1. The Middle Ages

2. The beginning… Early Middle Ages
Decline of Roman Empire
Rise of Northern Europe
New forms of government
Heavy “Romanization” (religion, language, laws, architecture, government)
“Middle Age” and is source of English word “medieval”

4. Early Middle Ages
Dark Ages (500 CE CE)- called this because it is seen as a time with little or no progress.
Rise of influence of barbarians. Roman Emperors had granted barbarian mercenaries land within the Roman Empire in return for military service and these barbarians would eventually became the new rulers

5. Warriors and War-bands in the West
Period of change in Western Europe as barbarians were migrating in to areas given up by Romans
As more barbarians moved westward, other tribes were forced to move
Groups categorized by languages and little else
Celtic: Gauls, Britons, Bretons
Germanic: Goths, Frank, Vandals, Saxons
Slavic: Wends

6. The Church works with Kings
Church was granted favors by Kings (land, exemption from taxes, immunity in courts, positions in courts) and
The Church would endorse kings to help secure their rule
Church educated administrators to help run kingdoms
Kings would enforce laws that prohibited other religions

7. Other invaders
Muslims come from Arabia, conquered North Africa and Spain
Magyars conquer Eastern Europe
Vikings come from Scandinavia

8. High Middle Ages
System of primogeniture= system where eldest son inherited everything (instead of dividing land / property / wealth)
Lords and knights had little loyalty and began competing for land, power, influence and control
Peace of God= laws that prohibited stealing from or destroying a church. Used the threat of excommunication from Church
Truce of God= outlawed all fighting from Thursday to Monday morning, on important feast days and during religious days
Truce encouraged idea that the only wars pleasing to God were wars defending of Christendom (idea of the righteousness of holy war)

9. Noble Class Land-owners, Knights Women had little rights
Age of Chivalry

10. Slaves and Serfs Slaves made up of conquered peoples
Some treated harshly, while other were treated fairly
Rural slaves became serfs, worked the land and provided labor for owner (in return from protection)
Serf were bound to the land
Set up for system of feudalism

11. Feudalism
Weak turn to the strong for protection, strong want something from the weak
Feudalism= relationship between those ranked in a chain of association (kings, vassals, lords, knights, serfs)
Feudalism worked because voluntary co-operation from serf to noble
Serf-manor relationship
Fief = land given by a lord in return for a vassal’s military service and oath of loyalty
Serfs= common peasants who worked the lords land
Tithe = tax that serfs paid (tax or rent)

12. Manor Economy

13. Manor Economy Peasants worked the land Self-sufficient economy
Lands divided into strips
for farming
Church, Mill, Blacksmith
Barns, Orchards, Meadows,
Houses, Villages

16. Wars and Conflicts
War of Investitures (Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV)
Norman Conquests & William the Conqueror (who was crowned King of England)
Magna Carta (king is subject to the law)
Crusades
(standoff between Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV in War of Investitures)

17. Crusades Muslims capture Jerusalem!! Church and Kings want it back
Pope calls on all able Christians to fight
7 Crusades. 1st was successful, next 6 were failures
Attacked Constantinople during the 4th
Richard Lionheart, King of England
Siege of Jerusalem

18. Effects of Crusades military failure but many positive effects
spreading of culture
scientific and mathematical knowledge
Trade! (Spices, fabrics, perfumes
Constantinople loses power
Increased power for Kings
Decreased power for Church

19. Magna Carta John I of England was a bad ruler
Nobles forced him to give them certain rights
Protection people from arbitrary arrest and imprisonment
King cannot raise taxes without permission from Great Council
Monarch must obey law

20. Black Plague, 1348 Black Death
a devastating worldwide pandemic struck Europe in the mid 14th century
killed 1/3 the population, 34 million people.

22. The Bubonic Plague
Came from Asia, spread around the world. Affected India, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Europe
Spread by fleas and rats
Spread along trading routes
Seen as a punishment from God
Affected all classes equally
Ring around the Rosie
EFFECTS
Caused massive depopulation
Weakened influence of Church
Peasant class becomes more important

23. Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411).

24. 100 Years War
France vs. England. Fought over lands in France
English King tried to claim French throne.
War over English owned lands in France
English win at first
Longbow
Joan of Arc
French end up
victorious
Cannon

25. Effects of 100 Years War English lost land in France National pride
English kings asked Parliament for money, gives authority to Parliament
Longbow and cannon as weapons
Change in warfare meant change in society