Western+Europe

= Western Europe =

Charles Martel

- In 493 C.E., King Clovis converted to Christianity. Frankish Kingdom gained support from the Catholic Church. - Christian churches controlled information, beliefs, and attitudes. - Clergy was in control of the knowledge of the world, but mainly focused on their religious policy, not playing attention to other cultural aspects of the world. - Christianity becomes very influential in Medieval Europe - Kings that were associated with the church received a major political advantage. - Kings had absolute power. - Roman catholic in the west and eastern orthodox in the east - Vikings traveled by sea. - Reasons for raids: Scandinavia was not a pleasant place to live due to overpopulation and lack of food. - Vikings attacked Britain, often the targets were monasteries because they had valuables and they were unprotected. - Captured slaves. - Charles Martel reigned from 718 - 741 C.E., he was the founder of the Great Carolingian Dyansty. - He created the most powerful kingdom of Medieval Europe. - Grandfather of Charlemagne - He created stirrups that allowed soldiers to handle their swords without falling off their horses. - He and his large and advanced military dominated much of Europe. - Military excellence = They had advanced stirrups, they were also able to learn the military technologies of the Romans and other Germanic tribes. They were first professional army in Europe since the fall of Rome. They also introduced the concept of heavily-armored infantry. - Geo-Politcs = Converted to Catholicism. Also they were untouched by the vikings and the Muslims. Expanded home territory and accentant of Roman populations. - Politics = They did not have heavy taxation and allowed local sovereignty. - Centralization = Tradition was to split possessions equally amongst all children. Clovis killed all siblings and family. - Leadership = Many successful leaders: Clovis, Martel, Charlemagne. - Fragmentation encouraged land-based laws as the basis of rule. - Feudalism is military, economic, and social order where the ruler gives feudal lords land in return for military services. - Peasants and knights receieved little land for loyalty and military services. - Peasants were basically the property of the feudal lords. - Small kingdoms joined into nation-states in high Middle ages, due to barbaric invasions. - Christianity still dominated. - Population grew rapidly. - Christian crusades would attain interest in Asia, motivation Asian trade. - Christian crusades happened because soldiers wanted to put their skills to use. - Increase in papal influence. - Kingdom of Burgundy became a part of the Holy Roman Empire in 1032. - HRE conquered Bohemia in 1018 - Dutch was an independent city-state. - Otto I appointed clergy and pope. - Expanded in Low Countries, Kingdom of Burgundy, Bohemia, Austria, and Italy. - Wanted rule over Rome. - HRE was decentralized, dukes ruled own duchies within empire. - Senseless violence and wars = Belief that Christianity must get rid of Islam and Judaism. they were persecutions of Jews throughout Europe. When the holy city was captured Muslim and Jews were all slaughtered. - Undermining Church and Moral Authority = All the killings convinced many people that the Roman Catholic Church was not the moral authority it claimed to be. - Distrust of Christians = Developed a ruthless and exploitative reputation. - Opened way for future Muslim conquests of Europe = crusaders wanted to conquer Constantinople, damaged it immensely but the Byzantine Empire re-conquered it. - Asian influence = increased knowledge of the Asian world, played a part in the eventual Renaissance. - Increased Anti- Semitism = Jewish communities were destroyed and even slaughtered Jews. - Normans from Normandy conquered England. - Magna Carta was first step towards democracy. - Nobles marched into London and restrained King John to agree to the document ensuring specific rights. - Forced west = due to dry weather they moved west, dependent on trade and agriculture. - Superior Military Technology = Superior horsemanship skills and bows. - Learned diplomacy = dominated the northern trade route from Europe to Asia, enhancing their ability to diplomatically settle conquered peoples. - Strengthening Numbers = forced people who they defeated to join them or die. - Europe's Weakened Condition = Their arrival coincided with that of the Black Death Plague. - Plague killed about 75 million people. - Caused by a bacterium in rats. - Might have been brought by the invasion of Mongols. - Europe was especially vulnerable due to overpopulation.
 * Impact of Christianity** (490-600)
 * Reign of Charles Martel & Viking Raids** (600 - 755)
 * The Rise of the Franks** (755-850)
 * Feudalism** (840 - 967)
 * Christianity and the High Middle Ages & Expansion of Holy Roman Empire** (967 - 1060)
 * Effects of the Crusades, Norman conquest of England and Magna Carta** (1060-1240)
 * Why the Golden Horde was able to dominate Europe and the Black Death Plague** (1240 - 1350)

media type="custom" key="7515671" In the Magna Carta, the nobles were asking the the Church was to be removed from interaction with the government so that they can go on and make their own decisions. They also emphasized on the importance of property and who owns what. They also showed somewhat of women rights, for example when a woman becomes a widow, they are to receive the inheritance. The nobles also emphasized on the importance of a fair trial, stating that everyone has rights to have a Trial by jury. Also, the money currency was to be kept the same throughout the country so that it was not confusing for merchants. The Magna Carta was the first step (other than the Romans) toward democracy.
 * Magna Carta Translation Document **

[|Manorialism Map] Manorialism is the relationships between economics and politics, between landlords and their peasants.

[|Feudalism Map] Feudalism is the relationship between politics and the military.

 - An improved version of agriculture developed, called the **three-field system** that only a third of the land was left unplanted each year to regain fertility. - System of **manorialism** developed, which was the relationship between economic and political relations. - growth in agriculture. - Growth in population led to new markets, expanding trade between towns. - Germany became a new center for agriculture. - Urban populations grew to 20% - Urban growth allowed for more specialized manufacturing and commercial activities, which promoted better trade. - Banking was introduced to the West to facilitate the long-distance exchange of money and goods. - The growth of trade also served as the reason for the start of capitalism in western civilization. - Jacques Coeur was one of Europe's most exceptional merchants. He demonstrated the opportunities and risks of new forms of trade. - Guilds grouped people in the same business or trade in a single city, sometimes with loose links to similar guilds in other cities. They stressed security and mutual control. - Church and state were not divided and only produced enough for themselves. - Less rigid social life and more rigid economy. - Agriculture promoted city growth. - Europe was hit hard by Rome' collapse. - Western Europe was shaped by Rome. || - **Serfs** (which accounted for most of the population), were peasant laborers who lived on self-sufficient agriculture estates called manors. - Serfs worked under landlords and were required to give them portions of their crops in return for living on the land. - **Vassals** were lesser lords who worked for greater lords in military service, and were required to give them goods, money, and advice. - Many lords gave their serfs harsher taxes and rents as they were being to gain a new sense of freedom. - Overall, peasants' lives improved immensely during a good portion of the Middle Ages. Landlords became less strict. - Serfs could eventually become a free person. - Women's work became vital in most families. - The Christian emphasis on the equality of all souls and the practical importance of women's monastic groups in providing an alternative to marriage continued to have distinctive effects on women's lives in Western society. - There were many female religious figures that gave women real cultural prestige. - Women had a higher status that their sisters under Islam, less segregation in religious services. - Women were still confined to the household and could not lead religious services. - Some women even operated some craft guilds and playing important roles in local commerce. - Women were not assured property rights. - Literature came out saying the women were the comforters of men. - Patriarchal families were becoming more and more strict. || - Monarchs and local landlords could appoint bishops. - **Clovis** (warrior chieftain) converted to Christianity in 496 C.E. to gain greater prestige over local rivals, who were still pagan. - In the 8th century, there was a new family who took over the monarch, the **Carolingians**. - **Charles Martel** ("Charles the Hammer") was responsible for defeating the Muslims in battle of Tours in 732. - Charlemagne (still part of the Carolingian family) helped to restore some church-based education in western Europe. - After Charlemagne's death, the empire split into three regions. - After Charlemagne they still referred to themselves as emperors. Later called themselves **Holy Roman emperors**. - Feudalism was the relationship between politics and the military. - Kings used feudalism to gain their own power. - Kings expanded their lands through marriages. - The duke of Normandy, **William the Conqueror** extended his tight feudal system to his new kingdom. Connected the greater lords with the lords of the royal court through bonds of loyalty, estates in exchange for military service. - The pope directly ruled the area of central Italy. - The power of the church limited political claims. - The growth of monarchy cut into aristocratic power, but this led to new statements of the limits of kings. - **Magna Carta** (1215) which confirmed feudal rights against monarchical claims. - **Parliaments** were created to represent privileged groups such as the nobles and the church. - Parliaments represented three key estates: church, nobles, and urban leaders. - **Investiture** was the practice of state appointment of bishops in Germany. || - **Vikings** from Scandinavia invaded the regions of Ireland and Sicily. - There was no single language, varied between Germanic and Latin languages. - **Hundred Years War** was between England and France over territories the English king controlled in France and over feudal rights versus the emerging claims of national states. - They had trading connections with Asia, eastern Europe, Italy, and the Low countries. - Germany and Scandinavia grouped together to form the **Hanseatic League** to encourage trade. || - Pope was in charge or top authority in Rome and in the Catholic Church. - Benedict of Nursia (in Italy) produced the most important set of monastic rules in the 6th century, that promoted Christian unity in western Europe. - Monasteries served people as examples of a holy life, adding to the spiritual focus that formed part of the fabric of medieval society. - Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade against the Muslims for the Holy Land in 1095. Crusaders were promised full forgiveness of their sins if they died in combat. - Saint Clare of Assisi showed thisnew spirit of purity and dedication to the church. Deeply influenced by Saint Francis from Assisi. In 1958 Pope Pius XII declared her the patron saint of television because during her illness she miracously heard and saw a Christmas mass being performed on the other side of Assisi. - Pope Gregory VII, tried to purify the church and free it from interference by feudal lords. - Worship of saints. - Many people still celebrated pagan festivals. || - By the 9th and 10th centuries, schools sprang up around cathedrals, training children who were to have futures in a church career. - Universities started to spring up by the 11th century. In Paris the first university sprang up in the 12th century. - Many clerics advanced the logical exposition of philosophy and theology to new levels. - In the 12th century, **Peter Abelard** wrote a treatise called //Yes and No// that explained many logical contradictions in established interpretations of the doctrine. - Philosopher **Bernard of Calirvaux** disagreed with Abelard stating the importance of mystial union with God. - Christianity and Islam relied on faith in a revealed word, either through the Bible or the Qur'an. - A great deal of students in western Europe were seeking the mixture of spiritual and rational understanding that leading thinkers were trying to work out. - By the 12th century, western scholars had translated and read a large amount of material from the Byzantine Empire, Italy and Muslim Spain. - **Thomas Aquinas** was the leading figure in the great synthesis of medieval learning. He taught at the University of Paris. He produced a host of Summas, or highest works, that used careful logic to get ride of all objections to truth as revealed by reason and faith. - **Scholasticism** was the dominant medieval philosophical approach; based on the use of logic to resolve theological problems. - University doctors stressed the memorization of Galen. - Art was centered around religion, paintings of the birth of Jesus were frequent, also the suffering of Jesus and many saints. - Stained-glass designs and scene for churches were another important artistic expression. - Architecture was based off that of Rome's, using domes. - However, they took to a new style in the 11th century. **Gothic** architects built soaring church spires and tall arched windows. - Vernacular lit. helped develop separate European languages and focused on secular themes. - Many famous works came out, such as //Beowulf, The Song of Roland, Canterbury Tales,// and //The Romance of the Rose.// //- the few people that could read and write were placed in the heirarchy and monastaries of the Catholic Church.// //- Copied full manuscripts but could not comprehend the full meaning.// //Literacy spread and languages began to spring up.// || - Invention of the **moldboard** in the 9th century, was a better version of the plow that allowed deeper turning of the soil. - New horse collar that allowed horses to be yoked without be choked. ||
 * ESPIRIT CHART ON WESTERN EUROPE**
 * Economics || Main Idea: In western Europe trade was the main attention. It was known through out the rest of the world. Begginning the start of capitalism. And it led to the rvial of trade in the mediterranean. Merchants were becoming more important.
 * Social || Main Idea: As the church lost power, Kings trtied to aceive higher social status through the feudal system but lower classes began question their authority. Women gained respect because of the Virgin Mary. Kings, Clergy, Landlords, vassals, merchants, and serfs. Manorialism.
 * Political || Main Idea: Absolute Power of King (monarchs) Fuedalism. Development of nations as political entities.
 * Interactions || Conflicts in expanding territory led western Europe to be exposed to cultural and economic influences from Byzantine and Islam.
 * Religion || Due to the lack of political organization because of fedualism Christianity became a powerful force in western Europe. There were persecutions of Jews and Muslims(blamed for plague)
 * Intellectuals || Main Idea: With the help from scholars, clergy, and philosophers, literacy and education started to become more encouraged throughout Western Europe. Trying to rationalize religion.
 * Technology || At this time, invancements in technology were based around agriculture.

The Decline of the Medieval Synthesis - There were new problems of over-population and disease that hit western Europe hard in 1300. - The start of the declind was when France and England went to war against each other in the 14th and 15th centuries. - There was also the Hundred Years War that lasted longer than 100 years and it turned out very drastic for France. It was a sign of weakness in the monarchy. - Agriculture could not keep up with the rapid population growth. There were no technological gains to keep up with the farming. - The Black Death struck in 1348 which was a devastating series of plagues that persisted for several centuries. - However, their economy did not suffer much, in fact they even grew a little bit. Signs of Strain - Land-owning aristocracy began to show signs of confusion. - Focused mainly on military prowess, with new weaponry such as cannons and gunpowder. - The upper class became more cultivated. - There was a shift between balance of church and state. - A single pope was returned to Rome but the church was severly weakened. - Church leaders were so preoccupid with their political involvement that they tended to neglect the spiritual side. - There was also a new series of mystics, most of which were women, who claimed they had direct contact with God. - Church officials became less tolerant of intellectual daring, after the work of Aquinas. Turning some thinkers away from religion. - Religious figures became less stylized as painters grew more interested in human features. The Postclassical West and Its Heritage - Middle Age = a lull, between the glories of Rome and the glitter of more modern Europe. However Middle Ages was also a period of growing dynamism. - After 900 C.E., there were gains of populatoin and trade and intellectual activities.' - Gothic art and universities - Government was building on Christian and feudal traditions. - Some universities might have Arab origins.