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