Medieval Europe Lesson 1 Geography of Europe Europe

Medieval Europe

Lesson 1: Geography of Europe

Europe • Europe = 2 nd smallest continent • It goes from the Arctic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea • Its western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean • The Ural Mountains are its eastern boundary

4 major land regions in Europe • 1) the Northwest Mountains • 2) the North European Plain • 3) the Central Uplands • 4) the Alpine Mountain System

Europe’s River System • Many rivers • Serve as transportation routes • Volga River = longest river in Europe • Danube River = 2 nd longest river in Europe • Rhine River = the backbone of the busiest inland system of waterways in the western part of Europe

Waterways (Rivers) • Traders transported goods • Used the water to turn waterwheels to grind grain • Cities grew up along rivers • Fishing became part of the economy

Climate Milder Climate due to winds that are warmed by the Gulf Stream.

• Europeans began to clear the land for farming. • Deforestation = the cutting down of forests to clear the land • Most of Europe = Milder/Temperate Climate • Different areas had different conditions: -Atlantic coast = mild winters and cool summers southern -Europe = hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters -Northwest Mountain region = cooler at higher elevations and milder at lower elevations

Lesson 2: Rulers and Invaders

A European Empire • Domesday Book kept track of the number of people in Europe. • It helped the ruler set up a tax system.

Charlemagne • Crowned emperor in 800 • Conquered lands • Forced people to become Christians • Issued written laws • Promoted learning and culture • Gave land to nobles who pledged loyalty to him

Invaders • Vikings (fierce pirates and warriors from Scandinavia) invaded the empire. • They launched several invasions. • They conquered and looted (robbed). • First, they did it to steal goods. • Later, they set up trading centers and trade routes.

William the Conqueror • Led the Normans (another group of Vikings) • They became Christians and church leaders • Adopted Frankish customs • Marched into England southern Italy

A Change in Government • Most kings were strong and just. • King John ruled with more force than others. • He demanded more military service and more money. • He sold royal positions to the highest bidders.

• English lords were angry with John’s rule. • After King John lost an important battle against France, civil war broke out.

King John “agreed” to sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta, or “Great Charter, ” limited royal power.

Lesson 3: Life in the Middle Ages

The Church • Most people were Christians. • Some were Jewish and Muslim. • Christians showed devotion by going on a pilgrimage to Rome or Jerusalem. To Rome or Jerusalem!!

• Jerusalem = holy city for Jews, Christians, & Muslims • Rome = holy center of Christendom (“kingdom of Christians”) • The pope (Christian leader) lived in Rome. • The pope was just as powerful as a king.

Cathedrals

Cathedrals • Entire towns worked to build these large churches. • They took decades or even hundreds or years to finish!

Monk = men who devote their lives to religion. Monastery = where monks studied, prayed, and lived. Nun = women who devote their lives to religion. Convent = where nuns studied, prayed, and lived.

Monasteries and Convents: • Served as centers of religion and education. • Monks and nuns planted and harvested crops and helped the poor. • Some monks became missionaries who are people who teach a religion to people with different beliefs.

Feudalism- a political, social, and economic system monarch lords knights serfs or peasants

Lords: • owned the land • collected a percentage of the crops • received all the income from the crops • collected taxes • maintained order • enforced laws • protected the serfs

Knights- warriors trained and prepared to fight on horseback Chivalry-- a code of behavior that stated that a true knight: • Had deep faith • Was ready to die for the church • Gave generously to all • Used his strength to stand against injustice Most knights received some land from their lords.

Feudalism Declines Serfs: • formed the base of the society • had no loyalty to anyone • were not slaves • were “tied” to the land = they could not leave it without the lord’s permission

Eventually, lords became independent of the monarch.

The Manor System • The manor system was a way of organizing agricultural labor (farming). • Manors had four parts: – 1. the manor house and village – 2. farmland – 3. meadowland – 4. wasteland (see pages 402 -403)

Being a serf was a difficult life– the church offered hope and peace.

Three-Field Rotation System

Meadowlands & Wastelands Also Provided:

The Manor System generally met all the needs of the people living there. • It even allowed for crop surpluses. • These surpluses allowed towns and cities to grow!

Guilds = a group of people united by a common interest • Guilds: – Worked together to buy large quantities of goods cheaply – Controlled the market – Guaranteed a fair price for goods – Workers such as bakers, goldsmiths, tailors, and weavers formed craft guilds – Controlled the quality and quantity of production – Protected the town’s merchants and craftspeople from having to compete with those from outside the town

Medieval Women • Most women had few rights. • Unmarried and own land? -- You would have some rights. • Until you get married– they you give up your rights.

Medieval Women • A lady– a woman of noble birth – Given little opportunity to make decisions about her own life. – A lady’s actions were directed by her father or husband. – Servants managed the lord’s business and nurses took care of the children.

Village Women • Had more work to do than ladies • Often worked on the land with their husband • Unmarried? Worked as servant girls or as agricultural (farm) workers • Could work in nearly all the trades • They were kept out of decision-making discussions.

Christine de Pisan • Earned a living by writing: – She wrote poetry and books protesting the way women were both glorified and insulted by male authors.

Lesson 4: Crusades, Trade, and the Plague

Chain Mail Armor

• The religion of Islam had spread through North Africa and Asia Minor. • Lands to the north and west of the Mediterranean Sea were mainly Christian. • Lands on the eastern shores were Muslim. • In the mid-1000 s, a group of Muslim Seljuk Turks rose up and defeated a Byzantine Empire. • This marked the decline of Byzantine control over Asia Minor.

• The Turks conquered Palestine– which Christians considered to be the Holy Land. • According to the New Testament, Palestine is where Jesus had lived and preached. • Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus asked Pope Urban II in Rome for help. • He wanted Christian knights to fight against the Turks.

The Crusades • Between 1095 & 1214, eight major military expeditions were organized– these were called the Crusades. • Kings, nobles, knights, peasants, & townspeople became crusaders. • They set out to win back control of Palestine.

East and West • Crusaders marched to the East to win control of the Holy Land. • Holy Land = Palestine • Crusaders won some battles. They set up crusader states along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. • Their victories had no permanent effects HOWEVER the Crusades increased contacts between the West and the East. • This led to trade and commerce.

Trade Grows • During the early Middle Ages, people had what they needed to produce their own food, clothing, and shelter. • Over time, people began to need and want goods that were not available on the manor. • Goods reached people by way of a fair. • Merchants and craftspeople set up tents or stalls to display and sell their goods.

• Traders developed regular trade routes. • Traders and merchants traded local goods foreign goods. • Goods from Asia would reach the trader through a series of middleman (like a relay race).

The Silk Road • 4, 000 miles in length • It was several different routes or branches. • It started from the Chinese capital, Chang’an. • See page 409.

• Caravans to China carried gold, ivory, and precious stones. • Caravans from China brought silk, furs, ceramics, jade, bronze objects, and iron. • Ideas traveled both ways.

• The Silk Road was difficult and dangerous to travel on. • Bandits made travel unsafe. • Forts and defensive walls were built along part of the road to protect the caravans.

Marco Polo • In 1271, Marco Polo left Italy for China. • He remained there for 17 years.

Many states were united under the Mongol Empire. As a result: • The Silk Road became an important path for communication between different parts of the Empire. • It became safer to travel under the protection of the Mongols.

The Plague • The Plague hit Europe at the height of its strength. • It was the bubonic plague, a very aggressive epidemic. • An epidemic is the rapid spread of a disease over a wide area.

• Ships carried the rats from country to country. • They didn’t know how the Plague was spread. • Some thought you could get it by looking at someone who had the Plague. • The Plague killed about one-fourth to one-third of Europe’s population from 1347 -1352. • A positive side? Less people meant the serfs became more valuable to lords and enjoyed a higher standard of living and more independence.