3. Political Developments
End of Carolingian Monarchy, 819-987 (Frankish Empire)
•Charlemagne’s empire fell shortly after his death:
– It was a very diverse, ethnically and linguistically
– Church leaders wanted independence from the state
– Threatened by enemies on all frontiers:
• Muslims to the South
• Slaves & Magyars to the east
• Vikings and Norsemen to the North
– Frankish nobles stood up against his sons & thus undermined the power
of the central government
– Empire split into 3 parts:
• West (France)—ruled by Charles the Bald
• East (Germany)—ruled by Louis the German
• Central—ruled by Lothair—this kingdom was short-lived
5. Political Developments
Invasions and Migrations
•1. Vikings were pagan Germanic peoples who sailed inland on
rivers to assault various European populations. At first their
method was to attack, loot, and leave, but later the Vikings
settled and colonized conquered areas.
•2. Magyars, located in the European steppe plains, moved
westward, raiding and looting on horseback. Their invasions
included northern Italy, Bavaria, and Saxony, the latter two of
which were forced to pay tribute. Western European populations
considered the Magyars to be Huns.
•3. Spain was invaded by North African Muslims, who then
crossed the mountains and attacked France.
6.
7. Political Developments
9th
& 10th
centuries: Rise of Feudalism and Manorialism from the
wreckage of the Carolingian Empire
•Feudalism: a political institution—all political functions existed
at the local level by a class of landed nobles or lords who were
vassals to the king. Lords made feudal contracts establishing
their relationship with local people (Peasants/serfs). The lords
served the king and the serfs served the lord
•Manorialism: socio-economic system—Land supported the
noble lord, his family & his soldiers. Each landed estate was
organized as a manor. Each manor was a self-sufficient economic
unit. Lords provided the land and military protection. Serfs
provided all of the labor
8. • Serfs: landless peasants who were bound to
the soil, they passed to knew owners when
the land changed hands
– Lived a difficult life organized around agricultural
labor
– Completely controlled by the lord of the manor
11. Political Developments
Restoration of Strong Centralized Government
(Monarchies):
1. Anglo Saxon Kingdoms united under William
the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy who
invaded England in 1066 (Battle of Hastings)
– All lords were made vassals of the king
– King coined money, supervised justice, built
castles
– Local government depended upon the king
12.
13. Political Developments
• 2. Henry II (1154-1189)--William’s great-grandson,
Henry II of England, married Eleanor of Aquitaine and claimed
lordship over provinces in southwestern France. Henry II’s rule
wove England and France together during the Middle Ages.
– Known as the “father of English Common Law” for he
established circuits for royal judges, began the Grand Jury
(25 men who submitted the names of individuals suspected
of criminal activity)
– Henry’s son John increased the tax burden on the
population, causing great resentment. His military
campaigns failed, and the people turned against him. He
was forced to accept the Magna Carta (1215), which
curbed the ruler’s power.
14. • Magna Carta, 1215
– Asserted that the king was subject to the laws of
the realm
– Accused person had the right to a trial by a jury o
his peers
– Eventually extended to all Englishmen—and
became the origins of Parliamentary goverment
16. Political Developments
• 3. Philip II (1180-1223)—unified France, enlarged the territory
under French rule.
• 4. Otto I developed an alliance with the church and was able to
increase his power in the Germanic states. A loose
confederation developed that was later called the Holy Roman
Empire, c. 1050
• 5. Frederick Barbarossa (1152-1190) tried to unite the Holy
Roman Empire by making alliances with both nobles and
churchmen. His efforts failed in northern Italy, where cities
formed a league against him in alliance with the pope.
17. Medieval Religious Life
• Popes exercised great political power—
especially after a series of Papal Reforms
(meaning by the pope):
– 1. The Lateran Council (1215) decreed that the authority to
elect the pope belonged to the college of cardinals. The
decision was made to stem the rising influence of secular
rule over the church.
– 2. Papal power was increased under Pope Gregory VII,
who ordered all priests to give up their wives and children
or face dismissal. Gregory also placed nuns under strict
control and removed officials who had purchased their
offices.
– 3. European rulers — especially Henry IV, the ruler of
Germany — protested the restriction of their power to
appoint church officials. Nobles took advantage of Henry’s
conflict with the pope to enhance their position, siding with
the church to gain political power
18. Medieval Religious Life
• Monastic Reforms: also contributed to the
political power of the Church/Pope
• 1. Monasteries provided individuals with education and
chances for ecclesiastical careers. Convents were established
for females. The majority of those who could partake in these
opportunities were from well-established families, however.
• 2. The praying of monks and nuns was considered a vital
service, on the same level as nobles’ military might and
peasant labor. Prayers included requests for rain, security, and
good harvests.
• 3. When populations in urban areas felt the church was not
meeting their needs, they turned to views that the church
considered to be heresy. In an effort to combat the variety of
heresies, the church established the Dominican and Franciscan
orders to preach and administer to the needs of the urban
populations.
19.
20.
21. Medieval Christian Church
• Popular Religion:
• 1. The church became the center of community activities and an
important part of ordinary people’s daily lives. Mass became a
break from the routine of work.
• 2. Church rituals were filled with symbolic expressions. Making
the sign of the cross requested blessings, while sprinkling water
on fields symbolized refreshment and life.
• 3. The calendar revolved around special religious anniversaries
identified as holy days, which included Christmas and Easter.
Individuals who had lived especially holy lives were honored on
saints’ days. Saints were said to have the power to perform
miracles or to present prayers to God.
• 4. A saint’s relics, such as his or her bones or pieces of clothing,
would be enclosed in the church altar. Peasants would offer their
prayers and loyalty in exchange for the saint’s healing power and
other favors.
22. Medieval Christian Church
The Expansion of Christianity
•1. Christian influences began to spread
throughout Europe. Scandinavia, Denmark,
Bohemia, and Poland were some of the
populations that became strong Christian
enclaves.
•2. In an effort to combat Muslim influences in
Europe, the reconquista or crusade to take back
territory lost to Islam began in Spain. Muslims and
Jews living under Christian rule in Spain were
increasingly discriminated against.
23.
24.
25. The Crusades 1095-1272
• Great example of the power of religion & of
the papacy
– Motived hundreds of thousands of people over 8
crusades to try to recover Holy Lands from
Muslims.
– Also led to the expansion of Europe
26. Background of Crusades:
1. Military victories of Muslim Turks were blocking Christian
access to the Holy Lands (Jerusalem)
2. Church supported centuries of wars between Christians and
Muslims
3. Many Christians wanted wealth and trading privileges
4. The pope thought that a campaign against the Muslim
presence in the Holy Land would reunite the Roman Catholic
Church with the Eastern Orthodox Church.
5. The pope and church officials gained support for a war to
defend Christianity. They promised that those who took up
the fight would receive forgiveness of their sins without
their having to do penance.
27.
28. Course of the Crusades
1. As a result of the First Crusade, four Crusader states were
established in the East. Jerusalem, Edessa, Tripoli, and
Antioch included fortifications to defend against Muslim
attacks.
2. Egypt and Syria were united under the leadership of Saladin,
and under his guidance the Muslims retook Jerusalem.
3. When the Crusaders were not welcomed into the Byzantine
Empire, they looted Constantinople, solidifying the divide
between the Greek and Latin churches.
29. Consequences of the Crusades
1. Crusaders destroyed Jewish communities as they traveled to
the Holy Land, increasing tensions between Christians and
Jews.
2. Jews throughout Europe experienced an increase in legal
restrictions. Christians were not allowed to work for Jews;
Jews could not hold public office; and Jews could not be seen
in public on Christian holy days.
3. Relations between Christians and Muslims also were strained
as a result of the Crusades.
4. they opened the old Middle East and Asia to the west,
stimulating a demand for Asian luxuries and making great
trade centers of Venice and Genoa.
5. they put Europeans into direct contact with the civilizations of
the ancient world and with works of hitherto unknown
classical authors, such as Aristotle.
30.
31.
32.
33. Medieval Trade
1. Defeat of Muslim Raiders reopened the Mediterranean and
revived long distance trade. Italian cities, Milan, Pisa, Venice,
& Genoa took the leading commercial roles.
2. Europeans wanted silks, spices, and luxury items from the
East
3. Trade routes developed between Flanders, England, and
France
4. Expansion of trade led to creation of new forms of business
organization & new banking systems—laid the foundation of
the modern market economy/capitalism
5. Commercial activity stimulated growth of cities leading to
more greater economic growth
34. Medieval Learning and Culture
Development of the University:
1.Irnerius, an instructor at the University of Bologna, inspired
interest in the study of Roman law and Justinian’s Code. Well-
known instructors became a draw for students, increasing the
size of the university.
2.Medieval professors who discussed thinking and reasoning
were called scholastics. Their focus was on thoroughly evaluating
both sides of an argument.
Cathedrals and a New Architectural Style
1.A new architectural style identified as Gothic spread
throughout Europe. The Gothic style included pointed arches,
flying buttresses, and stained-glass windows cut into stone.
2.The cathedral, generally the largest structure in the
community, not only served religious purposes but also was used
for secular functions such as political meetings and the staging of
plays.
35.
36. Medieval Learning and Culture
Use of vernacular language in literature
--authors began to deviate from the traditional use of
Latin and started writing in their local dialect. This use of
everyday language in literature allowed literature to be
far more accessible to the general masses.
37. Crises of the Later Middle Ages
1. A period of colder and wetter weather called the “little ice
age” had a negative impact on food production. Famine
occurred when food shortages increased.
2. An undernourished population was much more susceptible
to illness. The Black Death (the plague, 1347) killed a large
portion of the European population in the fourteenth
century.
3. Most people at the time believed the plague was caused by
“corrupted air” that carried the disease throughout the
community. Others accused the Jews of poisoning the
water wells. In the long term, the resulting population
decline eased pressure on the land and led to an increase in
wages for those who survived.
4. The Black Death killed ~20,000,000 people
Editor's Notes
Political Developments
Invasions and Migrations
1. Vikings were pagan Germanic peoples who sailed inland on rivers to assault various European populations. At first their method was to attack, loot, and leave, but later the Vikings settled and colonized conquered areas.
2. Magyars, located in the European steppe plains, moved westward, raiding and looting on horseback. Their invasions included northern Italy, Bavaria, and Saxony, the latter two of which were forced to pay tribute. Western European populations considered the Magyars to be Huns.
3. Spain was invaded by North African Muslims, who then crossed the mountains and attacked France.
Political Developments
“Feudalism” and Manorialism
1. An allegiance system developed that was based on an oath of loyalty. Knights swore their loyalty as vassals to a lord. The lord promised protection as well as material support, most often in the form of a fief. A fief was a portion of land belonging to the lord.
2. Charles Martel is believed to be the first to grant this type of loyalty arrangement. His successors, including Charlemagne, granted fiefs as well.
3. The granting of fiefs developed into a political system based on military obligations between a lord and his vassals. This system was identified as feudalism.
4. Manorialism was an economic system centered around landed estates. Free farmers surrendered their land to a lord and then farmed it under his jurisdiction in exchange for his protection.
5. Some peasants lost their freedom and became serfs. This meant that they were permanently tied to the lord’s estate.
The Christian Church
Popular Religion
1. The church became the center of community activities and an important part of ordinary people’s daily lives. Mass became a break from the routine of work.
2. Church rituals were filled with symbolic expressions. Making the sign of the cross requested blessings, while sprinkling water on fields symbolized refreshment and life.
3. The calendar revolved around special religious anniversaries identified as holy days, which included Christmas and Easter. Individuals who had lived especially holy lives were honored on saints’ days. Saints were said to have the power to perform miracles or to present prayers to God.
4. A saint’s relics, such as his or her bones or pieces of clothing, would be enclosed in the church altar. Peasants would offer their prayers and loyalty in exchange for the saint’s healing power and other favors.
The Expansion of Christianity
1. Christian influences began to spread throughout Europe. Scandinavia, Denmark, Bohemia, and Poland were some of the populations that became strong Christian enclaves.
2. In an effort to combat Muslim influences in Europe, the reconquista or crusade to take back territory lost to Islam began in Spain. Muslims and Jews living under Christian rule in Spain were increasingly discriminated against.
The Life of the People
Towns, Cities, and the Growth of Commercial Interests
1. Medieval towns had similar characteristics. Most towns were surrounded by security walls and had a marketplace at their center.
2. Craft guilds were established to regulate the quantity, quality, and prices of the goods produced.
3. Sewer sanitation was unknown. Streets were full of animal and human waste.
The Expansion of Trade and the Commercial Revolution
1. The Italian city of Venice dominated intercontinental trade. Other Italian cities such as Florence and Milan were important trade locations.
2. The Hanseatic League was organized as a mercantile association to control trade. Western and eastern cities joined the league to achieve mutual security and trading rights.
Learning and Culture
Universities and Scholasticism
1. Irnerius, an instructor at the University of Bologna, inspired interest in the study of Roman law and Justinian’s Code. Well-known instructors became a draw for students, increasing the size of the university.
2. Medicine had been an academic focus in Salerno for centuries. In the twelfth century ideas from Greek medical texts spread throughout Europe from Salerno and were incorporated into the training of physicians at other universities.
3. Medieval professors who discussed thinking and reasoning were called scholastics. Their focus was on thoroughly evaluating both sides of an argument.
4. The university system developed a method of teaching called the lecture. Students took oral examinations after several years of study, and those who passed were awarded a degree identifying their academic accomplishment.
Cathedrals and a New Architectural Style
1. For a while cathedrals were built in a style called Romanesque that resembled ancient Roman architecture. A new architectural style identified as Gothic spread throughout Europe. The Gothic style included pointed arches, flying buttresses, and stained-glass windows cut into stone.
2. The cathedral, generally the largest structure in the community, not only served religious purposes but also was used for secular functions such as political meetings and the staging of plays.
Learning and Culture
Vernacular Literature and Drama
1. During the High Middle Ages authors began to deviate from the traditional use of Latin and started writing in their local dialect. This use of everyday language in literature allowed literature to be far more accessible to the general masses.
2. Troubadours were poets who embraced the use of common vernacular in literature, writing and performing songs and poems. Troubadour poets wrote lyric verses that celebrated human virtues such as love, desire, gallantry, and beauty. Many of the poems and songs reflected a mix of Christian and Muslim ideals.
Crises of the Later Middle Ages
The Great Famine and the Black Death
1. A period of colder and wetter weather called the “little ice age” had a negative impact on food production. Famine occurred when food shortages increased.
2. An undernourished population was much more susceptible to illness. The Black Death killed a large portion of the European population in the fourteenth century.
3. Most people at the time believed the plague was caused by “corrupted air” that carried the disease throughout the community. Others accused the Jews of poisoning the water wells. In the long term, the resulting population decline eased pressure on the land and led to an increase in wages for those who survived.
