Monday: Talked about getting all the forum posts done. Also talked about the semester test a little bit. Continued presentations.
Tuesday: Continued presentations. Forum post leaders talked about their stories. Talked more about semester tests and times.
Wednesday: Continued presentations. Watched video about King Arthur.
Thursday: Continued Presentations
Friday: Talked about Forum posts. Work time for semester tests.
Charlemagne Unites the Germanic Kingdoms
Invasions of Western Europe
Germanic tribes came from the North of around Norway and invaded Western europe, conjuring as they see fit
As the Germanic tribes invaded Western Europe they destroyed all cities in sight
When they would come into the city they did not like the learning in Roman Cities, they would burn books and did not like the language so would kill people if they did not speak their language
Destroyed the Roman language because they did not like it,
Attacked from both land and sea
Disrupted traded through the empire, they would raid caravans and ships, so money and that would die out
One of the greatest impacts that the Germanic tribes had on eastern Europe, was disrupted learning, and destroyed cities
Germanic Kingdoms Emerge
In the years 400-600 Germanic Kingdoms replace Roman Provinces
The church provided order and security during the chaos of the Roman Empire
Tribes
Most tribes moved into Italy, Gaul, Spain, and North Africa
Some names of the tribes were the Goths, Vandals, Franks, and Lombards
One of the bigger names was the Franks
Extra
The tribe obtained this land from Rome’s empire being evenly distributed among the tribes
Government changes
After the fall of Rome, family ties and personal loyalty was what kept Germanic Tribes together
Germanic people lived in small communities other that big cities like the ROmans
Every Germanic Chief led a small group of warriors that were loyal to him
Their leader provided all necessities for battle which includes weapons, food, and treasure. They wore conic helmets. A round shield, and various types of weapons.
Each soldier would fight to the death because it was considered a
They followed the tribe’s leader so much that they disobeyed the higher rankings of larger territories making it difficult to establish orderly government
One of the biggest group were the Franks led by Clovis(mainly in Gaul)
Clovis Converts his Religion
The leader of the Franks, Clovis
LEgend, Clotilde converted his Faith to christianity
496 AD, Clovis fought in war
He feared defeat, he spoke to God
After the war, Clovis and his troops were baptized
Church of Rome, supported Clovis’ campaigns
511 AD, Clovis united the Franks into one Kingdom
Converted France to what is now a much bigger kingdom
Spread Christianity to what is now Franc
Germans adopt Christianity
Politics were a key role
600 AD, Church and Frankish Rulers
Rome’s formal lands
Missionaries, risked their lives
Germanic and Celtic Tribes, Roman Border
Fear Of coastal attacks
Monks of Christianity
BEnedicty-48-543
15 years old, Sabine Hills, lived as a hermit
Monks earned of him, persuaded him to join, lead their monastery
Monasteries-religious church building, monks lived under vows, possessions
Nuns of Christianity
Scholastic, Benedict’s twin sister
480-543
Her and BEnedict were inseparable
Devoted her life to the Christian church, joined Benedict's monastery
Women called nuns, lived in concents
Bother her and Benedict died same time, buried in the same grave
Power expands with Gregory I
590-Gregory the First became the pope
Enlarged the authority of the pope’s office (papacy) beyond the spiritual role
The papacy became secular, worldly power of politics
Pope’s palace was the center of the ROman government
Church Revenues (tac), help poor people, raise armies, or repair the roads
Negotiated with the Lombards
Gregory was responsible , the area of Italy, England, Spain, and GErmany
Christendom-was spiritual kingdom ruled, ruled by a pope
That would be the central theme for the Middle ages
During this time, secular rulers
An Empire Evolves
The Franks controlled the largest of Europe’s Kingdoms
The FRank’s first Christian king Clovis died in 511 AD
Extended Frankish rule over most of FRance
Charles MArtel Emerges
By 700 AD Charles Martel became the most powerful person in the Frankish kingdom
Was known as Major domo or Major of the palace
Extended Frankish ruled north, south, and east
Battle of Tours-732 AD
Charles defeated Muslim raiders near the city of Tours
Charles MArtel’s victory at Tours made him a Christian hero
Major victory for Christianity
Pepin the Short
After Charles MArtel’s death he passed on his power to his son
PEpin became King after fighting the Lombards
For doing this the pope anointed pepin “king by the grace of god”
Chalmange
Extend the Frankish empire in all direction creating the biggest empire since the Roman empire
Stressed christianity, wanted all followers to be christian
As expanding empire he went to Rome, because it was being attacked where the pope was, he wanted to save the current pope, Pope LEo
Pope Leo then responded as awarding hims empire of Europe
Had a son Liu the Piest, then had three sons, gave all his power to them when he died and they all began to start fighting over land
The sons then entirely split the empire
Went to noblemen which started feudalism
Fuedalism in Europe:
The Invasions of the Carolingian Empire
800-1,00 invasion happened
Muslim invaders from the south seized Sicily and raided Italy, Muslims attacked Rome in 846
Magyar’s came from the east
Terrorized Germany and Italy
Were Hungarian tribes
Viking came from the north
Vikings Background
Left from Scandinavia
Wintery and wooded area in Northern Europe
Also called Northmen or Norsemen
Germanic people
Worshipped warlike gods
Norse mythology
Odin- God of war and death
Thor-God of storm-weather and the sky and thunder. Also fertility
Valued nicknames
Eric Bloodaxe and Thorfinn Skullsplitter
Vikings Raids and War Ships
Raids were quick
They were there and gone before the locals could start to defend themselves
Largest ship held 300 men
They took turns working the ship's 72 yards
The prow swept upward, often ending with the head of a monster carved into the top
Could sail in just three feet of water
Used ship’s to also row up shallow creeks and raid inland villages and monasteries
Exploration of Vikings
Besides being warriors they were also farmers, traders, and explorers
Explored the heart of Russia, Constantinople
Crossed the icy North Atlantic
Leif Ericson, a viking explorer, reached north America about 1,000-500 years before Columbus did
Viking women could inherit property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages ended
Vikings were never part of a unified group
Did not recognize fellow vikings
Tribes were often lead to fight against each other when they were not sailing the seas
Christianity and Vikings
At the same time they discovered North America the Viking reign of terror in Europe faded away
They started to gradually accept Christianity
Stopped raiding monasteries
Europe's climate changed and started to warm
Made farming land in Scandinavia
Fewer Vikings had to go out on the sea and live the warrior life
Magyars
Came after the Vikings
Magyar were a group of nomadic people who came from the east
There were excellent horsemen
Swept across the Danube River and invaded west Europe in the late 800’s
Targeted villages and monasteries
Overran Italy and reached as far as the Rhineland and Burgundy
They did not settle on the conquered land instead they took captives to see as slaves
They were heavily involved in the slave trade market
Muslims
Struck from the south
They started their conquering form their stronghold in Africa
Invaded Italy and Spain
Their plan was to conquer and settle in Europe in the 600’s and 700’s.
800’s and 900’s their goal was to plunder or steal
Muslims were expert seafarers (sailors)
Were able to attack settlements on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts
Effect of Invasions
Caused widespread disorder and suffering
Western Europeans lived in constant danger
Kings could not effectively defend their land
People no longer look to a central ruler for security
Many turned to rulers who had their own army
Any ruler who could fight against the invaders gained followers and political strength.
Fuedal System:
Based on rights and obligations
Well Defined Social Classes
Status determined prestige and power
People were classified in three groups
Fighters - Nobles & Knights
Prayers - People of the Church
Workers - Peasants’
Social Classes were inherited
Positive of Feudalism
Benefited everyone
Land stability
Long term employment
Localized government
Negatives of Feudalism
90% of the people were serfs
Serfs had no voice in the system
Higher taxes
Kings had absolute power
Oppressive
Work was gained by power and prestige not by intelligence and qualification
Effects on Medieval Society
Discouraged unified government
Vassals sweared fealty oath to the lord giving him the land
Not really loyal to the king
Discouraged trade/economic growth
Serfs couldn’t move or change occupations
Lords had monopolies
Feudalism
What is Feudalism?
Feudalism- is a political system in which nobles were granted the use of land that legally belonged to the King
Nobles agreed to give loyalty and military to the King
Feudalism developed not only in europe, but the other countries
Japan
China
Manor: The Economic Side of Feudalism
Manor- the lord’s estate (usually granted by a king)
Manor system rested on a set of rights between the lord and his serfs
Lord provided serfs with housing, farmland, and security from bandits
In return, Serf’s tended to the lord’s land protected his livestock, and performed other tasks to maintain the estate
Peasant women shared the farm work with their husbands
All peasants, whether free or serfs, owed the lord certain duties
Few days of labor each week and a portion of their grain
How big were Manors? What were Fiefs?
Varied in size but most were 1200-1800 acres
Every Noble had at least one
Great nobles might had many different manors; usually scattered throughout the country
After the Norman Conquest, England had roughly 9,000 manorial estates
Manors were also called Fiefs
Self-Contained World
Peasants rarely traveled more than 25 miles from their own manor
A manor usually consisted of only a few square miles
Typically consisting of the lord’s house, church, and various workshops.
Fields, pastures, and woodlands surrounded the village
Sometimes a small stream or pond ran through the village
The fish supplied through these were an important source of food.
The grinding mill was often located next to the stream
For the most part, the village was self sufficient
Serfs and peasants provided everything they and the lords needed for daily life
Crops, milk and cheese, fuel, cloth, leather goods
Few things were bought outside of the village
Salt, iron, mill stones
Harshness of Manor life
For the privilege of living on the lord’s land, the peasants paid a high price
They paid tax on all of the grain in the mill
If they tried to avoid taxes and bake bread elsewhere, it was treated as a crime
They also paid taxes on marriage
Weddings could only take place with the lord’s consent
Even after all of those payments to the lord, the peasants were still expected to pay a tithe to the priest, or a church tax
As soon as kids were old enough, they worked out in the field
Many children did not survive to adulthood
Many died of infection or malnutrition
The average life expectancy was 35 years
They believed that God determined a person’s place in society
The Age of Chivalry
Knights: Warriors on Horseback
Horseback came about under th reign of Charles Martel
Looked at Muslim cavalry
Horseback soldiers changed the tide of battles
Leather saddles and stirrups
Saddle-Firmly seated
Stirrup-weapons
Mounted knights
Role of Knight
Defend territories
Service for land
Was only helps to 40 days a combat a year
Facts About Knights on Horseback
Horses- Bite and kick
The knights and horse has armour made of both leather and metal
War horses were called destrier
Knighthood and the Code of Chivalry
Sons of nobles train at age 7 - sent to castle of another lord
Learned the code of chivalry, or the knightly sets of ideas
Demanded knight to fight bravely in defense of 3 masters - earthly feudal lord, heavenly lord, and his chosen lady
Loyal, brave, and courteous - most knights failed by their treatment to poor
Page - began to work on fighting skills
Age 14 - Squire - servant to knight
Age 21 - became a full fledged knight
Gain experience fighting in local wars - tournaments
Trumpets blared, ladies and lords cheered
Winners demand large ransoms
Built castles - dominated countryside in western Europe
Lord, lady, family, knights, servants made castles their home
Archers on top
Poured boiling water, hot oil, or molten lead on enemy soldiers
The Literature of Chivalry
Themes of medieval literature downplayed the brutality of knighthood and feudal war
Many of these stories idealized castle life
They were glorified the knighthood and chivalry
Also songs and poems about a knight's love were popular
Epic Poetry
Feudal lords and their ladies really enjoyed listening to epic poems
Poems often recounted a hero's deed
Retold stories of King Arthur and Charlemagne
Song of roland - very famous
Love Poems and Songs
Troubadours were traveling poet musicians at the castles and courts of Europe.
composed short verses and songs about joys and sorrows
Love disappointments
Love sick
Women’s Roles in a Feudal Society
Feudal Society- A society in which peasants are given portions (Vessels) of land from the Lord in exchange for various duties.
Powerless, like most men.
Have even less power than the men.
There are two separate types of women in the feudal system.
Noble Women
They could inherit estate from her husband if he passed and if the lord allowed it.
They could send warriors to war
During wars when the men were away they were left to defend the castle
They would learn how to shoot a bow and arrow and throw rocks to defend the castle
Most of the time they just did work around the house.
Lords would almost always pass land to sons not daughters.
Peasant Women
Their lives were basically just housework
The women were uneducated
They would work in the fields
They only had a handful of jobs including having children, and taking care of the family
The lives of women didn’t really change for hundreds of years
The Power of the Church
Emperor of Rome
Charlemagne crowned in 800
Authority of the Church-300 years Before Charlemagne
Pope Gelasius I - realized that conflicts could happen between the pope and emperor.
“There are two powers by which this world is chiefly ruled: the sacred authority of the priesthood and the authority of kings.”
Gelasius way to solve the conflicts:
God made two swords
1. Religious - Pope
2. Political - Emperor
Pope bows to Emperor in political matters.
Emperor bows to Pope in religious matters.
If the two of them respected each other and kept their power in their own realm, they would be in harmony.
They ended up competing for power.
Authority of the Church: Structure of the Church
Like feudalism, the church was run their own way.
Power was based on Status
Different Ranks of Clergy
Pope- highest ranking- everyone fell under him
Bishops- settles disputes over the practices and Church teachings
Priests- main contact with Church
Authority of the Church: Structure of the Church
Feudalism and Manor system- divided people
The beliefs and teachings of Church- brought people together
The Church
Stable during a time of warfare and political confusion
Christians felt safe
Struggled everyday- all followed same path to everlasting life in Heaven
Clergy administered the Sacraments
Religious ceremonies
A local village church
Authority of the Church: The Law of the Church
Church’s Authority- Religious and Political
System of Justice- guides the way people act
Medieval Christians (Kings/pheasants) were subject to Canon Law
The church law when it comes to certain religious practices and Marriage
Church had two courts- accuse people of violating the law
Excommunication
Banished from church
It has power over political leaders
Interdict
The Church and Roman Empire: Otto I allies with the Church
Otto was crowned German king in 936 and Holy Roman emperor from (962-973).
He formed a close relationship with the church and gained more power by getting support by the bishops.
Defeated German princes following Charlemagne.
Invaded Italy in 962 and was rewarded with being crowned emperor.
Sacraments/religious practics can’t be performed on King’s lands
Then become “doomed to hell”
Basically forced the emperor to bow down to the Pope in this case
Served as a religious and political center
Festive celebrations on holidays
The Church and Roman Empire: Signs of Future Conflicts
The empire that Otto created was called Roman Empire of the German Nation.
The Empire later became the Holy Roman Empire.
Strongest in europe until 1100
Otto's attempt of reviving charlemagne empire caused trouble with the future german leaders.
The Emperor clashed with Pope: Showdown at Canossa
The whole issue started with the practice of “lay investiture” which allowed kings and noblemen to appoint church officials. Pope Gregory Vii did not like that setup, so he abolished it. In return, it infuriated Emperor Henry IV. Which then backfired on the Pope because he was forced out of his position by the bishops he didn’t appoint to their position.
The actual “showdown” starts with Henry crossing the Alps to get to the town of Canossa. Pope Gregory was staying as a guest at the castle in town, and Henry wanted entry. For three entire days he decided it would be a good idea to wait outside
Now, the pope was supposed to grant forgiveness of sin to anyone who asked graciously in his terms. So after those three days, Pope Gregory ended his excommunication, so Emperor Henry rushed home to punish nobles
Concordat of “Worm” (Worms)
An agreement or treaty, especially one between the Vatican and a secular government relating to matters of mutual interest
The Emperor clashes with Pope: Concordat of Worms
This whole process of “lay investiture” stayed a thing all the way up until 1122, or 50 years passed, generations died, and the emperor and pope were still at it. Only this time it was the successors/ The representatives of the church and of the Emperor met in wurms, and created the agreement known as “Concordat of Worms.”
Means that the church alone could appoint a bishop, But the emperor could veto appointment at any moment. During that same time period, princes regained power once lost under Otto’s control, and a later king (Frederick the first) would continue this battle
When Frederick Left
When Frederick left the country, disorder returned.
He kept invading the rich cities of Italy.
Because of attacks spurred Italian merchants to unite against him.
By 1176 foot soldiers of the lombard league faced Frederick’s army of mounted knights and the battle of Legnano.
Italian used crossbows to defeat feudal knights for the first time in history
German kings and also Fredericks II continued their attempts to revive Charlemagne’s empire and his alliance with the church.
This policy led to wars with Italian cities and more clashes with the pope.
German rulers controlled fewer royal lands to use as a base of power than French and English kings of the same period.
German kings after Frederick try to revive empire
German Princes, who elect kings prefer to keep them weak.
Frederick made many promises. He promised not to make peace with the Roman Commune. Arnold (he hanged) or the Normans, without the agreement of the pope.
Manuel of Byzantium was offering Frederick I a princess to be his wife. Manuel tried to convince him to fight with the Norman Kingdom, he refused to do so.
The name “Holy Roman Empire”
Frederick I was the first ruler to call his lands the “Holy Roman Empire”.
HIs forceful personality and military skills enabled him to dominate the Germans.
By 1177 Frederick made peace with the pope and returned to Germany.
After he drowned in 1190 his empire fell to pieces.
Frederick I
He was born in 1122
He was named king on March 4,1152
Nickname was Barbarossa “red Beard”
Died June 10,1190. He died while on the Third Crusade to the Holy Land.
The son of Duke Frederick II Of Swabia.
- For many years the peasants believed that Frederick was not really dead, but was asleep in a cave in the mountains of Germany, with his gallant Knights around him.
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