U4LG1 – Medieval Europe

Unit 4 Learning Goal 1: Explain how Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy were unifying social and political forces in Western Europe and Byzantine Europe and identify the impact of ideas contained in Justinian’s Code of Laws. (TEKS/SE’s 1C,4A,4B,20B)   Byzantine Empire Orthodox, Roman Catholic  Justinian Code

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Essential Questions:

What was the impact of the fall of Rome on Western Europe?

How was the development of Christianity a unifying social and political factor in medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire?

What are the characteristics of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy in Post Classical Europe?

What was the impact of political and legal ideas contained in the following documents? Justinian’s Code of Laws, Magna

Carta

How did religion influence the formation of Medieval Europe?

Spread of Christianity

(review)

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Causes

Adopted as official religion of the Roman Empire in 312AD by the Edict of Milan Pax Romana offered peaceful period for Christian missionaries to travel throughout the Roman Empire Missionaries were able to speak to large crowds in the urban areas of the Roman Empire where Greek was commonly spoken    Christianity offered more personal relationship with God than mythology, was attractive to all classes, argued for equality of believers Pagan traditions were incorporated into Christian traditions aiding in cultural unification of Europe Germanic tribes converted to Christianity and spread the religion in areas of northern Europe when they conquered

Effects

Christianity served to cultural unify a politically and linguistically decentralized Europe Roman Catholic Church became a powerful political force and amassed wealth in landholdings Christian monks preserved classical and Biblical works and were scribes of the period Cathedrals were built throughout Europe and still stand as testament to the power of the Roman Catholic Church

Christianity was the only institution to survive the fall of Rome and served to unite Germanic tribes after Clovis’ conversion

Christianity after Rome

   Christianity culturally united Europe Christian Church became a powerful social, political and cultural force The collapse of Roman rule left a large political and economic vacuum in western Europe and decentralized rule followed

Christianity after Rome (cont)

   Populations fell vulnerable to invading groups without the protection of the Roman army Trade stagnated, cultural backwardness and lack of scientific growth A new era for the Christian Church emerged as church leaders filled the political void

Christianity as a Unifying Force in Medieval Europe

 Conversion of Frankish kingdoms to Christianity (Clovis) led to a mass conversion of the people and support from the Roman Catholic Church  Crowning of Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor and organization of Germanic Christian parishes led priests by further strengthened Catholic Church’s political power

Christianity as a Unifying Force in Medieval Europe (cont)

   Expansion of monasteries and convents provide educational communities Strong belief in the sacraments made the Church a focal point for social gatherings Use of Latin in religious setting created some linguistic unity

Christianity as a Unifying Force in Byzantine Empire

 Eastern Orthodox Christian Church was headed by the Byzantine Patriarch, so religious and political unity was structural  Use of Greek created linguistic unification

Roman Catholicism

 Roman Catholic Church hierarchy based on Roman imperial structure with Pope as the head of the Church  Popes appointed some bishops, regulated doctrine, and sponsored missionary activity  Monasteries had both spiritual and secular functions. Monks served as examples of holy life, improved cultivation techniques, stressed productive work, and preserved the heritage of Greco-Roman culture

Roman Catholicism (Cont)

   Rome was established as the capital of the Roman Catholic Church Latin was the language used in Catholic mass Priests could not marry and vowed life of celibacy

Identify

How did religion influence the formation of Medieval Europe?

 Christianity was the lone institution to survive the fall of the Roman Empire. When Frankish kings converted to Christianity and turned to the Pope as their protector, Christianity unified Medieval Europe culturally and the Pope gained great political influence.

Eastern Orthodoxy

     Eastern Orthodox Church was led by the Patriarch (archbishop of Constantinople) who was appointed by the Byzantine Emperor centralization , effectively making the Emperor the head of the state and the church resulting in political Developed a monastic tradition with monks and nuns forming religious communities Constantinople became the capital of the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church Priests could marry and were generally unshaven Local languages could be used in church services

Justinian’s Code of Laws

 Justinian as emperor in eastern Rome tried to unify the Roman Empire between 527 and 565 A.D. He composed the most famous list of Roman laws. His code reduced confusion over laws and provided organization within the Empire. Called the Body of Civil Laws, the code was the clearest and most comprehensive which existed up to that time. It spread Roman legal principles beyond the Empire