Emerging Europe and the Byzantine Empire 400 1300

Emerging Europe and the Byzantine Empire 400 -1300

Transforming the Roman World �Germanic kingdoms controlled Europe after fall of Rome � 500 AD Europe divided into many Germanic kingdoms, built on Roman traditions � 500 -1000 Europe- trade slowed, learning virtually ceased, violent and lawless �Political, social, economic division � Roman, Germanic, Christian traditions blended created new civilization

Germanic Society Germanic Tribes � Mostly farmers, herders � No written laws, governed by customs � Kings elected, warriors swear loyalty to king in exchange for weapons, plunder � Crucial social bond- family (worked land together, provided protection) Europe 500 AD

Germanic Society �Germanic law was personal, lead to many feuds �Wergild � developed to avoid feuds �It was the amount paid to the family of a person that had been injured or killed �Fines based on social status �Guilt determined by ordeal (physical trial)

Role of the Church � 4 th century church developed system of organization �Parishes ruled by bishops �Bishop under direction of archbishop �Over time Bishop of Rome becomes head of church- pope � First strong pope Gregory I (590 -604)

Role of the Church �Church center of life �Church largest public building �Life revolved around Christian holy days �Tithe paid to support church and local priest �Non-members seen as suspicious �Priest most educated person in many areas, moral guide, ran schools, treated sick

Gregory I �Strengthened power of papacy �Political Power- ruler of Rome and surrounding territory (Papal States) �Converted many non. Christians, started monastic movement

Power of the Papacy �Supreme authority �Pope raised armies �Many clergy served in governments across Europe �Church had laws (cannon of laws) and own courts �Break laws led to excommunication (individuals) or interdiction (towns, kingdoms) �Church used power to end warfare at times

Monastic Movement �Monks- isolated spiritual life, total dedication to God � 6 th century St. Benedict writes rules for monks �Life of prayer and manual labor �Communal life, monasteries self-sustaining � Ruled by an abbot

Monastic Life �Monks and Monasteries roles A. social workers, hospitals, centers of learning B. Ideal Christian life C. Moral example to others �Some monasteries owned large amounts of land, people left land wealth to the church �By 1050 most of Western Europe Catholic

Monastic Life �Monastic life provided opportunities for women (nuns) �Many German nuns were well educated � Hildegard of Bingen , composed religious music, popes and rulers sought her advice � Later Middle Ages women had rights restricted by Church

Jews in Europe �Communities existed across Europe � Muslim Spain center of Jewish culture �Other European kingdoms accepted Jews, taxed them heavily � 1000 Jews viewed as suspicious by Christians, blamed for disasters �Church passed laws curbed Jewish rights �Many fled to Eastern Europe

The Franks � Late 5 th century Clovis conquers most of Gaul (France) � Converts to Christianity 500 AD � Powerful ally of Catholic Church � Franks most powerful European kingdom � 732 Charles Martel defeats Muslims (Battle of Tours) � Kept the Muslim armies from advancing any farther north in Europe � 768 his grandson becomes king, Charlemagne

Charlemagne and Carolingian Empire ü Strong ruler, warrior, statesman, devout Catholic ü Expanded empire ü United most of Western Europe ü Nobles and Counts acted a local political authorities the were the king’s representatives ü Missi Dominici- two men sent to districts to check on local rulers

Charlemagne and Carolingian Empire � 800 A. D. pope made Charlemagne emperor of Romans � Symbolized endurance of Rome � Unified Germanic, Roman, Christian traditions

Charlemagne and Carolingian Empire �Promoted learning- educated clergy, literate officials for government �Monasteries central to preservation of Greco- Roman knowledge �Copied Bibles, other classical Roman and Greek texts in scriptoria