the middle ages 500-1500 ce an overview. europe: 526-600 ce

THE MIDDLE AGES 500-1500 CEAn overview

EUROPE: 526-600 CE

MIDDLE AGES: “THE AGE OF FAITH”

MONASTICISM•The rise of monks

▫Poverty, chastity, obedience•Monasteries

▫Centers of learning – monks could read and write

▫Schools▫Libraries▫Scriptoria▫Inns and shelters for travelers▫Orphanages

•Friars vs. monks

RELIGION OF THE MASSES•Christianity spreading in Europe

▫But, people were superstitious Devoted to many pagan rituals Believed in witches and witchcraft

•Church initiated reform movements against such heresies ▫Friars: Dominicans and Franciscans

Worked directly with populace, needy, sick Championed spiritual over materialistic values

•But some reform movements weren’t so kind…

MEDIEVAL TORTURE!•Torture was implemented for three

reasons:▫1) to force confessions or secret

information▫2) to discourage dissent and intellectual

freedom▫3) to persuade Jews, Muslims, and non-

believers to accept Christianity•Medieval torture was a way to rid the

Church of heretical individuals▫Why was this allowed?▫What does this say about medieval law?

THE IRON MAIDEN• Spikes in the Iron Maiden

were strategically located to avoid major organs, thereby prolonging the inevitable death of the accused.

PUBLIC HUMILIATION • Hunger, thirst, bad

weather and jeers (along with stones and rotten fruit) of passersby made this treatment nastier than it looks. Afterwards, the victim often left town if at all possible.

MUTILATION• Besides its painful and

horrific aspects, it served as an effective deterrent. A blinded or handless thief was certainly put out of business.▫ HEY, this sounds

familiar…▫ Why would mutilation be

an effective form of torture?

FIRE• Burning at the stake was

not reserved for witches, but rather was a common form of execution. Political dissidents were usually burned as well.

STRAPPADO• Hands bound behind his

back, the accused was drawn to the high ceiling and dropped with a jerk to the end of the rope, pulling his shoulders out of sockets. ▫ Remember this – the

Nazis used this as a form of punishment immediately when the Jews got to concentration camps And then they were

forced to work….

MORE TORTURE DEVICES (just imagine….)

• Hanging by the thumbs• The Cat’s Claw• Whipping• Archery practice• Breaking/beaten to death• The Smallbox• Stocks• Live burial• Water torture• Quartering• Pinchers• The Iron Spider• Crocodile shears• The Saw• The Testicle Crusher

• Punishment of heretics and Jews were often gruesomely creative – thought to inspire the public into faith

CHURCH POWER•Popes, clergy held enormous power

▫Church lands could not be taxed▫Popes could deprive kings of their throne

•Commoners in church – ▫Social background unimportant▫WOMEN HAD ENORMOUS INFLUENCE

•Popes took an active roll in sending out missionaries▫Crusades,

anyone?

Recap: Why did Rome fall?•Invasions by Germanic tribes in the north

▫Visigoths▫Ostrogoths▫Lombards▫Franks▫Angles▫Saxons

•Tribes and families, loyalty to kings not state, Christianity on the rise

Summary: Politics•Early Middle Ages (first half)

▫Church is incredibly powerful▫Politics is local and based on who owns land;

slowly individuals acquire more land and eventually create kingdoms

•High Middle Ages (second half)▫Church is still powerful▫Kingdoms have more defined borders and

Kings are incredibly powerful (sometimes equal to or more powerful than the Church)

Rise of the Franks• The Franks

▫Belgium, Northern France, Western Germany

• Clovis▫A strong military and political

leader▫ Built the most powerful and

dynamic state in western Europe

• Franks converted to Roman Christianity

Alliance with Catholics greatly strengthened Franks – why?

Carolingian Dynasty• First great Frankish

dynasty▫Why is it important?

• Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer)

• Charlemagne (768-814 CE)

• Pope Leo III named Charlemagne emperor in 800▫Holy Roman Empire!

(vs. Byzantine Empire)

The Frankish Empire under Charlemagne (will become known as the Holy Roman Empire)

End of the Franks

• Charlemagne’s son, Louis the Pious▫Died; Treaty of Verdun▫His three sons divided the

empire into three kingdoms Fell apart quickly – due to…

can you guess!?• Invasions!

▫Vikings from the north, Muslims in the Mediterranean, Magyars to the east

Vikings: Awesome seafarers. Also had names like “Thorfinn Skullsplitter”

Vikings, Magyars, and Arabs

Europe 1000 CE

Europe 1400 CE•Hundred

Years’ War – (1337-1453)

•RESULT:Beginnings of nation-states

MEDIEVAL LIFE:FEUDAL AND MANORIAL SYSTEMS

•In Europe in the Middle Ages, the feudal and manorial systems …▫Governed life▫Required people to

perform certain duties and obligations

FEUDAL SYSTEM: POLITICS

•Kings•Lords•Vassals •Serfs

FEUDAL SYSTEM: POLITICS

MANORIALISM: ECONOMICS

•Principal form of agricultural organization▫Kings gave out lands

to lords, vassals, knights, serfs (think back to the feudal pyramid)

▫Manors were self-sufficient communities

MANORIALISM: ECONOMICSPeasants Serfs

• Free• Owned land• Worked land

• Not free• Could not own land• Provide labor for ‘rent’• Drafted as foot soldiers in

armies

MEDIEVAL MANOR

How did the feudal system work?How did the manorial system work?How did lords and peasants benefit from a manorial system?

Summary: Economics

•Early Middle Ages (first half)▫Manorialism▫Small towns, self-sufficient agriculture▫Little trade

•High Middle Ages (second half)▫Agricultural developments▫Increased trade▫Rise of towns

Early Middle Ages – Small Villages• Originally, agricultural surplus not enough to support large cities • Why?

•Then, agricultural advancements!▫Three-field system▫Fertilizer▫Watermills and plows

All of which contributed to…

REVIVAL OF TOWNS AND TRADE•Urbanization

▫Increase in food production = larger population

▫Movement to cities▫Trade growing

•Hanseatic League▫League of trading cities in Northern

Europe Made war on opponents, concluded treaties

SOCIAL CHANGES

•Three estates▫“Those who pray” – clergy, spiritual estate

Popes, bishops, abbots, monks, priests▫“Those who fight” – feudal nobles, military

estate▫“Those who work” – peasants and serfs

Burghers (townspeople) grew into middle class

Guilds Chivalry and gender roles…. NEXT TIME

MEDIEVAL TRADE ROUTES

FLEAS ON RATS•1346, the Black Plague hit Europe

▫Originated in China, moved via trade routes to Europe

•Plague spread incredibly quickly▫Wiped out 2/3 of Europe’s population

FREEDOM TO PEASANTS! …we’ll get there.▫Poor living conditions, crowded cities, lots

of interaction with others due to trade•Many viewed the Plague as a punishment

from God

CRUSADES•Pope Urban II

▫Wanted to reclaim the holy places near Jerusalem

•The First Crusade▫French, Normans organized

a respectable military expedition, 1096

▫Jerusalem fell to the Crusaders, 1099

MAP OF THE CRUSADES

THE CRUSADES•Second Crusade

▫Muslims took the land back•Third Crusade

▫Saladin and Richard the Lion-hearted Agreement! Muslims controlled the holy land,

but Christians could freely visit•Fourth Crusade

▫Got sidetracked and looted Constantinople▫Caused HUGE split between Byzantine Empire

and Holy Roman Empire… “The Great Schism”

INQUISITION AND RECONQUISTA•The Crusades but specifically in Spain

▫Ferdinand and Isabella wanted to remove all Muslims from Spain Why were there Muslims in Spain?

•Against Muslims, Jews, and heretics – goal was to unite Spain in Christianity

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CRUSADES• Religious intolerance

▫ Especially toward the Jews• Weakened feudal nobility

▫ Knights were gone off to battle!• Stimulated trade and ideas

▫ Facilitated exchange of goods between Muslims, Europe Silk, cotton textiles, spices, citrus plants, sugar Italian merchants sought trade in Asian markets

▫ Reacquired Aristotle and Greek classics From?

▫ Muslim science, math, technology, paper skills, architecture

• Helped produce a 12th century European intellectual Renaissance

(SLOW) END OF THE MIDDLE AGES