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The Early Middle Ages

Chapter 9

Outline

• Collapse of Rome led to development of new ways of life in Europe

• Charlemagne revived the idea of empire

• Vikings terrorized Europe

• Feudalism became the basis for government

New Ways of Life Developed in Europe

• Roman civilization collapsed– Trade and towns– Illiteracy

• Personal ties replaced citizenship• Christianity wins new followers

– Missionaries– The Franks under Clovis

• Monastic Life– Benedictine Rule– Achievements of the Monasteries

• Gregory expands Papal power

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Reasons for Rome’s Collapse

• Re-assertion of local loyalties

• Decline in the quality of the Roman army

• Invasion of the Germanic Tribes across the Rhine-Danube frontier--motivation for invasions--Fear of the Huns--The invasion of the Visigoths

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Rome’s Population (est.) over Time

< - Middle Ages ->

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Warfare disrupts trade

• Collapse of trade = death for cities

• Roman rule ends

• Citizens migrate to the countryside– Small farms

• Western Europe population becomes overwhelmingly rural

Were the “Dark Ages” dark?

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Personal ties replace citizenship

• Germanic kingdoms replace Roman Provinces

• Family ties outweigh citizenship

• Personal loyalties outweigh observance of the rule of public law

• No obligations to foreign or distant kings

Christianity wins new followers

• The Roman Catholic Church endures

• Christian missionaries travel among the Germanic and Celtic tribes (~300-400 CE)– Patrick returns to and

converts Ireland in 432 CE

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Conversion of Clovis

• Politics and religion find common ground– Clovis’ wife

encourages his conversion to Catholicism

• Anti-Arianism

– Beginning of a Frankish and Catholic Church partnership

Two views of the Feudal Triangle

• Feudalism had political and economic elements

• The social structure also defined political and economic relationships

Workers, Warriors & Worshippers

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Loss of Literacy

• Barbarians did not read or write

• Multiple languages and dialects– Latin evolves French, Spanish, Italian

– German

• Roman citizens de-emphasize learning

• Priests are the only literate members of society

Monastic Life• Without cities, Bishops lose

influence• Monasteries arise as Christian

communities– Simple life without

possessions– Devotion to worship and

prayer– Poverty, Chastity,

Obedience• Benedictine Rule

– Spiritual and Administrative Guidance for Monastic Life

• Sister Scholastica

Monastic Achievements

• Islands of stability• Best-governed

communities• Most-educated

communities– Schools– Libraries– “Publishing”

• Preservation of Rome’s intellectual heritage

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Gregory Expands Papal Authority

• Papacy becomes a political as well as a spiritual force– Armies– Road repair– Relief for the poor

• Pope as “Mayor” of Rome• Missionary expeditions• Influential Author

– Dialogues– Pastoral Care

• Papal responsibility not limited by borders

• The idea of a Churchly Kingdom - Christendom

Key Terms

• Ordeal

• Medieval

• Dark Ages

• Literacy

• Monastery

• Abbot

• Patrick

• Clovis

• Arianism

• Benedict

• Scholastica

• Gregory I

• Lombards

• Christendom

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Charlemagne Revived the idea of Empire

• Clovis’ descendants lost power– Merovingian Kings

• Major domo (Mayor of the Palace)

• Pope names Pepin king

• Charlemagne extended Frankish power, strengthened his rule, revived learning

• Pope names Charlemagne emperor

• Charlemagne’s heirs rule weakly

Problems of Succession

• Clovis’ descendants were known as Merovingians– Also known as “the long-haired kings”

• 275 years of (not peaceful) rule

• When a Merovingian king died, his sons treated the kingdom as private property– Civil war and conflict

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Clovis I

• From petty King to ruler of the largest European Kingdom

Major domo

• By 700 CE, the power of the Merovingian kings shrank to nearly nothing

• Palace officials known as the major domo (mayor of the palace) held the real power– Governed in the king’s name

• 714 CE – Charles Martel held the position of major domo

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Pepin the Short

• Pepin’s ambitions were larger than his father’s

• He wanted to be king, not just major domo

• Correspondence with Pope Stephen II led to Pepin being named “King by the Grace of God”

• Kings gain spiritual power

Impact on the Church

• Victories over the Lombards

• Pope gains political power

• Conflict between Popes and Kings

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Charlemagne extends Frankish Power

• Charlemagne founds the Carolingian dynasty

• Physical strength and energy inspires personal loyalty

• Direct command of the armies

Seeds of the Feudal System

• Landowners called to the capital

• Nobles bring followers equipped for battle

Charlemagne’s Empire

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Royal Officials Administer the Empire

Division of the Empire

Key Terms

• Knight

• Count

• Missi dominici

• Carolingian miniscule

• Franks

• Merovingians

• Major domo (mayor of the palace)

• Charles Martel

• Pepin the Short

• Papal States

• Charlemagne

• Carolingians

• Treaty of Verdun

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Viking “Terror”

• Skilled seafarers

• Widespread settlement

• End of an Era

Skilled Seamen

Feudalism

• Lords and Vassals exchange vows

• Vassals serve in war and peace

• Manors are the economic side of feudalism

• Peasant duties on the manor

• Harsh manor life

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Feudal Triangle

Bonds between Lord & Vassal

• Begin with personal loyalty• Oath = contract• Investiture = symbolic act passing control

of a piece of land to a vassal• Fiefs were divided to raise armies• Benefits included responsiveness to raids,

fortifications of key holdings• Weaknesses included divided loyalties,

confusing relationships

Vassals serve in times of war and peace

• Vassals required to fight when called– 40 days of combat, on horseback, per year– Extensive, specialized training

• Women and church leaders held estates– Women might inherit– Church leaders might fight

• Peacetime duties included – Courts of justice– Administrative, including tax collection– Finance– Written records

• Public power becomes private

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Manors

• Manor = economic unit

• Self-sufficient

• Serfs bound to the land

• Free peasants technically able to leave the manor

Civilization

• Growth of Cities

• Specialized Workers

• Writing

• Advanced Technology

• Complex Institutions