Who Were the Barbarians Originated around the area

Who Were the Barbarians? • Originated around the area of the Baltic Sea • “Barbarian” is a Greek term for non. Greek speaking peoples • Germanic Tribes: – Angles – Saxons – Franks – Goths (Visigoths & Ostrogoths) – Vandals

European Tribes (ca. 400)

Political Organization • Germanic people had no conception of a territorial state, with physical boundaries • Political organization based on kinship network • Tribe formed the basis of the political community • Recognized kings

The Middle Ages 476 -1500 a. d. Part I The Dark Ages The Fall of Rome to Charlemagne

After the fall of Rome • • • Trade became limited Cities and trade centers were abandoned Populations shifted to rural areas People survived on subsistence agriculture Focus of life became survival Loss of a common language

Effects of Rome’s Fall • In the East • In the West – Continuation of – Growth of New “Rome” as the Kingdoms: Franks Byzantine & Lombards Empire – Increase of Papal – Development of authority, Leo the Orthodox Great Christian Church – Decentralization – Reign of of government Justinian (527565)

Germanic Kingdoms occupy Europe • Some retained Roman government -Ostrogoths – Italy -Visigoths – Spain -Vandals – North Africa -Angles/Saxons-England Visigoth - first barbarian to successfully capture the city Rome in 410 C. E.

Europe, ca. 500

German Migrations

Germanic Law • Laws were based on oral customs • Vendetta (blood feud) • Wergeld – Money in compensation for death or injury • Thing (council of elders) • Oathgivers & ordeal – Guilt or innocence not based on facts but on testimony or Divine favor

Germanic law and custom • Roman law based on offenses against society • Germanic law more personal and could lead to blood feuds (Hatfields and Mc. Coys) • Wergeld (personal fines) began to replace blood feuds • Trial by ordeal or compurgation was standard

Trial by Ordeal • "the most righteous judge above the clouds" • "Ordalia" determines innocence or guilt • Trial by fire - This consisted of walking barefoot over red hot iron. If you survived that, and the resultant wound healed after three days you were considered innocent. • plunging of the arm into boiling water. If you had no blisters, you were assumed to be innocent.

Clovis King of the Franks 485 -511 CE first ruler of the Merovingian Dynasty (Merovaeus Merowig died 458) • Clovis makes an alliance of church and state • 496 CE Clovis converts to Christianity • The Frankish Kingdom spanned form the Pyrenees to modern day Germany

Clovis Franks Battle Romans Vengeance of Clovis beheads the Frankish warrior who after the Battle of Soissons had broken the famous vase that the king wished to present to the bishop of Reims.