1. Transforming the Roman World
9-1

2. New Germanic Kingdoms 476 CE – fall of Western Roman Empire
Germanic states set up around Europe:
Spain – Visigoths
Italy – Ostrogoths
Britain – Anglo-Saxons
France/Germany – Franks (longest lasting)

4. Germanic Society Importance of family
Germanic law – handled personally (instead of through Roman system)
Crimes settled by blood feuds and savage acts of revenge
Wergild – “money for a man”
Ordeal to determine guilt – physical test

6. Church Organization
Pope
(bishop of Rome)
Archbishop
Bishop
Priest

7. Monks and their Mission
Pope Gregory I – uses the monastic movement to convert non-Christians
Saint Benedict - regulates monasteries (Benedictine Rule)
Day of prayer and manual labor
7 daily gatherings for group prayer and chanting of Psalms
Strict rule by an abbot (“father”)

9. The Carolingian Empire
600s-700s – slow decline of the Frankish Kingdom – eventually taken over by one of the king’s officers who establishes hereditary rule, which passes to his son: Charlemagne (Charles the Great)
: rule of Charlemagne
Expanded Frankish territory
Vast administration system (counts, missi diminici)
Intellectual renewal (Carolingian Renaissance)

10. Charlemagne the Man

11. Charlemagne the Conqueror

12. Charlemagne the Administrator

13. Charlemagne the Patron of Learning

14. Charlemagne, Emperor of Rome
800 CE - Germanic King crowed Emperor of Rome by the Pope
Symbolic coming together of different European heritages

15. Feudalism
9-2

16. End of the Carolingian Empire
Death of Charlemagne in 814 – 30 years later the Carolingian Empire was divided amongst his grandsons into three major sections:
West Frankish lands
Eastern Frankish lands
Middle Kingdom
Local nobles gained power
Many areas were invaded

17. The Invaders

18. Feudalism
Became increasingly difficult to defend their subjects against invaders as the Carolingian Empire fell apart
People turned to local aristocrats, nobles, for protection > new political and social system called feudalism

19. Feudal Society
Vassal: man who served a lord in a military capacity (Germanic tradition) – received land (fief) in return for serving in a lord’s army
Knight: heavily armored cavalry – social prestige

21. The Feudal Contract
System of honor and chivalry made up of unwritten rules
Obligations of vassal:
Military service (approx. 40 days/year)
Give advice in court when summoned
Financial payments for lord’s son’s knighting, daughter’s wedding, or ransom payment
Obligations of lord:
Grant land
Protection
Take vassal’s side in court of law

22. Nobility of the Middle Ages
Nobility: kings, dukes, counts, barons, bishops and archbishops = aristocracy
Great lords and knights were included as well
Social divisions within the aristocracy based on wealth and landholdings

23. Tournaments
Contests where knights could show off fighting skills

24. Chivalry Code of ethics that knights were supposed to uphold
Treat captives as honored guests
Knights fight for glory, not material reward

25. Aristocratic Women Could hold property (most controlled by men)
Men often away at war – women in charge of the estate
Manage household
Take care of financial accounts
Oversaw food supply
Expected to be subservient to husbands
Exception: Eleanor of Aquitaine
Heiress – married to King Louis VII of France – annulled
Married King Henry II of England – created her own court – two of her sons (Richard and John) became kings of England