Into the Dark Ages

Western Rome Destroyed by German and Scandinavian

invasions Never reached the heights of culture seen in

the East Most people farmers Life not much better then when they lived in

caves

The Franks

Among the strongest Germanic tribes Dominated France and Western Germany

481 ACE Clovis became the king Accept Catholicism Military leader Strong rule

Divided land among sons and control declined

Charles Martel

Charles the Hammer Mayor of the palace Defeated Muslims at Tours in 732 Stopped the spread of Islam in Spain

Pepin the Short

752 ACE became king of Franks Son of Charles Martel Came to the aide of the Pope Pope gave his allegiance Pepin Anointed by the Pope Holy Roman

Emperor Divinely appointed leader

Catholicism and Kingship became tied

Charlemagne

Son of Pepin the Short Founded the Carolingian dynasty

Doubled size of kingdom Germany France Northern Spain and Italy

Most of Europe under one rule formed schools in churches and monasteries Christian Roman Empire a united force

Frankish Empire collapsed

On death of Charlemagne his empire was divided among his grandsons

843 Treaty of Verdun Charles the Bald took France Louis the German took Germany Lothair – Holy Roman Emperor took a piece

out the middle from Belgium to Italy

Islamic Invasions

Raided the south Seized Sicily Parts of Italy and Southern France Pushed back into Balkans and Spain

The Viking Invasions 800’s

Scandinavian Raiders Traveled in fast light boats Came in the summer to raid

Colonists Norwegians

Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and Ireland Danes

England and Normandy in France Swedes

Ukraine and Russia

The result

Europe by 900 ACE was a weak and backward area of the world

Cities isolated from one another Trade declined education limited to

church

Feudalism

Feudal relationships Began with Charles Martel Gave land in exchange for funds In return nobles swore loyalty to King Heirs inherited titles and lands in exchange for

Knights (mounted warriors) for the king’s army

Feudal obligations

Each noble was a lord People under him

Each noble a vassal Owed his overlord

Ties made official by oath of homage "I promise on my faith that I will in the

future be faithful to the lord, never cause him harm and will observe my homage to him completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit."

The Castle

No strong government Attack imminent Fortified houses were built for defense Usually built on a hill Had thick walls Towers to observe arriving attackers

Life of Nobles

Castles where large, cold, dingy Lord was master of his realm Had to work to keep under his control Noblewomen had few rights

Married for power and wealth Married as young as 12 Cared for household and children

Entertainment

Tournaments Displays of military expertise

Hunting Dinners Minstrels and singers Fools Traveling actors-Morality Plays

A Knight

Nobleman’s sons Began training at age 7 Page-assisted in the home of another lord Squire – 15 assisted a knight and

practiced using weapons won his “spurs” of knighthood in battle

Chivalry

Knights code of honor Fight fairly Keep promises Be brave in battle Defend the Church Treated “noblewomen” well

The Manorial system

Wealth of the lord depended on the work of the peasants

Economic relationship between lord and peasants

Manors varied in size Included house Pastures Fields Forest village

Peasants exchanged work for protection

Farmed land Paid for use of land, mills, ovens Owed a specified number of days of

service Foot soldier or archer Repaired castle and keep Built roads and bridges Most serfs (a polite term for slave)

Agricultural Advances

New plow made it possible to till land more efficiently

Three field system Rotated crops and fallow fields Helped preserve the soil

Surplus not large enough to support large cities

Peasant life

Hard Few lived beyond 40 Famine and disease frequent First killed in war Lived in tiny one room dirt floor huts Ate coarse bread and huddle together at

night for warmth

The Medieval Church

Roman Catholic Unifying force Decline in political power resulted in

Church taking power The Pope

Assumed spiritual authority over all Claimed Peter first bishop of Rome had been

chosen by Jesus to lead Pope spiritual successor of Pete

Religious role of the Church

All people sinners All people dependent on God’s grace To receive grace you had to receive the

sacraments Baptism Reconciliation ( confession) Eucharist Confirmation Matrimony Anointing of the sick (last rites) Holy orders

Lack of education led to lack of understanding

Most people didn’t know Latin and did not understand the mass

Priests were poorly educated and didn’t preach well

Learned religion from pictures, statues, paintings and art that adorned the church

Church hierarchy

Pope at the top Cardinals

Bishops Parish priest-secular clergy in the world

Regular clergy – cloistered Monks and nuns Lived apart Helped reform the church

Monastic life

St. Benedict Founded a monastery at Monte Cassino in 520

ACE – destroyed in WWII Model for all others

Monks lived life of work, meditation and prayer Gave up all wealth Never married Bound to rules of his order and directives of the abbot

St. Scholastica adapted the Benedictine Rule (he was her brother ) for nuns

Influences of Monasteries

Preserved ancient religious works and classical writings

Scribes copied books by hand Illuminated manuscripts-Book of Kells in

Dublin Provided schools for young Provided hospitals for sick

Missionaries

Gregory I Sent monks to England to convert the Anglo-

Saxons 600s went to Germany and Ireland Reorganized the bishops Stressed reconciliation - penance

By 1100 most Western Europeans were Roman Catholic

Power of the Church

Helped to govern Europe Bishops and abbots played a role in

Feudal society Wealth through land and service of their

serfs Mediated disputes between lords

Church Reform

Called for riding church of abuses of power

Monastery at Cluny Simple life of poverty and service

1059 church assembly ruled that lords could not name the Pope Pope chosen from college of Cardinals Only church elders can choose Pope

1073 Pope Gregory VII

Pope had complete jurisdiction over all church officials

Lords no longer named or invested clergy Introduced obligatory celibacy for the clergy Clash with Emperor Henry IV

Fighting Heresy

Divisions over interpretations Innocent III 1215 ACE

Condemned drunkenness, feasting and dancing

Tried to convert heretics Threatened to excommunicate – throw them

out of the church Meant no admission to heaven

Killed

What was the best Christian life

Early Life of asceticism – prayer fasting Chastity – better to marry then burn but

abstinence was best Later sects calling for chastity such as

the Cathars of France and Manichaeans of Iran are condemned and followers killed

Heretics views of the church

concerned with wealth and power Greedy Corrupt Bishops lived lives of wealth Priests anything but saintly

The Inquisition

Mission was to seek out and punish heretics

People urged (tortured) to confess and repent

In the beginning repenters were allowed back into church

Friars – wandering preachers

1200’s lived simply Begged for food and shelter Followed monastic rules but did not live

isolated Franciscans and Dominicans

Named for originators St. Francis of Assisi -Italian St. Dominic – Spanish

Bennet, J.M. & Hollister, C.W. (2006). Medieval Europe: A Short History.10th Edition. Boston. McGraw-Hill.