THE MIDDLE AGES
Byzantine Empire & Medieval
Society & Bubonic Plague
VocabularyUsurpation- illegitimate overthrow of power (often by force)Pontifical: having the authority from the Pope or BishopsInvestiture: power to appoint leaders of local churches
o
Medieval
(Middle Ages): - Pertaining to a
society formed after the fall of the Roman Empire and before the Renaissance
-Time
when feudalism and manorialism dominate
o Early Middle Ages: 350-800 CE High Middle Ages: 800- 1100 CE Late Middle Ages:
1100-1450 CE
o Germanic Tribes involved in the
fall of Rome: Huns, Magyars, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Goths, Angles, Saxons,
Franks
o Clovis: -established Frankish Kingdom in central EUR
-conquered
many tribes and regional Roman political leaders
-converted
to Christianity
o Charlemagne was a Frank that
created the Carolingian Empire and was crowned the Emperor of the Holy Roman
Emp. by Pope Leo in 800 CE
o Vikings were barbarians from
Scandinavia that explored/plundered/settles in France, Spain, Russia, Iceland,
Constantinople
o Feudalism: Political structure in
which there are rights and responsibilities. Lords protected serfs in exchange
for work. Lords gave land to vassals in exchange for loyalty
o Manorialism: Economic structure in
which wealth is based on land and being self-sufficient
o Different Roles I Feudalism
o Castles were a center of noble
life and they were effective for protection because they intimidated possible
attackers, were built for military defense, residence, they had areas for
archers to shoot arrows at attackers, located on a high elevation, and were
sturdy
o Levels of the Clergy:
o The Monastic Orders (monks) in the
Middle Ages were missionaries that spread Christianity. They arose as a reaction
against the increasing “worldliness” at the church. Monasteries were secluded
religious communities. Benedictine Monasticism = vows of chastity, poverty,
obedience
o Lay Investiture Controversy:
controversy between king & pope about who should control church &
appoint officials
è
the
King eventually won because they had the military whereas the Pope didn’t
really have tangible power --- Pope Gregory excommunicated Henry --- Pope Innocent III at height of power
o Early British Kings:
-1066 Norman Invasion
-William the Conqueror (1027-1087)
brought feudalism to England
-Henry II (1154-1189) instituted a
single common law; unified court system
-Henry III (1216-1272)
-Edward I (1239-1307)
o Early British Parliament:
-House of Lords: nobles &
church lords
-House of Commons: Knights &
Residents ---approved taxes, discussed policies, worked with monarch to make
laws
o Islam dominated in Cordoba, Spain
o The goals of the Crusades were to
capture the Holy Land and drive other religions (Islam) from it. Also, another
goal was to spread Christianity and make it the dominating religion.
o The Crusades were first called
because the Byzantine Empire in 1095 asked the Pope Urban II for help in
defending against Muslim attacks
o The First Crusades were successful
because the Europeans made territorial gains, and the Muslims were unprepared
o Four Major Trade Centers in EUR in
Late Middle Ages: Venice, Constantinople, Rome, Genoa, Paris, London, Bonn,
Cordoba, Cologne, Messina
o Magna Carta: conflict between King John and nobility. Nobles
rebelled against excessive taxation, forced King John to sign the Magna Carta
in 1215 &limited power of the monarch. It was the formal recognition that
the King was not above the law
o Hanseatic League: trade with
neighboring regions; “Free Trade Union”
o Guilds: businesses had to be part
of a guild to practice; regulated prices & wages; in charge of industry
o Hundred Year’s war: between France
& England
o Black Death= Bubonic Plague=
spread from rats -> rat fleas -> humans --- killed 25 million people
o
Black
Plague ended the Middle Ages because it decreased the population so much that
the lords didn’t have as much control over serfs. Serfs started renting &
buying land and got wages. Feudalism deteriorated. People were more conscious
about sanitation.
BYZANTINE EMPIRE 476 BCE- 1453 CE
o
-advances
in civilization & art
o
passed
on culture and religion to Balkan peoples
o
Achievements
of Justinian:
-reconquest
of Italy, S. Spain, N. Africa from Barbarian Tribes
-Codification
of Roman law: code of Justinian/ Codex
Justinanus
a) Code=
nearly 5,000 laws
b)
Digest= quoted and summarized the opinions of Rom’s greatest legal thinkers
c)
Institutes= a textbook for students
d)
Novellae (New Laws)= legislation passed after 534
-rebuilding
cities, fortresses, and other public buildings
-Hagia
Sophia
-Preserving
Classical Greek & Latin texts for future generations
CHRISTIANITY
o Appealed to people living during
Middle Ages because:
-belief & promise of an
afterlife
-unifying quality
-connection with Classical (Roman)
Times represents a “better time”
-Church is needed to achieve
salvation (through sacraments)
Early Middle Ages 350-800- church
survives
-local many variations
-begin to codify rules
(Orthodox=correct way vs.
Heredoxy=heresy)
-Conversions of nomadic groups
begin (Franks, Vikings, etc.)
-Increase of Pope’s prestige
(becomes more than a mythical head of church)
-Gregory the Great (around 600 CE)
Pope becomes temporal head of Rome
Middle (High) Middle Ages
(800-1100)-church centralizes (doctrines become clearer)
***Church becoming wealthy
(collects tithe, and owns church lands)
-Franklin Empire promotes Catholic
Church (Franks converted in early 700s)- Leo crowns Charlemagne emperor (800
CE)
-Lay investiture---Kings
ultimately win
-Pope Gregory VII vs. Holy Roman
Emperor Henry IV (around 1080)
- Official split with Orthodox
Eastern Christian Church (1054)
a) Increased
connections between E & W
b)”they
are not like us”
Late Middle Ages (1100-1450) -
church thrives and dominates (monastic orders)
-Pope Innocent III represents
height of Pope’s power in controversy (around 1200)
-Crusades (Holy War to recover the
Holy Land) against Islam over the next 300 yrs.
a)
Increased contact w/ Islam & Afro-Eurasia
b)
Short term kingdom established in the Levant (Holy Land)
c)
Crusaders ransack & plunder Orthodox Christian Constantinople in 1204 CE
-Lay Investiture- kings ultimately
win & Pope’s power declines
-Pope Boniface vs. Phillip of
France (The Babylon Captivity 1303-1377)-Pope captured -> Avignon
-The Great Schism (1377-1417) 2
popes (French & Italian) for a time
-Conciliar Movement gains support
(1250-1415) effort to have church ruled by everyone (not just Pope)
-Black Death
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