1. European Middle Ages Introduction
Ca. 500 – 1000 C.E.

2. The Germanic Successor States
Last Roman emperor deposed by Germanic Odoacer, 476 C.E.
Administrative apparatus still in place, but cities loose population
Germanic successor states:
Visigoths − Lombards
Ostrogoths − Franks

3. Germanic Invasions 450 – 476 C.E.

4. Periodization Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000
High Middle Ages: – 1250
Late Middle Ages:

5. Structure Chapter 16: Early & High Middle Ages
The Two Worlds of Christendom
Chapter 19: Late Middle Ages
The Increasing Influence of Europe

6. Medieval Christendom The Roman Empire was split into two halves
Byzantine empire
Germanic states
Inherited Christianity from Roman empire
Tensions between two halves grew after the 8th century

7. Medieval Europe, ca. 600 C.E.

8. The Early Byzantine Empire
Capital: Byzantium (Constantinople)
Commercial, strategic value of location
Constantine names capital after himself (Constantinople), moves capital there after 330 C.E.

9. Justinian (527-565 C.E.) The “sleepless emperor”
Wife Theodora as advisor
Background: “circus performer”
Ambitious construction programs
The church of Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s code:
codification of Roman law

10. Hagia Sophia (now the Ayasofya Müzesi)

11. Caesaropapism Power centralized in figure of emperor
Christian leader cannot claim divinity, rather divine authority
Political rule
Involved in religious rule as well
Authority absolute

12. The Great Schism
Tension arose between Pope Leo IX and the four Eastern patriarchs in The Pope claimed he had authority over them.
Both sides found many things to argue over: doctrine, liturgy, political ideas, etc.
 In 1054 Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael I excommunicated each other, the Great Schizm split the Christian church into what became known as the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches.

13. Muslim Conquests Seventh century, Arab Muslim expansion
Besieged Byzantium ,
Defense made possible through use of “Greek fire”
Constantinople eventually fell to Muslims in 1453
and was renamed
Istanbul

14. Expansion of Islam 632 – 733 C.E.

15. The Carolingian Empire
In 486, Clovis, King of the Franks conquered the former province of Gaul, which later became known as the kingdom of France.
Clovis converted to Christianity, which was the religion of most people in Gaul.
This also gave him an ally in the pope, the leader of the Christian Church in Rome.

16. The Carolingian Empire
The Muslim empire was also spreading, mostly across North Africa, but also into Europe.
When Muslim armies moved into France, Charles Martel rallied Christian troops and defeated them at the Battle of Tours in 732.
Muslims advanced no further into Western Europe, but continued to occupy what is now Spain.

17. The Early Middle Ages
In 786, the grandson of Martel became king of the Franks – his name was Charlemagne.
Charlemagne helped Pope Leo III by arresting some rebels, so the Pope crowned him Emperor of the Romans
How do you think the eastern Roman Empire felt about this?

19. The Carolingian Empire
Charlemagne continued to work with the church to unify Europe.
Appointed powerful nobles to rule local areas.
Sent out missi dominici to stay in touch.
After Charlemagne died, his grandsons battled each other for power. In 843 they split the kingdom into three regions and called for peace with the Treaty of Verdun.

20. Charlemagne’s Empire Collapses
Treaty of Verdun, 843