Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne Decline of Roman Empire ushered in European Middle Ages (Medieval Period)

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1 PAP World History Notes Chapter Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne Decline of Roman Empire ushered in European Middle Ages (Medieval Period) Invasions Trigger Changes in Western Europe Invasions in the Roman Empire caused o Disruption of trade: merchant businesses collapsed; destroyed European cities and economic centers; money scarce o Downfall of cities: cities were abandoned o Population shifts: Nobles retreated to rural areas Cities left without leadership City dwellers fled to rural areas to grow food Population became mostly rural The Decline of Learning The Germanic invaders could not read or write o Rich oral tradition no language Learning declined in Rome as others fled to rural areas Only priests and church officials were literate Greek culture lost language Loss of a Common Language As German speaking people mixed with Roman population o Latin changed o New phrases and words o No single dialect o From the difference came French, Spanish etc. o These new languages matched the break- up of the empire Germanic Kingdoms Emerge Germanic kingdoms replaced Roman province Church provided order and security The Concept of Government Changes Family ties and personal loyalties bound Germanic society together Germanic people lived in small communities Governed by unwritten laws and traditions Chiefs had warriors pledge to them In peacetime

2 o Followers lived in lord s hall o He provided: Food Weapons Treasure In battle o Warriors fought to the death o Was a disgrace to outlive the lord o Willingly died for the lord they respected Had no loyalty to king they didn t know o They would not obey officials sent by the emperor To collect taxes Or to administer justice o Germanic personal ties made orderly government impossible In Gaul (Roman province) o Franks (Germanic people) held power o Clovis (their leader) brought Christianity to the region The Franks Under Clovis Clovis wife encouraged him to convert During a battle that he feared defeat o He prayed to God for help him o He won the battle o Him and 3000 of his warriors were baptized Church in Rome welcomed Clovis and supported his military campaign He united the Franks into 1 kingdom This marked the beginning of a strong relationship between the church and the Frankish kingdom Germanic Peoples Adopt Christianity Accept Christianity and settle in Roman land Missionaries spread Christianity Fear of Muslims caused some to convert Monasteries and Convent Church built monasteries to help adapt to rural life o Monks lived in monasteries o Nuns lived in convents o Gave up worldly possessions and devoted lives to prayer and good works o Benedict (Italian Monk) set up rules for monasteries His sister Scholastica (nun) used his rules in the convents Monasteries o Best educated places o Opened schools and libraries o Copied books o Venerable Bede wrote History of England Considered the best work of the Middle Ages

3 o Copied religious writings Decorated with ornate letters and pictures Gregory I Expanded Papal Power Gregory the Great; became Pope Made Pope (papacy) secular = meaning worldly power; involved in politics Pope Gregory o Palace became the center of government o Used church revenues to Raise armies Repair roads Help poor o Negotiated peace treaties o Acted as mayor of Rome o Was responsible for Area from Italy to England From Spain to Western Germany Churchly kingdom ruled by a Pope became the theme of the Middle Ages A European Empire Evolves After the Roman Empire dissolved o Europe broke into 7 small kingdoms o Largest of the seven was ruled by the Franks and led by Clovis (area that was once Gaul) o by his death he controlled area that is now France o His dynasty was called Merovingian after his ancestor Clovis Descendants The major domo (mayor) o Most powerful person in kingdom o In charge of royal household and estates; commanded armies and made policy o Ran kingdom held more power than the king Charles Martel (719) (Charles the Hammer) o Extended kingdom to north, south and east o Defeated a Muslim raiding party Significant because if he had failed Europe might have become a part of the Muslim empire This battle was won at the Battle of Tours Made him a Christian hero When Martel died, his power passed to his son Pepin the Short o Pepin wanted to be king o Cooperated with the Pope and church and fought the Lombards who were threatening Rome o In exchange Pope made him king This began the reign of Frankish rulers called the Carolingian Dynasty Charlemagne Extends Frankish Rule When Pepin died the kingdom was strong

4 o His son Charles (known as Charlemagne or Charles the Great) took over Charlemagne Takes Center Stage Built an empire greater than any since Rome Had many conquests by doing so he spread Christianity He united Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire Most powerful king in western Europe Charlemagne went to Rome and defeated a group attacking the Pope o His reward was the Pope crowned him emperor Roman Emperor o This signaled the joining of Germanic power, the church and Roman heritage Charlemagne s Government Strengthened royal power by limiting nobles power Regularly visited every part of the kingdom Used royal agents to control the counts and made sure they governed their areas justly He judged cases, settled disputes and rewarded faithful followers Kept close watch on his estates his source of wealth and power Cultural Revival Promoted learning o Brought in English, German, Italian, and Spanish scholars o Opened a palace school for his children and those of the court o Monasteries opened schools to train monks o Expanded libraries o Monks made handwritten copies of books Charlemagne s Heirs Are Weak Rulers When he died he crowned his son Louis the Pious emperor o He would have made a better monk o Ineffective leader o Louis sons proved just ineffective o The empire is divided after a civil war into 3 kingdoms 13.2 Feudalism in Europe New Invasions Trouble Western Europe Between 800 and 1000 invasions completely destroyed the Carolingian Empire o Muslim invaders o Italy and Germany Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Explorers Scandinavia Germanic people Also called Northmen and Norsemen Worshipped warlike gods Nicknames like Eric Bloodaxe and Thorfinn Skullsplitter

5 Attacked with speed from sea then retreated before reinforcements could get there Ships were huge o Carry 300 soldiers o Took turns rowing 72+ oars o 40 tons when loaded o Front swept upward like a sea monster o could move in 3 feet of water (included creeks) Allowed to row inland and loot villages and monasteries o Were also traders, farmers and explorers o Leif Ericson reached North America in 1000 (500 years before Columbus) o Once they adopted Christianity their reign of terror ended o There was also a warming trend in the area of Scandinavia which made farming easier and fewer left to be seafarers Magyars and Muslims Magyars o Good on horses o Picked up terror where Vikings left off o Invaded Europe from the east o Magyars did not settle land they conquered o Instead they sold those they captured as slaves Muslims o Struck from south o Controlled Mediterranean and disrupted trade o They conquered and settled but also plundered o Good sailors All the invasions of Vikings, Magyars and Muslims o Caused widespread disorder and suffering o Lived in danger and fear o Central power became powerless People began to turn to local leaders for protection = the rise of feudalism Feudalism Structures Society In 911 a peace ceremony took place o Rollo, a Viking leader, who had been plundering Seine River Valley for years Pledged loyalty to Charles the Simple, king of France Pledged loyalty because Charles granted him a large piece of French territory A New Social Order Feudalism o Based on mutual obligations and depended on control of land In exchange for military protection, a lord (landowner)would grant a piece of land (called a fief) to a vassal The Feudal Pyramid The Pyramid

6 o King at the top o Vassals served the king; usually wealthy landowners Nobles Bishops o Knights pledged to defend the lords land in exchange for fiefs o Landless peasants worked the fields Problems with the system o For example: sometimes a noble might be a vassal for several lords o Loyalties were often betrayed Social Classes Were Well Defined Status determined prestige and power Often put in 3 categories o Those who fought (knights and nobles) o Those who prayed (those of the church) o Those who worked (peasants Social class was inherited During the Middle Ages, most were peasants o Most peasants were serfs Those who could not lawfully leave the place they were born They were not slaves could not be bought or sold Wealth of lords came from work of peasants Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism Manor was lords estate Basic economic arrangement prominent in Middle Ages About rights and obligations between lords and his serfs o Lord provided housing, strips of land and protection o Serfs farmed land, cared for animals and worked for the estate to maintain it o Serfs and peasants owed their lord a few days labor a week and a portion of their grain A Self-Contained World A manor was usually a few square miles Peasants never travelled far Contained the manor house, a church and shops 15 to 30 families lived in the village on the manor Some had streams that provided fish a staple in their diet Raised and produced nearly everything they needed for life self-sufficient o Crops o Fuel o Cloth o Leather goods o Lumber Only outside purchases o Salt o Iron o Millstones huge stones used to grind flour

7 The Harshness of Manor Life Peasants paid a high price for living on lords manor High tax on all grain ground at the mill o If did it elsewhere it was a crime Paid tax on marriage o Weddings could only take place with lord s consent Owed village priest a tithe 1/10 th their income Lived in crowded one room cottages Dirt floors Warmed inside by bringing pigs inside Straw for beds Diet o Vegetables o Bread o Grain o Cheese o Soup Accepted their lot in life felt that God determined a person s place in society 13.3 The Age of Chivalry Nobles were always fighting over land and territory during the Middle Ages Warriors on Horseback Europeans had learned the value of horses in combat from the Muslims Saddles and Stirrups Saddles kept warriors firmly on the back of their horse Stirrups allowed them to stand up and wield heavier weapons o Without stirrups to anchor them they were likely to topple off their horse Mounted knights could attack foot soldiers more effectively and quickly o Their horses became a status symbol The Warrior s Role in Feudal Society Europe had become a battleground for nobles vying for power Raised their own armies to fight each other Offered knights fiefs that made them wealthy o Then they could devote life to fighting o Could pay for expensive weapons and horses and armor Knights main obligation to fight for the lord o About 40 days of battle service a year o Otherwise they were training for war Knighthood and Chivalry Expected to display courage in battle and loyalty to their lord

8 Chivalry complex set of ideals o Devoted to feudal lord o Heavenly lord o Chosen lady o Also protected weak and poor o Loyal, brave and courteous Often failed to meet these standards and treated peasants cruelly A cowardly knight who disregarded the code faced public shame o Armor stripped off o Shield cracked o Spurs cut off o Sword broken over head o Put into a coffin and dragged to the church Priest would issue a mock funeral service War Games For Glory Began training for knighthood at an early age (nobles) Learned code of chivalry After dubbed knighthood they would travel with others and learn to fight in local skirmishes Took part in mock battles tournaments Brutal Reality of Warfare Tournament brutality was minor compared to the real thing Castles were built o Made of stone o Encircled by massive walls and guard towers o Home of the lord, their family, knights and servants o Fortress designed for defense It was gory under siege o Defenders of the castle Poured boiling water, hot oil and molten lead on enemy Archers used crossbows that would pierce armor The Literature of Chivalry Writings of the 1100 s o Downplayed brutality of knighthood o Idealized castle life Epic Poetry Recounted hero s adventures o Knights o Lords o Legends o Etc Love Poems and Songs Troubadours poet-musicians at castle court

9 o Sang of perils of love; disappointments in love; lovesick knights who loved lady they could never win Portrayed knights as men who were devoted to love Portrayed noblewomen as always beautiful and pure Both not always true o Sent out minstrels to carry songs to other courts Most celebrated women of the poems and songs was Eleanor of Aquitaine o o Later Queen of England Mother of Richard the Lion Hearted King John The Shifting Role Of Women Church deemed women inferior Romantic love put noblewomen on a pedestal Knights swore to protect all women o But could adore one in particular o Usually from afar With feudalism, women s place declined even further o Good for only home or convent o Poor and powerless o Endless labor o Baring children o Caring for family Women in Power Under feudal system o Women could inherit husbands estate o Could send knights to war o When husband was away She was military commander and could be a warrior o Helped defend castle Hurled rocks Fired arrows Some wore armor, mounted horses and mobilized calvary Could not receive land in return for military service o Had less property o Lords gave land to sons not daughters Women s Falling Status The exception to the declining power of women was Eleanor of Aquitaine o She ruled in her husband s and later her son s absence Church was often responsible for the decline of female status 4.4 The Church Wields Power

10 Church emerges in Europe as a power Shaped people s lives in all social classes Strong rulers began to question the pope s authority Created increasing tension between popes and emperors The Scope of Church Authority Pope Gelasius o Used an analogy to demonstrate the potential threat of the conflict of the power of the church and the power of the king o He also used this analogy to show how they could also rule in harmony There are 2 swords Sword of the church - spiritual Sword of the king - political If the king yielded to the authority of church matters and the pope yielded to the matter of politics all would be in harmony o However this is not how it played out Church Structure Ranks of clergy all had different power; method of organization o Pope o Bishops o Priests Bishops settled disputes over teachings and practices Priests were the main contact of the church for the people Religion as a Unifying Force Church bonded people together during the time of turmoil during the Middle Ages o Gave Christians a sense of security and community that they could belong to o Middle Ages was called Age of Faith because it occupied center stage Medieval life was harsh o But all could follow path of salvation for everlasting life in Heaven o Priests offered sacraments religious ceremonies Paved way to salvation Baptism Confirmation Church Justice Scope of church authority was both religious and political o All were subject to Canon Law system of justice To guide conduct Matters of marriage Matters of religious practices Established courts to try people accused of violating Canon Law Harshest punishments o Excommunication Banished from church Denied salvation

11 o Interdict Refusal of sacraments For example: if king continued to disobey pope after excommunication then pope could institute interdict o This would deny sacraments to king and his subjects o His subjects felt that this would damn them for all eternity The Church and the Holy Roman Empire Otto I Allies With The Church Otto the Great most effective ruler of medieval Germany Consciously copied rule of Charlemagne o Close alliance with the church o Limited nobles strength o Sought help from clergy Dominated the Church of Germany o Invaded Italy on pope s behalf Pope crowned him emperor of Italy for his help just like Charlemagne Signs of Future Conflicts The German-Italian empire Otto created was first called = Roman Empire of German Nation Later it was changed to Holy Roman Empire Otto s attempt to revive Charlemagne s empire caused problems for future German kings o Italian nobles resented German rule o Pope began to fear control German emperors had over Italy Holy Roman Emperor Clashes With The Pope The church began to resent the kings (like Otto) o Resentment was in lay investiture Under this policy, kings and nobles appointed church officials They named the bishops they were powerful and if appointed then the king controlled them This made the church under the rule of the king o In 1075 Pope Gregory VII banned lay investiture This anger Henry IV who summoned his bishops Henry then sent a letter to Gregory that said he was not a pope but a false monk and ordered him to step down from the papacy Gregory excommunicated him After this the bishops sided with the pope And Henry tried to win the popes forgiveness Showdown at Canossa In 1077 Henry travels over the Alps to Gregory

12 o Gregory makes him wait 3 days in the snow before he lifts the excommunication All of this solved nothing o Henry ran home and punished the nobles that did not back him o The Pope successfully suppressed the proudest ruler of the time o But lay investiture still remained undecided Concordat of Worms They came to terms with the problem of lay investiture o The compromise Church alone could grant a bishop his ring and staff Yet the emperor had the veto power to prevent the appointment of the bishop Renewed Church Conflicts Under Frederick I Germany realized they needed a strong king to keep the peace o They chose Frederick I o Called him Barbarossa because of his red beard o First to call it Holy Roman Empire Germany was a patch work of territories o He dominated the princes of the territories while he was there But when he was out of the country disorder returned Like Otto o He did not focus on building royal power o Instead he invaded rich Italian cities This caused Italian merchants to unite against him o he angered the Pope (like Henry IV) and he, the pope, united with the merchants against him and formed an alliance called the Lombard League They fought Frederick I and he lost He eventually returned to Germany but had lost power over the princes After his death the empire dissolved into fragmented provinces German States Remained Separate