trained and well-respected Chivalry ◦ Moral code of conduct that required knights to possess:  Bravery  Loyalty  Courtesy  Generosity  Charity

Why Feudalism is a Political System ◦ Lords are leaders, lawmakers, judges ◦ Complaints/ disputes resolved by the lord Social System ◦ People ranked according to social class Economic System ◦ Ensured everyone got what they needed ◦ Everyone could survive

ROLE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

An Organizing Force Only organized institution in Europe ◦ Main tool for communication  Spread news and ideas ◦ Gave the church GREAT power Education (Monastic System) ◦ Monks lived in monasteries ◦ Monks read/wrote fluently  Often only ones who could in a community ◦ Monks copied books and kept knowledge preserved  Copied by hand, word for word

More Organizing Force Influence on the people ◦ Spiritually taught people how to get to heaven ◦ Politically had great influence  Even had some power over kings ◦ Economically: people had to pay a tithe (tax) of 10% of their income/crops to the church Structure of the Church ◦ Hierarchy: instructions from God to the pope to the people through the clergy

Church Hierarchy Pope (in Rome) Archbishops (cardinals) Bishops Priests People

Influence on Art and Architecture Gothic Architecture ◦ Very detailed and beautiful Cathedrals ◦ Huge churches ◦ Dedicated to the glory of God ◦ Used as a visual tool to understand Christianity Use of art in the Church ◦ Taught people, mostly illiterate, about Christianity ◦ Art was based on religious themes

Gothic Cathedrals

Art in Churches Jesus’ Crucifixion The Last Supper Jesus’ Birth

Important Church Terms Heresy ◦ Major crime during those days ◦ Speaking out against the Church ◦ Disagreeing with the Church’s teachings Excommunication ◦ Being forced to leave the Church ◦ Cut you off from all the good stuff that came with the church (literacy, unification, charity)

THE CRUSADES

The Crusades 1100s-1200s A series of “Holy Wars” European Christians vs. Muslims

Causes (All Christian) Wanted to take back the Holy Land (Jerusalem) Church wanted more power The fighters believed their sins would be forgiven and they would go to heaven Church wanted to gain land Serfs hoped to escape feudalism

Impact of the Crusades Christians did not retake the Holy Land Christians gained things through cultural diffusion that changed their culture ◦ Learned from Muslims  Math, science, literature, art, medicine ◦ Reintroduced to Greek and Roman ideas  Art, philosophy, literature  Remember: The ideas had been preserved by the Byzantine and Muslim Empires

Impact of the Crusades cont’d Crusaders brought back new products ◦ Silk, spices, cotton, fruits, dyes, medicines ◦ Demand for new products improved trade Demand for products  started new markets  growth of towns

Impact of the Crusades (cont’d) Overall Impact on Europe ◦ Learning increased ◦ “Beginning of the end” for Feudalism ◦ Economy improved ◦ Set up a base for the Renaissance ◦ Created lasting religious tensions between Christians and Muslims

Important People During the Crusades Pope Urban II: initiated the First Crusade Richard the Lion-Hearted (King of England): led the Third Crusade Saladin (1100s): Great warrior/leader of Turkish Muslims ◦ Reunited the Muslim world against the Christian advances

OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES

The Hundred Years War What It Was ◦ England vs. France When ◦ 1300s-1400s Why ◦ England claimed the throne of France Effects on European Culture ◦ New weapons invented  Longbow: ended knights fighting in armor  Cannon (gunpowder): ended castles as a defense

Joan of Arc Heretic or Saint? Biography

The Plague What It Was ◦ A disease with no cure (at the time) ◦ Also called the Bubonic Plague or Black Death When ◦ Began in the 1340s How It Spread ◦ By fleas on rats ◦ Brought from Asia by traders ◦ Worse in crowded cities

Impact on Europe Socially ◦ Killed 1/3 of Europeans ◦ People began to question the power of the Church Economically ◦ Survivors gained wealth from what victims left behind ◦ People could demand higher wages because of the lack of workers Politically ◦ End of feudalism (peasants revolted) ◦ Growth of new political systems (monarchs got more power)

The Plague Hollaback Girl Song Parody